hand hammering tank

Hey all...
does anyone know anything about hand hammering tanks. I'm working on a really ratty '79 kz650. I swapped the tank for an old one I had kicking around from my Honda days and it looks pretty awesome but i've been working on my kawi tank with a hammer. it started out looking pretty awesome but I ended up with some creases in the indent that i can't get out. anyone have any advice...?
[attachment:1]2012-05-03 battlecat sunshine.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment:1]2012-05-03 battlecat sunshine.jpg[/attachment]

You could use one of these to smooth out the wrinkles:


:whistle:

cut tank in half long ways, get a set of these tools






Making a form is the best way, then both sides are symmetrical. Its tricky but you'll get the hang of it after a while.
then weld, grind weld, body filler for smaller parts, bit of shaping and primer base coat, 20 hours later, you're there
Twenty hours is about what that job should take, once you have the basic skill set down.
Ive seen where someone takes a hammer and just beats the crap out of both sides of the tank, then fills it in with bondo, winds up being heavy and odd looking

Form a piece of small steel rod maybe 1/4" in the outline of the pattern you want and tack it onto the tank and start banging with a mallet,do same thing on other side.

650ed wrote: You could use one of these to smooth out the wrinkles:

Attachment 00000_2012-06-14.jpg not found

:whistle:

That falls under serious metal stretching! :woohoo:

thanks medina but i bought this bike for $500 bucks and i like the rat look. I don't think i'll be cutting my tank in half and spending hundreds on tools etc and 20 hours. I got most of the creases out by just hitting harder with the hammer. I've got a good eye and apart from a spot where someone used bondo in the 70s it's pretty symmetrical. I'm not going to bondo it at all. I'm just going to throw on a clear coat over the rust and the layers of chipped paint. call me crazy but that's my steez. hope nobody was looking for a stock 79 tank