Renowned car restorer Brian Tanti uses his Demmeler table system from Leussink Engineering in numerous ways, including holding and fixing, as well as for hammer forming parts.

“It allows me to be really creative,” explains Tanti. “The more I use it, the more uses I find for the Demmeler table. For me, it’s the product that keeps on giving. As well as holding and fixing, I also use the matrix of the table to help with design. It enables me to 3D print tools and then copy them into the matrix of the table. I’ve also used it as a makeshift milling machine by clamping a magnetic welder to it.”

Tanti first discovered Leussink’s Demmeler table system several years ago when he was setting up a workshop for his then-employer Lindsay Fox. When he parted ways with Fox in 2018 after 30 years, he contacted engineering company Leussink to assist with the set-up of his own workshop in the Sydney suburb of Artarmon. Brian Tanti’s Workshop, as his business is now known, was looking for a versatile fixturing table system to hold and fix parts in place, and called on Leussink to assist.

Brian Tanti’s Workshop restores old cars that can be valued up to $9m, so Tanti’s work requires him to produce parts and repairs of a very high standard. All of the work is completely bespoke. Tanti creates replacement parts from scratch using wooden formers, which he designs the structure around. As such, he needs tools and equipment that are accurate and dependable.

Before he discovered the Demmeler table system, Tanti made do with the equipment that was available, including a rudimentary table that was designed for use in the automotive smash trade. Tanti is also a qualified coach builder, a trade that harks back to the days when wealthy people commissioned the building of a coach to be pulled by a horse. Tanti uses his coach building skills in hand-making parts for cars.

“The Demmeler system holds the metal sheet in place while I give it form,” he says. “Back in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, there were a lot of handmade cars, so it’s quite authentic to be producing parts in this way.

“From my experience of Leussink, they don’t just sell products and step away. The engineers at Leussink provide problem-solving capability and personal insights for my business. Their advice is really rich. They’ve also helped me with the digitising of 3D objects and then generating new parts. They recently assisted with the restoration of an old German power hammer, which adds a layer of authenticity when I’m restoring vintage German cars.

“Many fellow car restorers who visit my workshop think that the Demmeler system is totally beyond their budget, but the basic table is really affordable for most situations and is so versatile that it pays for itself.”

www.leussink.com.au

www.briantantisworkshop.com