METAL MASTERCLASS
> HARE & FORBES MACHINERYHOUSE IS BRINGING MASTER FABRICATOR KARL FISHER DOWN UNDER FOR A SOLD-OUT TOUR
MEga-talented fabricator, builder and car customiser Karl Fisher is set to visit Australia, courtesy of Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse. The man behind Japhands Kustoms and the Make It Kustom Youtube channel has racked up millions of views on his how-to series of videos, and when you give them a watch, it’s not hard to see why.
As well as building some awesome cars, Karl also takes viewers through detailed guides on how to do just about anything with metal. From handmade gear knobs, wheel resizing, rolling, panel shaping and everything else in between – you name it, odds are Karl has done it.
Old-school metal shaping and crafting of this level is becoming a bit of a lost art, which is why the opportunity to still learn how to do it is precious.
While his videos are fantastic, nothing beats the real thing and getting stuck in. Because of that, Karl is offering two one-off metalworking classes at Motorretro’s workshop in Northmead, Sydney on 13-14 May, thanks to Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring Karl over to showcase his skills, mainly because he has a very practical way of explaining how to go about it,” says Rick Foster from Hare & Forbes.
The 24 slots that were available for those classes (12 each day) at $950 each have already sold out, doing so in just over a day! Each lucky participant will get valuable time learning how to operate bead rollers, hammerform, shrink and stretch metal, use dimple dies, and more. In the process, they’ll get to build a full-size bomber seat they can take home at the end. It sounds like a bloody hoot!
If you weren’t one of the lucky ducks to score a place in the class, there is still a chance to meet the man. You’ll be able to find Karl hosting meet-and-greet sessions at the Hare & Forbes stand at Melbourne’s Motorex, 6-7 May. He’ll be doing demonstrations on how to use some of Hare & Forbes’s awesome metal shaping tools and will even have a select amount of merch on sale as well.
He’ll also be at the Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo at Rosehill Racecourse on 27-28 May.
“We’re also going to take Karl on a tour of some of Australia’s best automotive workshops in both New South Wales and Victoria between the two shows, so he’ll really get a taste of Aussie car culture and what Australian car builders are capable of,” Rick told us.
Be sure to catch Karl and the Hare & Forbes blokes at both Motorex and the Hot Rod & Custom Expo.