Fixing the el cheapo shrinker

Hi folks!

A while ago I bout a shrinker and stretcher, the cheap ones that many, many others have bought as well. They often don't really work but there are people putting up videos about fixing them. This is what they look like:



So I set out to fix my shrinker first.

The most obvious fix were the contact surfaces of the jaws and anvils:



They looked like crap so I grabbed a file and made them smoother:



So once I fixed that and put it back together, the jaws slide like never before.

Then the next problem occured; the beam that the grip slides in has a sharp edge that gets stuck underneath the spring holder. You can thus move it one way but it won't go back. I fixed this by making a very small dent into the tip which solved this problem:



Another thing that was very poorly made was the size of the opening. The bottom was too high causing the top of the lower jaws to move below the edge.

So I also cut a bit off the bottom of the openeing so that it is now big enough and also the bottom jaws are clearly visible:



So you'd think I can now shrink like no one has ever shrunk before! But no...

The jaws hardly grip the metal and just slide to the middle slipping over the sheet metal I put in between...

The bottom and top jaws look ike this:



So, anybody here ever had this issue and found a solution? Do I need different jaws? Is the geometry of the jaws wrong? Is it somehow adjustable?

Cheers!

Vincent.

How deep are you inserting the metal flange. Try only inserting about half an inch into the jaws. They seem to work a lot better that way. I have a shrinker/stretcher from Woodward fab which is not a cheap one and that’s what I have to do with it

pedstagn71 said:

How deep are you inserting the metal flange. Try only inserting about half an inch into the jaws. They seem to work a lot better that way. I have a shrinker/stretcher from Woodward fab which is not a cheap one and that’s what I have to do with it

Click to expand...

I have tried 1/4 to 1/2"" and neither worked. The jaws just slip over the metal....

Vinnie said:

I have tried 1/4 to 1/2"" and neither worked. The jaws just slip over the metal....

Click to expand...

Is it a harbor freight tool. I’ve not used them myself but have heard they don’t work very well. Is the metal clean as no paint oil or ecoat?

Also what gauge of metal are you trying to work with?

pedstagn71 said:

Is it a harbor freight tool. I’ve not used them myself but have heard they don’t work very well. Is the metal clean as no paint oil or ecoat?

Click to expand...

Nah, bought in the Netherlands but this type is sold world wide under lots of different brands. I have to wire brush the jaws, that is one thing I have not tried…

I’m working with 1-1.5 mm sheet metal

Vinnie said:

Nah, bought in the Netherlands but this type is sold world wide under lots of different brands. I have to wire brush the jaws, that is one thingI have not tried…

I’m working with 1-1.5 mm sheet metal

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1.5 is 16 gauge most cheaper shrinker/stretchers are only good for 20 gauge. I can do 16 with mine but it takes some doing

Just an observation, but I believe the surfaces that contact the metal work better if they have a rough finish to bite the metal. It appears (I maybe wrong) that you’re added a finish to those surfaces. If I’m wrong, I apologize. I would add the roughness back if possible. Good luck.

Steve McMahan said:

Just an observation, but I believe the surfaces that contact the metal work better if they have a rough finish to bite the metal. It appears (I maybe wrong) that you’re added a finish to those surfaces. If I’m wrong, I apologize. I would add the roughness back if possible. Good luck.

Click to expand...

I have only worked on the surfaces where the jaws slide along the anvils.

The surfaces that should grab the sheet metal are untouched.

Success! After brushing the jaws my el-cheapo shrinker actually works! Very pleased now

Here's some bonus material ;-)

So although initially the shrinker worked OK, my second attempt was more difficult with the jaws sliding over the metal after a few shrinking operations.

I figured that I needed to find a way to make the jaws grip better and I managed to get more grip by simply heating the metal I wanted to bend with a simple propane torch!

Happy shrinking!