In 1986 I use to work at the Sheet Metal Shop where we made all the ducts and fittings almost exclusively by hands! Yes we had a hydraulic guillotine shear, sheet metal brakes, slip roll machine, hand-tools and this about it. Nevertheless we were able to make all kinds of rectangular and round ducts and all types of fittings.

In 2015, almost 30 years later, I decided to share my skills with all of you. Every weekend I was making one of the fittings below, taking pictures and writing tutorials.

All the pictures are set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations that would allow you to make any fitting in the matter of minutes.   

Every tutorial is available separately, so you can purchase an instant access to any of them or you can save and purchase an instant access to them all.

The price for the most of the individual tutorials is only $2.50 and you can purchase them all for low price of only $29.99!

Instant Access:

Register on the site first (recommended), otherwise after you have purchased a paid page; PayPal is going to bring you back to my website. In order to see the paid page you have to click on the “Register” button, fill out the form, choose your own Username and Password and click on the “Register” button at the bottom of the form – congratulation, you are now on the page you have paid for! 

Important: After you have purchased any Paid page or Download page and PayPal brought you back to my website, the first thing that you should do is to save that page to your Favorites. Then if something goes wrong you always can come back to re-register yourself on my website again.

You can purchase any chapter below and if you purchase the e-book as whole I’ll refund your money back to your PayPal account.

1.  How to Make Cone Reducer

2.  How to Make Square to Round Offset Transition

3.  How to Make Round to Square Transition

4.  How to Make 45* Roof Penetration

5.  How to Make Radius Elbow

6.  How to Make 45* Radius Elbow

7.  How to Make Radius Offset

8.  Now to Make Radius Riser

9.  How to Make Offset and Riser in One Piece

10. How to Make 90* Square Throat Elbow

11. How to Make 45* Square Throat Elbow

12. How to Make Vertical Elbow

13. How to Make Square to Rectangular Vertical Elbow

14. How to Make Square Throat Offset

15. How to Make Square Throat Riser

16. How to Make Square Throat Tee

17. How to Make Transition Tee

18. How to Make Y- Branch Fitting

19. How to Make Riser Starting Transition

20. How to Make Flat on Top & Side Starting Transition

21. How to Make Centralized Hess Fitting

22. How to Make Flat on One Side Hess Fitting

23. How to Make 45* Hess Fitting

24. How to Make Flat Duct Reducer

25. How to Make Vertical Duct Reducer

26. How to Make Flat & Vertical Duct Reducer

27. How to Make Transition from Your New Furnace to Old Plenum

27. How to Make 20 x 20 to 30 x 25, One Inch Offset Transition

29. How to Make 24 x 10 to 10 x 24 Duct Transition

30. How to Make Transition from Duct

31. How to Make Flat Offset Transition from Duct

32. How to Make Transition from Whole Duct  

33. How to Make Turning Veins

34. How to Make Wye with Hand Tools

35. How to Make Round End Cap with Hand Tools

36. How to Make Cold Air Return Box for New Furnace

37. How to Make Plenum Extension between Furnace and A/C Coil

1. How to Make a Cone Reducer

For only $2.50 learn how to make any cone (round to round) reducer the way a sheet metal guy would do it.

2. How to Make Square to Round Offset Transition

Do you want to know how to make it in a matter of minutes?

Do you like this 8”x 8” square to 6” round, 4” offset transition that you can see on the left and would like to know how to make any other one?

If your answers to all these questions are "yes", then please click on the Buy Now button below and for the low price of only $3.49 purchase an instant access to the page where you can find 16 high quality photos with step-by-step instructions!

4. 45 Degree Roof Penetration

Recently, and I'm not kidding, I've received this question below:
"how big of whole needed fo 10 inch pipe through 45 degree angle" - well of course it wasn't a direct question, but it was a "keyword" someone was using to find my site on the web.

In my more than 30 years in the ductwork installation business I've never tried to find an answer to this question, so I looked on the web...
And guess what it is there!

On the forum website - http://forums.jlconline.com this type of the question was asked long time ego:

"Math gurus.... not a framing question

I am about to install a woodstove. The flue goes straight up thru a cathedral ceiling that is 12:12. The pipe that penetrates the ceiling is approx. 8" diameter. Selkirk (Metalbestos) sells a woefully inadequate one-size-fits-all two-piece trim kit that does not provide a tight fit... how could it, when it supposedly "fits" anywhere from 6:12 to 12:12?

Anyway, my question is about laying out the correct cutout given the OD of the pipe and the 45 degree angle of the lid. If I can make the layout on paper I can get my friendly local tin man to make a decent looking piece of out heavy galvanized sheet.

An alternative is to send it to the friendly non-local tin men who have a CNC cutout machine, it would take them just a few seconds.

But I'd rather do it. How do-able is this?"

So, if you'd find this thread on that website you'd actually learn how this question was answered, but here is another question - would you understand the answers? I'm sorry but even with my master degree in the mechanical engineering I didn't. Furthermore, would an ordinary tin knocker with pretty much forgotten high school diploma ever understand it - sorry guys, but I do not think so!

So I decided to think about it for a moment and find a solution any ordinary tin knocker would understand - no math, no bull... and here we go:...

If you would like to read more please click on the Buy Now button below.

5. How to Make Radius Elbow with Hand Tools

If you would search the web for the tutorial in the title above you may find this video file:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzLQotVEsKQ

This is a relatively good video, with only a couple of flows: the second part of this video doesn't exist and it's not clear what type of audience the author is targeting.

If you are working as a sheet metal worker at any shop in the USA the experienced guys would teach you how to make all the parts, run the Pittsburg seam through the machine and put all the parts together in a heart beat! But if you are a somebody else this video is pretty much useless because you most likely don't have a Lock Former Machine... 

So, in my tutorial for the price of only $2.50 you will learn how to make all four parts of the radius elbow; how to make the Pittsburg seam and how to put this elbow together. This tutorial also includes the video that is mentioned above that you can visualize at least part of the process and 37 high quality pictures.

6. How to Make 45* Radius Elbow with Hand Tools

On this page for the price of only $2.50 you can learn how to make a 10" x 8" radius elbow by using only hand-tools. This tutorial has 30 high quality pictures with brief explanations.

7. How to Make Radius Offset with Hand Tools

If you compare this radius offset (on the left) to square throat offset below there is not much difference. However it looks better and it has lower resistance to the airflow. Of course it's a bit more complicated to make - it might take extra 10 minutes or so to draw an outline, make and put all parts together, but it worth the effort.

So, if you would like to learn how to make this kind of an offset with hand-tools only, please hit the Buy Now button below. Then, for the price of only $2.50 you will gain an instant access to the unique page with 39 high quality photos on it set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

8. Now to Make Radius Riser with Hand Tools

For the residential applications risers usually used in the cases when you need to bring duct up in the joist space, get it down from the joist cavity or rise it after it passed an I-beam. In the first two cases the rise itself for the 10" (12", 14") x 8" duct could be 8" - 9", in the third one usually it starts from 9 ½" - height of an I-beam plus a bottom board. If an I-beam is taller then the riser should be taller as well.  

So, if you would like to learn how to make a 12" x 8" riser with a 9 ½" rise by using only hand-tools, please hit the Buy Now button below. Then, for the price of only $2.50 you will gain an instant access to the unique page with 38 high quality photos on it set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

9. How to Make Offset and Riser in One Piece 

I already have this kind of tutorial for a piece of duct. You can find it on the paid page above. But if you need a real thing something like shop-made offset or riser you might be interested in this tutorial.

The fitting that you see on the left is 12" x 8" "rolling" offset, and it changes direction horizontally for 6" (offset) and vertically for 5" (riser), and it's 18" in length. You can't find online a tutorial for these kind of fittings - because I already tried and there is nothing for the ducts (just for the pipes), and they won't teach you at the sheet metal shop - because you can't use a Pittsburg lock machine for this fitting's Pittsburg seam! That's why these kind of fittings you can make only with the hand tools.

The price for this tutorial is only $3.50. On the page you'll see 36 high quality pictures set in the step-by-step sequence with explanations.

10. How to Make 90* Square Throat Elbow with Hand Tools

Nobody in the big operations companies making any radius fittings anymore! All the fittings such as elbows, offsets, risers, cold air boots and so on made with the square throats. This way it's a bit easier and faster to produce and assemble and in this tutorial for the price of only $2.50 you will learn how to do it. On the page you'll see 35 high quality pictures set in the step-by-step sequence with explanations.

11. How to Make 45* Square Throat  Elbow with Hand Tools

Nobody in the big operations companies making any radius fittings anymore! All the fittings such as elbows, offsets, risers, cold air boots and so on made with square throats. This way it's a bit easier and faster to produce and assemble and in this tutorial for the price of only $2.50 you will learn how to do it. So from now on you are able not only learn how to figure out the length of the duct between to 45 degree elbows but make those elbows yourself on the job-site or at home!

On the page you'll see 37 high quality pictures set in the step-by-step sequence with explanations.

12. How to Make Vertical Elbow with Hand Tools

On this page for the price of only $2.50 you can learn how to make a vertical 8" x 14" square throat elbow by using only hand-tools. This tutorial has 32 high quality pictures with brief explanations.

13. How to Make Square to Rectangular Vertical Elbow with Hand Tools

This type of elbows usually used when a duct should be run inside the joist cavity with change its direction. Also it could be joined to the larger size duct just like a take-off.

In this tutorial for the price of only $2.50 you will learn how to make all four parts of this elbow; how to make the Pittsburg seam and how to put this elbow together.

14. How to Make Square Throat Offset with Hand Tools

OK, it's not too difficult to figure out how to make this kind of offset! But how would you make the Pittsburgh seam, both parts of it - the female and male parts without machine??? Well, if you are looking for the answer to this question, for the price of only $2.50 you can find it out by purchasing an instant access to the page that has it all! 

15. How to Make Square Throat Riser with Hand Tools

For the residential applications risers usually used in the cases when you need to bring duct up in the joist space, get it down from the joist cavity or rise it after it passed an I-beam. In the first two cases the rise itself for the 10" (12", 14") x 8" duct could be 8" - 9", in the third one usually it starts from 9 ½" - height of an I-beam plus a bottom board. If an I-beam is taller then the riser should be taller as well.  

So, if you would like to learn how to make a 12" x 8" riser with a 9 ½" rise by using only hand-tools, please hit the Buy Now button below. Then, for the price of only $2.50 you will gain an instant access to the unique page with 38 high quality photos on it set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

Also on the page you can learn how to make the shortest offset or riser.

16. How to Make Square Throat Tee with Hand Tools

The tee (pair of pants) that you can see on the left is 20" x 8" to 12" x 8" and 10" x 8" and this is made a bit wrong because a combine area of 12" x 8" and 10" x 8" is larger than 20" x 8". So if you use a duct 20" wide then better to make it 10" tall an then reduce it to 8". For this purpose you may use two transitions or make a tee that would looks like a Hess fitting.

So, if you would like to learn how to make this kind of tee by using hand-tools only, please hit the Buy Now button below. Then, for the price of only $2.50 you will gain an instant access to the unique page with 35 high quality photos on it set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

17. How to Make Transition Tee with Hand Tools

The tee (pair of pants) that you can see above is 20" x 8" to a 12" x 8" and 10" x 8" and as indicated above this is made a bit wrong. So if you use a duct 20" wide then better to make it 10" tall an then reduce it to 8". For this purpose you may use two transitions or make a tee that would looks like a Hess fitting that I made for you and you can see it on the left.

So, if you would like to learn how to make this kind of transition tee by using hand-tools only, please hit the Buy Now button below. Then, for the price of only $2.50 you will gain an instant access to the unique page with 47 high quality photos on it set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

18. How to Make Y- Branch Fitting with Hand Tools

On this page for the price of only $2.50 you can learn how to make a 20" x 8" to 12" x 8" and 10" x 8" Y- Branch by using just hand-tools. This tutorial has 41 high quality pictures with brief explanations.

And here is a couple of pictures about how this type fittings were used:

19. How to Make Riser Starting Transition with Hand Tools

Usually HVAC Companies making starting transitions that have the top parts straight and even one of the sides also straight. This kinds of transitions easy to make because they are made from three parts. But they are one-sided and if you made one wrong it won't be fit right on the plenum.

The riser starting transition a bit more difficult to make because its all parts set at a certain angle to each-other, but they are universal at installation, less resistant to airflow and if necessary can add to the plenum height 3”.

So, if you would like to learn how to make a riser starting transition that one of the Michigan largest HVAC Company using for decades. Then for the price of only $2.50 you can purchase an instant access and see 31 high quality photos set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

20. How to Make Flat on Top & Side Starting Transition with Hand Tools

Many companies are using this type of starting transitions because it’s much easier to make them this way and they let you to set up a supply duct further away from the return one. To cons you may consider that these transitions are changing the duct direction only to one side – away from the cold air duct and while making one you must be aware of the layout. Also, these transitions can’t be cut in higher than 1 ½” to the joists, but this is actually not a big deal.

If you would like to learn on how to make this type of transition with only hand-tools, for the low price of only $2.50 you can gain and instant access to the paid page and see 27 high quality pictures with brief explanations to them set in the step-by-step sequence.

21. How to Make Centralized Hess Fitting with Hand Tools

For the price of only $3.00 you will learn how to make a Centralized Hess (Goldberg) fitting by using your hand tools! That's right, you can make it right on the job-site without using any heavy machinery in the matter of minutes. And as a result, yes as a result you are going to get a fitting virtually indistinguishable from the shop-made one!  

22. How to Make Flat on One Side Hess Fitting with Hand Tools

For the price of only $3.00 you will learn how to make a flat on right side Hess (Goldberg) fitting by using your hand tools! That's right, you can make it right on the job-site without using any heavy machinery in the matter of minutes. Also you will learn how to make a flat on left side Hess fitting by using the same outline.

On the page you will find 48 high quality pictures set in the step-by-step sequence with brief explanations.

23. How to Make 45* Hess Fitting with Hand Tools

If you would Google forty five degree Hess fitting the search engine will give you a link to my website and not much more, because such a fitting doesn't exist. Well, it has been true up until now! After three weeks of trial and error eventually I make one!

So, first off, why does anyone would need this type of fitting? Because in the tight space between a wall and another duct you may not have enough room for the vertical 90* and flat 45*. The same reasoning may prompt you to use a conventional Hess fitting when you don't have enough room for the vertical and flat 90*-s.

As you probably noticed here is no picture of this fitting on the page. As I've mentioned above I spent three week trying to create one and I don't want that someone get my idea for free.

So, for the price of only $2.00 you can purchase an instant access to the 5 pictures and see this fitting from all 5 sides. If after that you'll need a step-by-step instructions on the same page for the price of only $3.00 you may purchase an instant access to the next paid page.

However for the price of only $4.00 you can purchase an instant access straight to the second page.

24. How to Make Flat Duct Reducer with Hand Tools

Flat duct reducer (transition) is one of the most used parts of a common ductwork system.
On the paid page you can learn how to make this kind of fitting by using only hand-tools. For the price of only $2.50 you can gain an instant access to the tutorial that includes 21 high quality pictures with brief explanations.

25. How to Make Vertical Duct Reducer with Hand Tools

Vertical duct reducer (transition) is the second one of the most used parts of a common ductwork system.
On the paid page you can learn how to make this kind of fitting by using only hand-tools. For the price of only $2.50 you can gain an instant access to the tutorial that includes 22 high quality pictures with brief explanations.

26. How to Make Flat & Vertical Duct Reducer with Hand Tools

Flat and vertical duct reducer (transition) isn’t used too often, but because it has a unique layout you may learn how to make this kind of transition as well.
On the paid page you can learn how to make this kind of fitting by using only hand-tools. For the price of only $2.50 you can gain an instant access to the tutorial that includes 24 high quality pictures with brief explanations.

27. How to Make Transition from Your New Furnace to Old Plenum with Hand Tools

28. & 29. How to Make Transitions from Your New Furnace to Old Plenum and from Cold Air Boot with Hand Tools 

In the example above I took a hypothetical furnace and plenum and made a transition.

In the picture on the left you can see a real furnace, plenum and cold air drop. A transition between a furnace and plenum you can purchase below. However you can orderany other transition that represents your installation and I’ll make outlines for all its parts for you. How would you do that?

Let’s say your old furnace is 46” tall and the plenum is 30” x 25”. Your new furnace most likely will be 34” tall and its flange would be good for a 16” x 20” or 20” x 20” plenum. So, in order to make a transition for you I need to know all these numbers plus if you’re able to line up your new furnace with the plenum’s side on the right. If not, I need to know how much you’re planning to move your furnace one way of the other.

Also I need to know how you are planning to set your furnace in another dimension. In the example above you can set it in the middle (25”) or line up with one side.

The price for making your transition will be only $10.00 and after you pay, I'll make a tutorial for you and you’ll be able to gain an access to the paid page where I’ll set the pictures in step-by-step sequence with brief explanations or I may email them to you. 

28. How to Make 20 x 20 to 30 x 25, One Inch Offset Transition with Hand Tools

You can buy a tutorial for the transition presented on the picture above. For the price of only $3.00 you can gain an instant access to it.

29. How to Make 24 x 10 to 10 x 24 Duct Transition with Hand Tools

You can buy a tutorial for the transition presented on the picture above. For the price of only $3.00 you can gain an instant access to it.

30. How to Make Transition from Duct with Hand Tools

All fittings above were made from scrap pieces of ducts or plenums.

But what if you are missing a transition just like I recently had? Instead of 14” x 8” to 12” x 8” flat 90* I got 14” x 8” on both sides one! So, in less than 10 minutes I made a 14” x 8” to 12” x 8” transition right on the job-site!

If you want to learn how to make a 16” x 8” to 12” x 8” transition, for the price of only $2.50 you can gain an instant access to the tutorial that includes 33 high quality pictures with brief explanations to them.

31. How to Make Flat Offset Transition from Duct with Hand Tools

Usually I keep a cold air return duct 4” away from the I-beam. In the case that you can see in the pictures above I didn’t have a 20” x 8” to 10” x 8” transition at all and even if I would, it wouldn’t be made as a 1” offset I was needed for this job. So I made it from a piece of duct!

If you need more info with step-by-step instructions on how to make a 20” x 8” to 10” x 8” transition with 1” offset for the price of only $2.50 you can gain an instant access to the tutorial that includes 35 high quality pictures with brief explanations to them. 

32. How to Make Transition from Whole Duct

Have you ever think if its even possible to make a transition from the whole duct and it would looks like or even better than the one made at the shop? Yes this is possible and I believe that this kind of transition even looks better and has better airflow characteristics!

Also this kind of transition doesn’t require making any Pittsburgh seam lock and could be done in less than 15 minutes!

So, for the price of only $2.50 you will learn how to make this kind of transition right on the job-site only with your hand tools.

33. How to Make Turning Veins

Recently I found this post online:

“Need help making turning veins

I could really use some help making turning veins. I was only taught the basics on sheet metal fabrication and learned the rest from practicing on my own. I have put together a nice little shop for myself and I would like to learn how to make turning veins. I only have a break and Pittsburgh not sure if I need other tools. Here are some pics (one of them on the left) of my recent attempt, I think they will work but to me they are ugly and that bothers me. I just cut 6" strips with 1/2" folds to secure to the boot. Please some assistance will be greatly appreciated.”

So, I decided to make a paid page dedicated to the issue. For the price of only $2.50 you can learn how to make beautiful turning veins that will look as professional as it gets.

34. How to Make Wye with Hand Tools

Wye is the fitting to use when you need to branch off your duct run to a smaller size. This type of fitting is kind of difficult to figure out without step-by-step tutorial. This tutorial itself has 37 pictures in it with brief explanations. So, for the low price of only $3.00 you can purchase an instant access to it.

35. How to Make Round End Cap with Hand Tools 

Sometimes, especially when you’re finishing your basement off or working on a finished basement project, you need to relocate a heat run. In some cases you can’t reach to the takeoff to pull it out and block the hole off. Then the best option is to cap a pipe or takeoff off. The tutorial has 8 pictures with explanations. The price is $1.00.

36. How to Make Cold Air Return Box for New Furnace

My furnace is almost 22 years old. I don’t know how much time it will last longer, but I already bought a new one. Once the old one dies I’m going to install a new one. For the last 5 years I never replaced an old furnace, but I think that some newer models came to its limit and sooner or later they should be replaced. The difference between these two furnaces is only in height. The new one is 7” shorter. This is why I don’t need any transition between a new furnace and A/C coil, but only 7” extension. However if your cold air return boot instead of 24” x 16” is 24” x 20” you can put your new furnace on a cold air return box. It will increase the air flow, reduce noise and prolong furnace lifespan!

On this page for the price of only $1.00 you can learn how to make a cold air return box.

37. How to Make Plenum Extension between Furnace and A/C Coil

My furnace is almost 20 years old. I don’t how much time it will last longer, but I already bought a new one. Once the old one dies I’m going to install a new one. For the last 5 years I never replaced an old furnace, but I think that some newer models came to its limit and sooner or later should be replaced. The difference between these two furnaces is only in it height. The new one is 7” shorter. This is why I don’t need any transition between a new furnace and A/C coil, but only a 7” extension.

On this page for the price of only $1.00 you can learn how to make a cold air return box.

COMING UP!

38. How to Make Two Parts Cold Air Return Boot with Hand Tool

I installed my furnace in September of 1999. Since then a cold air boot that you can see in the picture becomes very dirty and rusty. This happened, because from time to time, water from the humidifier (on the right) spills out and doing its destructive work. Now I decided to replace it with a new one. In the next two – three weeks I will make a new cold air return rack and a cold air boot, take pictures of manufacturing all necessary parts and make a tutorial just like any other tutorial above. The price for two parts tutorial will be $2.50. If you’re interested in purchasing please let me know here and I’ll notify when the tutorial is ready.

07/07/2021

        Tutorial for Totally Hand Made Duct Fittings $29.99