Hello from MetalAce - Pella IA
 

Hey guys, Alan here from MetalAce. We build English wheels, Radius Brakes, Bullseye picks and a few other metal shaping goodies here in Iowa. I am not sure if I get more excited about completed shaping projects or shaping equipment itself! Love them both.

I am a private pilot with a dream of building an aluminum skinned experimental airplane some day.

Look forward to learning a lot through your areas of expertise and experiences.

Hi Alan welcome to the forum
Peter

Hi Alan,
Glad to have you aboard. I got my start in metal through the EAA and I used to attend the Oshkosh Fly-In every year. If you haven't already, the EAA put out a wonderful series of how-to book on metal, and wood, in the 1970s, and I think most of them are still available. I think I saw them the last time I was at the museum last winter. They've got a couple of good metal videos, too.

If you're not aware of David Gardiner's "Metalshaping Zone" video, it is a MUST have. Peter Tommasini's series of videos are also extremely helpful.

Ha, I think my daughter was conceived at Oshkosh. Growing up in Rockford I used to watch the planes fly over my house and the dumbest thing Rockford ever did was let the fly-in get away. The first time I went to a fly-in in Rockford they had 5, count them a whole 5, military planes. The fly-in was surrounded by snow fence and the guy at the fence let me in because I was a kid. I have always wanted to build an airplane since I was a kid.

I got my A&P during the 70's and got to do some aluminum sheet metal repair for a flying club I worked for as a volunteer during my time in the military at Offutt. Now that I found Gardiner's DVD and this site, I feel like I am in seventh heaven. I realize I can do things that previously I never considered.

I have looked up the MetalAce website and watched the videos and it makes me want to get an English Wheel but my space is very limited.

Welcome Alan. I have a metal ace english wheel that I assembled from a kit (bought thru Ron Covell) in 1998. Works great . Some say this style frame is too soft but for the work I do it's been good. I'm thinking of getting some 2 inch wide lower wheels to get in some tighter spaces.

Andy Geelhoed(guesswork)

Bill, I did not know that about you, that's great. Yes, I love Oshkosh. Two years ago I had the privilege of flying right seat into the event in my friends polished aluminum C140. What a thrill that was to navigate the NOTAM and radio, especially back then when I was still a student pilot! Nothing like being shoe-horned into a tight final approach in a slow taildragger with a Bonanza breathing down your neck! After settling into our grass spot on the flightline I took a moment and knew that was a memory that would never leave me.

Last year we pitched a tent and brought my 7 and 10 year old for the first time. Needless to say they are coming again this year!

Andy, thanks for the welcome and feedback. One of my hopes with this forum is to learn more about people's preferences so we can improve or add to our product line. We are currently building a stiffer framed prototype that might become a new machine in our line soon. OEM Aircraft folks are driving some of that project.

Welcome Alan.

Another home builder -- built a state of the art plane for 1940. Rag & Tube, aluminum wing Bearhawk four place.

Alan,
One of my other books is Who's Who In Aviation History: 500 Biographies. MUCH fun to write and I met many notable airman back in the 1970s.

There is no higher standard for metal work than that used in aircraft. Kent White is the man for that level of proficiency.

Metalace Picks
 

Hey Alan,

The Metalace Picks have worked great.

I would gladly trade my current English wheel in on one of those Cast Iron Models. either one.