metalworking

1. CHAPTER 1:
METALWORKS
•Lesson 1:
INTRODUCTION TO METAL
WORKING/FABRICATION

3. WHAT IS METALWORKING?
•Metalworking is the process of forming and shaping metals to create
useful tools, objects, equipment parts, and structures. Metalworking
projects generally fall under the categories of forming, cutting, and
joining, and may involve techniques such as cutting, welding, casting,
and molding. Materials used for metalworking include ferrous and non-
ferrous metals such as steel, aluminum, gold, silver, bronze, iron, and
more.

7. THE HISTORY OF METALWORKING
•For thousands of years, precious metals have been
worked into objects and valued by ancient civilizations,
from Pharaohs in Egypt to Mayans in North America.

8. •Metalworking has been a way for civilizations to communicate status,
religious beliefs, and symbolism through artifacts and a practical way to
build tools and structures. It has been practiced by artisans, blacksmiths,
alchemists, contractors, and more around the world, all of whom
specialize in different aspects of metalworking. Many ancient
metalsmithing techniques are still used today, from soldering to welding.

9. •Metallic ores have been extracted from the earth for thousands of years,
placing great importance on metalworkers as the source of extricating
metals. For example, you can remove iron from mineral-rich sand and
mine precious metals like silver from the earth. In modern times, metals
have become even more critical to humanity and advancements in
technology and transportation. Metalworking is all around us, from the
fabrication of electronics to automobiles.

11. METALWORKING TECHNIQUES
•Metalworking techniques create everything from small
decorative objects to large-scale structures. While many
metalworking techniques will be similar across different
materials, the properties of the metal you are working with will
greatly impact your work and your desired finished result.

12. CUTTING
•Cutting removes material from metal using milling, routing, turning, and
technologies like CNC (computer numerical control) machines. Plasma
cutters are gas-powered torches powered by argon and hydrogen gas
that will remove material and make holes in metal. Cutting is often used
in metalworking fabrication shops, automotive repair, and construction.

17. JOINING
• Joining is the process of combining several pieces of metal with heat through
welding or soldering. Welding is a fabrication process that utilizes
a welding machine to join ferrous and non-ferrous metals and works well for larger
projects. Soldering is a joining process used to fuse different types of precious
metals together by melting solder and works well for small projects. New technology
continues to develop as metalworking advances.

22. FORMING
• Forming is the process of re-shaping and fabricating metal objects without adding or removing
any material. This process is possible through a combination of heat and pressure. Both forging
and bending are essential methods for forming metal. When forging metal, you will heat it in the
forge, then hammer and bend it into your desired shape. To make a bend or curve in the metal,
heat it in the forge, then hold it over the anvil horn and strike it with a hammer to make your
desired curve. The English wheel is a tool that allows metalworkers to easily form and shape
cold materials, such as aluminum or steel.

28. CASTING
• Metal casting is a metalworking process that can be traced back to around 4000
BCE, and it is still used for making sculptures, tools, and jewelry. Metalsmiths
have been pouring molten metals into cavities shaped in stone, plaster, sand,
and even bone since we learned to melt metals. Metal casting is cost and time
effective, and it gives you the ability to make multiples of the same piece.

33. •The common methods for casting metal are lost wax casting
and sand casting. Lost wax casting involves carving or shaping
your piece in wax, creating a plaster mold around it, then
burning out the wax. Sand casting uses sand as the mold
material. Sand is combined with a bonding agent, such as clay,
and is gated. Then, molten metal is flowed into the mold to
create a solid object.

35. CUTTING PROCESSES & TECHNIQUES
•Metals must be cut and separated throughout the
metalworking process to build structures, make tools, and
more. There are numerous metal cutting methods available
for metalworking, from using simple handheld tools to a
variety of more advanced machines and equipment.

38. MILLING
•Milling is the process of removing precise amounts of material
from a greater piece. A milling machine rotates a cutting tool
and brings the cutting tool into contact with a workpiece.
The mill and lathe are the cornerstones of any machine shop
and can produce pieces with great precision, repeatability, and
accuracy.

42. TURNING
•Turning is a machining process in which a cutting tool moves linearly
while the workpiece rotates, strategically removing material from the
piece. Material can be removed from both the depth and width of the
workpiece. Lathes are traditionally used in turning as the leading
principal machine tool. As technology has advanced, CNC machines
are also used for a more automated process.

45. GRINDING
•Grinding uses an abrasive process to remove material from the
workpiece, typically in the finishing stages of metalworking. Grinding
machines range from hand-held angle grinders to bench grinders, to
more advanced CNC machines. These machines can range vastly in
size and precision. Grinding creates very fine finishes and precise
cuts using an abrasive wheel made from stone, diamonds, or
inorganic material.

48. DRILLING
•Drilling creates holes in metal using a drill press, handheld drill, or
CNC machine. Make sure you lubricate your bits with cutting fluid
to prolong the tool’s life and prevent overheating. This ensures a
smooth and accurate hole and also prevents chattering or unsafe
drilling.

53. JOINING PROCESSES & TECHNIQUES
•Joining metals utilized heat and pressure in order to create a
larger piece or build a structure. Welding and riveting are
excellent joining techniques for larger projects that bear weight,
while soldering is a process for joining smaller materials, like
jewelry and sculptural objects.

54. WELDING
•Welding metal is a fabrication process that joins materials through
pressure and heat. Different types of welding work indoors, while others
are best applied outdoors. Welding is used to forge swords, build ships,
fabricate structures, and more. There are many kinds of welding to
choose from, each with specific practical applications. Learn about the
different types of welding in this guide.

58. SOLDERING
•Soldering is another method for joining metals by melting a filler metal on
top of the metals being joined to make a reliable electrical bridge. A low-
temperature alloy is melted into the joint, fusing the metals into one solid
piece. Metalworkers use either an eclectic soldering iron or a gas-powered
torch to join precious metals. Soldering is commonly used in plumbing,
electronics, and metalwork to fabricate and musical instruments.

62. RIVETING
• Rivets are permanent mechanical fasteners that can create kinetic joints in a
workpiece or reinforce the structural integrity of a larger object. They are ideal for
joining pieces that are lightweight and require high strength. Before welding was
used to build framed buildings and structures such as the Eiffel Tower and Sydney
Harbour Bridge, rivets were used at the joints to join the metal. Before they are
installed, rivets are smooth metallic cylinders with a head on one end.

65. FORMING PROCESSES & TECHNIQUES
•Reshaping and manipulating the shape of metal can be done
when the material is hot or cold. The type of forming process you
choose will depend on the metal you are forming, the equipment
you have available, and your desired final outcome.

66. FORGING
• Forging is one of the oldest metalworking processes used to form and shape metal. The metal is
heated in the forge, then hammered and bent into the desired shape. The blacksmith may choose
to use a hammer to forge smaller objects or an industrial power hammer for larger projects.
Forged metals are incredibly strong, and are typically made of iron and steel.

69. ROLL FORMING
•Roll forming is a process that involves the continuous bending of a long
strip of sheet metal through a roll forming mill at room temperature.
Unlike other metal bending methods, the roll forming process is
inherently flexible, precise, and can form metals up to a quarter of an
inch thick. Students practice roll forming in our Sheet Metal Forming
class with the master artist Evan Wilcox.

73. ROLLING
•Rolling is a metal forming process in which metal stock is passed
through a rolling mill to reduce the thickness or to make the thickness
uniform. It can be done hot or cold. Hot rolling is typically used to
produce sheet metal and larger workpieces. Cold rolling works well for
smaller objects, and increases the material’s strength and improves the
surface finish, requiring less finishing work.

77. • ASSESSMENT:
• 1. It is the metal forming process in which metal stock is passed
through a rolling mill to reduce the thickness or to make the thickness
uniform.
•2. It is one of the oldest metalworking processes used to form and shape
metal.
•3. a process that involves the continuous bending of a long strip of sheet
metal through a roll forming mill at room temperature.

78. • 4. It is a permanent mechanical fasteners that can create kinetic joints in
a workpiece or reinforce the structural integrity of a larger object.
5. It is another method for joining metals by melting a filler
metal on top of the metals being joined to make a reliable
electrical bridge.