Would you just roll this large patch piece over a tank/pipe to create the countour to match the bottom ....... ? Add heat or no heat ? Or different way ?
The weld and folded lip will make it harder to shape regardless of how you do it now. A 4 foot slip roller or brake would have been the easiest way around this with a single, non welded piece. Because of the lip and having to contour the shape from the same side it'll make things tougher. At this point maybe an oxygen tank from a torch set-up if you have that handy.
lay a 2x4 on the ground down one side and walk on (the tin)it evenly with the sides of you shoes (sneakers ) and walk slowly . go slowly youll get it just do it evenly soyou dont dent and sweep the floor so its clean underneath fabricator john miss you dad
Yeah thought the same after - but I can cut the folded lip off if I need have extra room......... didnt have a choice on the two pieces - but I could have welded them post fit I guess ...... I was planning on just using my welding tank. Have two. Maybe a slapping spoon.
That weld needs completely finished before bending. Metal finished and ground smooth. That’s just from my experience. No heat. I’d make a profile pattern from the other door. I have used large diameter pipe to bend parts like this. But looks like you have a flange. That’s going to interfere with doing that. That would require shrinking along that flange. I’ve shaped door skins to contour first, them bent flanges (hem joints) afterwards.
I wouldn't even attempt to put any curve in this with the rolled edges. And the weld in the middle is also going to make things tougher. I'd ditch this metal, and start with a fresh sheet that has no welds, and no rolled edge. The rolled edge could be made separately and tacked on the backside after the sheet is fitted too the car. For the cost of sheet metal, it's not worth the headaches working this piece will cause.
I think I’d take the weld down a bit and then try shrinking along each flange. If it can’t hold the contour, nothing lost.
How about this..... https://www.classicindustries.com/p...XvFfF-F-6LnePXsUJqYaAk1dEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
well - i flattened out the lip and then used a bit of 2.5" stainless exhaust pipe - standing and rickoing gently to put a curve without creasing. Came out ok. Like my dad says - good enough for the girls we run with I think what people mentioned above though was right - should have done in two seperate pieces and then welded together after bent. Wonder if a english wheel would have fixed this ^^ never used one but keep thinking of getting one.
It looks like you have pretty close to the right curve in it. Back a few years ago when i went to one of Gene Winfield's metal shaping classes he had the guys in the shop were the class was build a "Winfield bender" You slip the piece of sheet metal down in the slot between the large diameter pipe and one of the smaller ones and push/pull it in the direction that best gives you the bend you want or like you did do a bit at a time and move the metal to do the next bit to get the curve.
thats just for the lip right ? I've been running a cutting blade on grinder along edge where I want it bent to create a "crease" and then bending over with a hammer and dolly. Never heard of those - off to youtube it thx *** update wholly crap had no idea - those are awesome - just saw a video
The shrinker/stretchers work great on a smaller piece. But trying to bend the edge over on a piece that is already curved, and then shrink the edge to keep the curve you've got in the metal at the same time is gonna give a good metal worker fits. I've tried this, and gave up finally. I simply bent the metal to match the shape I wanted, and then either bent the edge piece separately, and welded it on; or made small pie cuts in the edge before bending it over.
Bending sheet metal can be daunting for beginners but it doesn't have to be. While slip rolls and pipe anvils are the best known ways to put a radius in sheet metal, they can be expensive or time consuming depending on whether you are buying or building them. Here is what i came up with, using left over timber.
Here is another one I made up more recently. I used a four inch diameter round log for this one and scrap 4x2. It took about an hour to put together. Its a similar concept to a pipe anvil, but being timber, its much easier to put together and easier to bend metal. You place it on the ground, slide the sheet metal in and use your foot to press down on it.
That's funny...up here in the northern hemisphere, we call them 2X4's...must be a geographical thing... Love that idea, and I'm going to steal/make it!
An english wheel with go cart wheel or rubber band on top will make those shapes nicely. Go right over the welds if you choose.
The Jalopy Journal
