Forming domes

I will make a big fire on top of the plate wich is sealed on top of a closed steel container and pump the air out. The steel must be red hot and the heat must be spread evenly. A charcoal fire will work best. Als take a look at this.

Dear OOMsarel,

That was a great piece--"Online Metal Forming " you posted!!

Thanks

mm

Look at companies doing spinning, the tooling cost is not high. Only the larger companies will handle 3m diameter & larger.

For this size, explosive forming may be an effective approach. The piece is probably too large for electrohydraulic forming.

Ask our fellow Blogger in CR4 FrancoPolli:

I am an italian designer, here my interest is about geodesical geometry, (I met Richard Fuller in Venice 1971), I found new ways to build domes, some of this can starts from a flat to ends in an hemispherical dome (automatically). I am looking for friends interesting in this field.

http://www.francopoli.it

sizes up to 4.2 meters Dia. 250 rise!

Only 250mm rise on a base of 4200mm?

And you call this a Dome? Are you sure you do not need a dish?

Or Do you mean 2500 rise?

NowYou will have to Educate US on WHEELING machine and SHOT forming!

Try finding a place that can spinning metal.

Thanks

Dean

Wheeling is what I do. It uses an English Wheel. Details here http://southtowerarmouringguild.blogspot.com/index.html

Scroll down to December 07 2006.

Shot peening is what I use to straighten hardened and tempered steel, such as swords and knives. It is a process whereby you stretch one side of the steel. When you heat treat a sword or a knife or a saw blade, it often gets warped and twisted. You can use shot driven by compressed air or small hammers to straighten the bend out without damaging the item. If you just tried to straighten it by bending it the other way, the item will simply break. It is a counterintuitive process....the more you hit the outside of the dome, the more dome shaped it becomes. (yes, the "outside")

It has taken me 23 years to become sort of good at this. So hire me, and I'll do it.