We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Manufacturing

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Planishing?

By D. Jeffress
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 11,250
Share

Planishing is a technique used to curve and shape thin pieces of sheet metal. The process involves tapping the metal with a specialized planishing hammer while it rests on a rounded stake in order to smooth defects and achieve the proper curve. Planishing is commonly performed in auto body shops, airplane manufacturing plants, and many other industrial metal fabrication settings. In the past, workers would planish sheets by hand, but most experts today make use of pneumatic or electrical machines to quickly and precisely shape metal parts.

Metalworking has been a common practice around the world for many centuries, and blacksmiths have utilized planishing tools to create sword handles, metal bowls, and suits of body armor. Today, professionals planish metal sheets to fabricate car fenders, gas tanks, airplane bodies, and decorative pieces like lamps. Many amateurs and hobbyists also use the technique in their own shops while restoring vehicles or crafting decorative jewelry.

After forming a sheet into its basic final shape using cruder metalworking techniques, an expert places the material over a stake or anvil and hammers out the small imperfections. The planishing stake is basically a small metal sphere on top of a rod that is secured to the floor. Several different hammers can be used, depending on the type of metal and the level of perfection the worker hopes to achieve. Some experts use large wooden mallets and ball-peen hammers in their work, while others employ planishing hammers that are specially designed for the task.

Small dents or raised edges in a metal piece are tapped with the planishing hammer and smoothed along the curve of the stake. It commonly takes several hundred taps to work a sheet to perfection. By carefully aligning the piece on the stake, a metalworker can achieve nearly any desired shape. A professional can manipulate a sheet to create a long, steady curve or nearly round it into a flawless circle if desired.

Metal is planished using machines in most modern auto body shops and manufacturing plants. A pneumatic or motor-controlled planish machine can accomplish a more precise finished product in a fraction of the time and effort required with hand tools. A worker aligns the metal piece and controls the hammer with a foot pedal or hand trigger. Using air pressure or electrical power, the hammer lightly taps the sheet several times a second. The worker must simply push and pull the metal piece by hand during the job to work the entire sheet.

Share
About Mechanics is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.aboutmechanics.com/what-is-planishing.htm
Copy this link
About Mechanics, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

About Mechanics, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.