While working for Don Schumacher Racing, metalworker TOM PATSIS began his side project, Cold Hard Art, building small-scale replica vehicles using scrap sheet metal leftover from his day job at the fab shop. In 2015, Patsis went full-time with Cold Hard Art building replicas of everything from dragsters to stock cars, and motorcycles to roadsters. Along with custom forming dies he created for the smallscale bodywork, Patsis’ process requires a variety of hand and machine tools, including a planishing hammer, Beverly and stomp shears, and his favorite tool, the Dynabrade Dynafile. He’s still waiting for calls from car nuts Jay Leno and Tim Allen, but some of Patsis’ previous clients include Indiana Governor Mike Pence and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick.
Learn more about this and other Custom Fabricators at ffjournal.net/customfabricator.