Testimonials

Hi folks,
I cannot believe how fast my order arrived! I'm also VERY happy that the Jackson goggles are the type that have the headband instead of the elastic that always gets stretched out... Didn't know that, until they arrived! Ron is a first class guy and his business and employees share that! ...Will be doing more business in the future.

Tom Foreman, Nineveh, IN

Hello Mr. Hollifield,

I'd like to extend my hand in thanks for providing me with a great shrinker/stretcher set. Works like a charm... I'm in the process of designing and fabricating a 500+hp sports car entirely from scratch...and all out of sheet metal. Currently we're about 200 hours into the project... working on the body's substructure components. However, since the recent completed fabrication of our English wheel the exterior skin will soon start. I invite you to check out the progress thus far by following the link to our Facebook site:

Best Regards, Nick Mamchych iNVision Prototypes

Hi Nicole and the gang!

I hope everyone is doing great despite the current state of gloom and doom. I just got your email and it reminded me that I've been meaning to drop you a line. I recently completed an aluminum sculpture that I've been working on and I wanted to pass my extreme gratitude to Ron and Dan for everything I learned in their classes. I know it's been a long time since I was there but I've been busy practicing and putting my skills to use. I could not have even begun to attempt the things I did without the knowledge I gained in your shop. I plan on doing a write up on my web site soon as a small way of saying "thank you" for all you've done. I can't say thank you enough! Although I am still a novice and nowhere near Ron or Dan's level, I hope to continually improve. As soon as I get the time and money I’ll be up there for more. If I was closer I would probably be a permanent fixture there! Let me just say again how wonderful it is to have the confidence to pick up a Cobra torch or hammer and know I'll be able to get the result I want. I can't tell you how happy I am when I gas weld. I used to be terrified whenever I lit that torch that I would burn through and destroy my nicely shaped pieces but not anymore. I just kept practicing and remembering everything I learned at your shop and by watching your videos. I think I've worn out all of my Fournier tapes!!! Please tell Ron and Dan that it is a direct result of their help and teaching that I was able to make this sculpture and my dream come true. I know it's a little rough compared to their masterpieces but I promise to make them proud with the next one. God willing, I'll garner enough interest to be able to make one a year and further pursue my art. Take a look at my site below for some rough shots of what I did. (I'm saving to get better studio shots.)

Thanks for everything again!!!!

your friend, Anthony Lauro, www.hotshoestudios.com

Hello Ron and Co.:

Thanks for your response. I would be happy to share some pictures with you about my projects. Here you will see the Ihle (black and red) car made by GEBR IHLE BRUCHSAL of Germany, same Co. that built the Kinder car. If all is well next year I would like to restore by fixing a few body dents and repaint. Body is solid and car has an older restoration looks like 20 or so years ago. Lacquer paint has spider cracks all-over.

The all red car is the Super car I am replicating. The Supercar is carnival car made in England and built with sheet metal and 1/4" thick angle iron chassis. I was fortunate enough to locate 2 of these almost simultaneously. First car is the all rusted one near complete. Second one (red one) was missing the chassis but had everything else. I now have the red body sitting on the chassis and stored the rusted body. I built 2 new chassis, one 1/4" thick 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" angle iron like the original and one 3/8" thick 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" aluminum angle.

I wanted to build one gas model and one electric. I am now focusing on the gas model. The new and improved parts will include a front and rear suspension system, stronger power plant and better interior. I am also building the body from 3003 aluminum, .063 thick. Front suspension was solved. I am now figuring out how to add the rear suspension. Original car had a live solid axle with jackshaft and sprocket transferring power to left rear wheel like that of a go cart. I am keeping the original look but making it my own with these enhancements. It will look awesome when done but I do need some help. I have a full time job so I make the time when I can. I am also building a baby jeep but that's another story. These pictures are from a few months ago, I can send updated pictures next week. I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for taking the time to show your interest in my projects

Kind regards, Angel Otero

Hi Karen,

I have been buying parts and tools for this hot rod project of mine for a while and really, the different levels of customer service is amazing. One website I visited for chassis parts doesn't even have an online ordering system OR an email address. To order, you must print out an order form and mail it to them and for any enquiries you must phone. That may be OK for somebody in the US, but for me, I couldn't even ask them for a quote on postage. Needless to say I went elsewhere for my purchase. Some websites don't even have prices with their items and you must contact them for a quote. That is very frustrating so again, I go elsewhere. Fournier Enterprises on the other hand, you guys rock!!!

Cheers, Mark Flynn

Australia Capital Territory, AUSTRALIA

Hi Karen,

Thought I'd send you a quick note to advise you that I finally received the foot operated stand two days ago... I assembled the stand tonight, complete with the Lancaster shrinker and stretcher units that I already had. I have to say that I was very impressed - with the quality of the product, the packaging, the fact that all the hardware was included and that it went together so easily. Thank you very much again Karen for your persistence with my order. A lot of people would have given up because of the complications but nothing was too hard for you to sort out for me. I know that I'll be ordering again from Fournier at some stage.

All the best,

Matt Grigg Victoria, AUSTRALIA

Hello Nicole,

Please pass along to Ron and Ron that the "HammerForming Techniques" is my favorite. I watched it in amazement three times in a row the first day.

PS: I think I now own all of the Fournier and Covell DVD series.

Warmest regards, Mike Gibbons, Kwaidan Consulting Services, Inc.

Sugar Land, Texas

Received your Gas Welding Aluminum and deluxe kit yesterday and watched the video. Just want to say NICE WORK. I'm impressed and look forward to trying it this weekend. Doesn't look as difficult as people say, just different, like Ron says.

Sincerely, Andrew Shontz

Notice the clean, scratch-free finish on John's seat. It's a very professionally finished piece of work

Hi Karen,

I just wanted to share with Ron a picture of the antique aircraft seat I have been working on... He helped me with some advice a while back about how I might go about making it.

I have purchased a number of tools from your firm over the past year and have been very pleased with your service and the tools quality. This was my first attempt at using an English Wheel to form aluminum.

Cheers, John Gaertner

Blue Swallow Aircraft, Keswick VA

Customer's Projects:

We recently received these photos of some outstanding metal work created by our long time customer, Christopher Cicala. It was refreshing to see such authentic floral recreations and thought others would find them inspiring as well. Christopher is based in Orland Park, IL and sells his designs at local floral shops as well as other outlets.

"These vases and flowers are made out of 19ga. 1074/75 annealed spring steel. I use cardboard templates; I actually took apart a daylily and traced the shapes for that one. I run the blanks through the planishing hammer with pretty good radius on it to pre-shape. Then I use mainly utility and T dollies mounted on the workstation with a multitude of hammers, mallets and slappers. I do a lot of grinding to shape and smooth, some rough polishing, and then most often Mapp gas torch treated to the desired color. The final finish is powdercoat done in my shop with an old electric oven. Rods used are 1/8" - 1/4" hand forged, for texture and shape."

Hello Nicole,

What a great machine !!! I received the Eckold KF170PD and tooling yesterday. Had to make a mounting bracket to get it to my best working height. It was hard to wait till this morning for the paint to dry so I could mount the machine. But... just finished playing with some 18 ga. steel, and .063 alum. THIS MACHINE IS GOING TO SAVE MY ARMS A LOT OF WORK !!!!!!! AND TIME !!!!! Please thank Ron for me. He really helped with picking out the tooling. I like the doming and planishing dies real well. Oh, and thank you for the gifts. They will be used right away. I really appreciate all your help. When I can get up to Michigan, I will pay a visit.

Thank you, Mike Higinbotham, Versi Metal Shaping, LLC

Nicole,

I received my order yesterday as you predicted, thank you once again for the care and concern you have shown in saving me time and money, it is rare these days to find people or companies that truly serve the customer. Fournier is lucky to have you as an employee.

Sincerely, Michael Drochowski

Dear Fourniers,

Just received the order, great service, great tools. Can't wait to get going. Thanks for the pen and books. Looking to buy more stuff in the future.

Kind regards, Mike Richards Port Macquarie New South Wales Australia

Your company has got to be one of the best to do business with online. (Jennifer) should get a raise, as you are the best on line customer service reps. I've dealt with. Usually I get someone in India or somewhere. A special thanks to FOURNIER and you for your great service. In today's Internet world where everyone sells everything at all prices, customer service is everything. Fournier has one of, if not the best, customer service departments among the biggest tool companies on the net. Light years above talking to a customer service rep. in India working for some drop shipper who operates out of his basement.

Keep up the good work, Gary Mincher

I think your company is the salt of our industry. Your helpful attitude and working knowledge of metal is great. I hope to be as good at what I am doing as your company is. I feel like family when I need help with a project and when I order tools you always take good care of me. Ron is like the dad I never had and I respect him greatly.

Once more let me just say thank you, Neal Smith, Metal Man Fabrications

I just received my order from your company and wanted to extend a Thank you to your whole crew!!! My order was small but your company treated me Fantastic!! Everything arrived just like you said it would and when it would. Please tell Mr. Fournier that the Hammerforming Video was great!!! Real meat and potatoes. I am just doing this as a hobby and wish I had the money to get an English wheel (all in time). I definitely will be ordering other products from your company in the future.

Again thank you, Stephen Ranti

Thank you for getting my order out as fast as you did. I built a pedal stand for the shrinker and stretcher, completed the job with customer satisfaction. Thanks again, and have a good year. ( It's fast service that saves my butt every time. )

Eli Yoder, E&G Quality Reconditioning

Hello Karen, Well I must say, I have not seen such welcoming replies on such a small order, this is very nice. I was very surprised that my order was already here today (Friday)... I'm very glad to hear that you are willing to be very helpful with my "sheet metal thing", once I gather all the information I can, and my hands can do what my brain thinks up, then I will be happy, plus I just love collecting all the tools I can, it must be a guy thing.

Thanks again, Bob Gulla, Bay Village, OH

Hi Ron, just a short note to let you know the bossing mallet set was of excellent quality and arrived in Australia in only 5 days. Great product -great service. p.s thanks for the free mag. Regards Steve. Specialised Automotive Fabrication & Engineering.

Steve Cohen, Melbourne, Australia (will buy more).

Hi Nicole, I finally got around to unpacking my order that arrived on Monday. (That job thing really gets in the way.) I found Karen's note on my round slapper about you switching it for the old style. An excellent idea! I think it will be much better suited for what I am trying to do. Thanks for your extra thought in trying to make my work easier. I hope you folks have great success in your business venture since you run it the old fashion way, with the customer in mind.

Thanks again, Chris Cicala, Orland Park, IL

p.s. I'll let you know how all the new stuff works out.

My copy of 'The English Wheeling Machine' arrived in record time - the postman delivered it yesterday morning. Many thanks for such rapid service. Interestingly, I ordered a copy of 'The Metal Fabricator's Handbook' from a UK source before I ordered my book from you, and it still hasn't arrived yet!

Thanks again, John Mims, United Kingdom

WOW, I have never had such a helpful response from a company in my whole life! Thank you so much.

Ben C.

Satisfied Metal Fabrication WORKSHOP Students Respond...

"I am very happy I took the class! I'm still buzzing from it! Jeff is awesome, I foresee him being even grater than present. I was very honored to meet your dad (Ron), what a great guy! If he lived in Colorado I'd adopt him as my grandpa, love that guy! I just want to express my appreciation for opening up your shop for guys like me to extend our expertise. My passion grew more for metal fab and cars. Let Jeff know I'm very thankful, and also please thank Ron for having lunch with us. That was a highlight for me. Ultimately you all are a great team. Nicole, thank you once again. I received my projects along with the hammers. Getting them was like a graduation gift!"

Moises Calderon, Ft. Lupton, CO

"I haven't had that much fun in years! Everything is first class. Jeff was great, very patient with me, especially toward the end of the day when I was running out of steam. And, Nicole, you are one of the most pleasant people I have met in years. You keep everything running so smoothly."

Marshall Banks, Magnolia, TX

"Thank you for making the class possible! It was a first rate experience. Nicole, you guys really roll out the red carpet. It was only 3 days, however, it was an experience of a lifetime!"

Rich DeBene, Dearborn Heights, MI

"Fournier team,

I can't thank you all enough for what this experience represents to me. It has revolutionized my capabilities and empowered me as a fabricator/artist beyond what I could have imagined in a few short days.
Jeff is a great trainer. His youth belies his skill and experience. He presents the information in a way that is:

welcoming for the newcomer
engaging for the experienced
enjoyable for the wise (he doesn't claim to know it all and has the humility to admit it)

After nearly a decade of professional facilitation experience, I can attest to the difficulty of this feat. Great job!!"

Sincerely, James Boyd, Street Hero LLC www.streetherocustoms.com

"Nicole,

I received my "diploma" today in the mail, and I have to say I'm more proud of it than my BA diploma from George Washington University, or my masters from Wake Forest University! Considering all the banging that went on in the shop, I will consider myself to have graduated "magna cum LOUD"

Thanks for a truly GREAT week! Your pre-sale, presentation and follow-through are all first rate."

William Longyard, Winston Salem, NC

"Hi Nicole,

Just wanted to let you, Ron & Jeff know how much I enjoyed the course. Even though I know I'm a pure neophyte, I feel I learned a great deal and have been so very fortunate to be taught by 'the master'. And, Jeff is no slouch either! I'm grateful that both of them were patient with me and my mistakes.

Once again, I feel very fortunate to have been able to take Ron's course. Like a true master - he makes it look easy!"

Thanks, John Black, Savannah, GA

"Ron and Nicole,

Thanks so much for setting the class up last Saturday for welding. I know it will help me tremendously in my quest to build my dream roadster. Eric was was the perfect tutor.. letting us weld ... make mistakes .. fix them ... weld some more ... always encouraging... very low key and positive... When I left I felt very comfortable that with more practice I will be able to achieve my goal. Ron you should be very proud of how he learned from the MASTER, what a talent he is!!!!! Thanks again for your commitment to training!!!!"

Paul Jansen

"Ron -

I thoroughly enjoyed & learned many metal and welding skills from your recent metal fabrication and welding workshops. The workshops were a huge benefit to a beginning fabricator like myself & it was money very well spent... Thanks again Ron for all of your hospitality as well as your wealth of fabrication knowledge and experience. I deemed it a privilege to learn from you.

Best wished for all your future work. And maybe some time I can come again and take another workshop."

Warmest Regards,

Mark Jones

"Ron,

Thanks for opening your shop and providing the opportunity to learn metal forming.

The class was right on and very benficial. You provided the information I needed to move forward - especially - hit it hard!

Again - thanks for taking the time out of your week to teach me what to do."

Terry Doss, Broken Arrow, OK

p.s. Eric was great!!!

"Nicole, I hope this finds you and your dad and brother in good health and spirit. I can't begin to tell you how privileged I feel to have had the opportunity to participate in the metal shapers work shop. Both Ron and Dan have a wealth of knowledge and I left in amazement that they are both willing to share their talent with those of us who are interested in learning. Eric was patient and understanding as well as talented in his ability to teach the art of torch welding aluminum. I am looking forward to testing my abilities with the new torches when they arrive. The workshop projects arrived in excellent condition, thank you for shipping them for me. I have raved to all of my friends about the things I learned in my week at your shop. I enjoyed listening to Ron's racing stories, and sharing some of my own. Do let both Ron and Dan know, I have the utmost respect for them and thank them for sharing one more time. And to you Nicole for organizing everything, It all went smooth and worked out great. I look forward to sending you more orders in the future and maybe someday visiting for another priceless workshop. Take care and stay healthy."

Kevin Knytych, Portland, OR

"Ron Fournier teaches in a very systematic way, step by step, how to shape sheet metal. His way of teaching makes the students feel the progress all along the training course. I enjoyed the workshop very much and really learned a lot. And it was fascinating to see Ron's expertise and abilities to shape sheet metal."

Marc Eckold CEO, ECKOLD AG

"The Fournier experience is one that I highly recommend if manipulating sheet metal into complex shapes is what you are try to master. Ron's ability to explain and demonstrate these skills in a way that keeps his students from be overwhelmed insures understanding and gives you the feeling of accomplishment. Nicole and the staff make you feel welcome and comfortable as soon as you arrive. The availability and quality of the tool selection is yet another aspect of Fournier Enterprises that helps students walk away knowing that they will be able to take this newly acquired knowledge home and apply it effectively. However, be warned, this is a habit forming experience that you will want to relive again and again."

Bob Magyarosi, RPMagyar,LLC.

"As a student of both of Ron's metal shaping classes I was able to learn many new techniques. I was surprised how much Ron could fit into a few days and how much this time advanced my skill level."

Dave Fowler, Swartz Creek, MI

"It was a pleasure meeting all of you, especially after reading your books and seeing quite a few of your films. The opportunity to work with the fabrication tools under the supervision of a master metalworker is something that only a few lucky people ever get to experience. Thank you for allowing me to come into your shop and take a little bit of your knowledge and experience with me. I definitely learned more than I ever would have expected for the tuition you charge, it is an excellent value. I can't wait to join you again for the advanced class."

Michael Fifield, Utica, NY