1930 Ford Sheetmetal Work

[Flop]

thanks mike!

yeah i can tell the language part now WOW!!! i agree i would like to hear with the hammer dolly finger pinch or a busted knuckle when the wrench slips.


but this is what ya get to do on xmas eve when you g/f doesnt tell ya shes going home for xmas



ill finish it up tomorrow.

Merry Christmas guys!!!

[Deluxe Delivery Don]

HELLO Flop, Just keep the Great work up and just try to balance work and pleasure. It works every time. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY A NEW YEAR. Don

[my2nd40]

Flop, very nice work. Thanks for taking the time to document your progress and post it here. The bad thing is you have probably cost me some more money. I've been on the fence about buying a stud gun for a long time and now I think I'm gonna pull the trigger after seeing your body work.

Tell us more about the tools you are using if you have the time. Thanks!!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I can save you some money my2nd40 and tell you that we don't own a stud gun and in almost 15 years of professional restoration on all the cars we have done, I have yet to see a need for us to own/use one. Allow me to explain...

A dent is nothing more than metal that has been stretched due to trauma. The correct way to repair the dent is to reverse the stretch in the same basic order in which the trauma was inflicted. Using a stud gun to attach a nail-sized stud to the metal and then jerked does not shrink the stretched metal but instead just restretches the metal in a concentrated area and thus only re-arranges the shape of the metal. To correctly repair a dent, the metal needs to be shrunk. Study the options and become proficient at one and you will likely find just a few small hand tools are all that is needed.

Now if you still feel the need to spot-weld a nail, consider taking a couple of small flatwashers and touch the edge to a grinder to create a flatspot. Now, this washer can be tack-welded to a panel. Next use a pair of Vise-Grip locking pliers to apply some pressure as you use a slapper or dolly to raise the dent.

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[metalho]

Thank you, this is a fantastic thread!

[my2nd40]

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Thanks Brent good tip on the washer!

[Flop]

I have to disagree Brent. Ya get some heat from the stud gun and ya get a shrink from that mixed with the pull from the stud.Even when ya weld something on you still gonna get distortion from the weld. stud gun was by far one of the best purchases ive had. doubled panels braces in the way etc . priceless. plus if you take the time to tack weld a washer on your def gonna damage that panel trying to get it off with a grinder. the stud gun really helps taking the under cut right against your weld ever wih a panel that you have full access to the back.





gotta do the front edge over since i couldnt make a nice break because of the bottom bead.tomorrows mission

thanks again guys!

[Jazzjr]

Nice work Flop, I'd like to be a fly on your shop wall to watch and Learn your Procedures. I agree with you on the use of the stud gun, I have watched a local body man, use his, then hammers and dollies, when he finishes, hardly any body filler.

I hope you have Front or Rear fenders to fix, or Running Boards Many of us have them with Cracked and Split Front edges, along with holes. Some I have need lower sheet metal replaced, where The fender meets The running board. Most of us don't find good ones, or have the $$ to buy Metal Repos.
Keep the Photos coming, good Job, you are a "Master at what You Do".

[CCWKen]

Nice work Flop! What did you do the second day?

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Flop

I have to disagree Brent. Ya get some heat from the stud gun and ya get a shrink from that mixed with the pull from the stud. Even when ya weld something on you still gonna get distortion from the weld. stud gun was by far one of the best purchases ive had. doubled panels braces in the way etc . priceless. plus if you take the time to tack weld a washer on your def gonna damage that panel trying to get it off with a grinder. the stud gun really helps taking the under cut right against your weld ever wih a panel that you have full access to the back.

Well, if you say so. Maybe I should come up and get some sheetmetal lessons from you!!

.

[zzlegend]

Flop. I agree with you on the stud gun. Have used mine a few times and if used right it is a very handy tool to have. Excellent work your doing by the way. Keep us updated.

[Stan/MO.]

Brent know this is going to sound like I'm taking sides...but I'm really not. Everybody has different ways of doing things...and I'm sure that the work you do is exellent. But don't try to blow someone elses candle out to make yours seem brighter. I don't know how old you are, but this young man is 25 yrs.old. I don't think you will find one person on this thread that would fault his work. I for one think the work he has shown us so far is top notch. If he can do the quality of work he is doing at 25 just think what he will be capable of at your age. All i'm saying is cut him some slack, he's definately not a butcher. All the best.

Stan/Mo.

[pooch]

The only criticism I can hand you Flop is....

I wish you would use a sandblaster to clean the metal, where there are no repairs to be done.

I cringe at the 36 grit disc sanding of the wheel arch ridge.

[Logan]

All i can say is WOW. You do amazing work. No matter what people tell you about you language, or that they would do it a different way than you did, you sure know your doing. Keep up the good work, and keep the pictures coming. One of the best threads ive seen on this website.

[Flop]

thanks jazz. nothing to exciting in the shop really weld hammer grind repeat.

fenders are coming to the shop soon. also have new repoped running boards.

thanks ccw and zz

stop by any time brent.


appreciate it stan

thanks pooch appreciate the critism. it was a pretty wore out piece on a 4500 rpm sander def wasnt going at it with a grinder those will sand right out with a piece of 60 or 80

thanks logan!! def gonna keep on keepin on!!


heres todays work

when i made the patch panel there was no way i could use the sheetmetal break to get a clean edge because of the body line at the bottom so i had to cut the edge off and replace it with a piece i made on the break.



tacked in




where a stud gun really come in handy. metal brace and wood in the way .

[Hitchhiker]

Looking good Flop. I wish I was closer so I could come and bug you.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Ok Flop, I am not following you, how did the stud gun help you on that patch in the forward quarter panel? Also, how are you planishing your welds?

On the comment when you made the lower patch, in the jamb area wouldn't a pan break or a tipping wheel worked well in this instance to give you a clean line??

.

[Flop]

hey brent stud gun helped raise the under cut area next to the weld .you know what i mean? the crater ya get right next to em if ya grind and then do nothing else?as far as planishing brent i use the snap on shrinkin hammer but not the shrinking end i use the smooth face because it has the largest face.


yeah i dont have the $$ for a pan break yet. i used a hand sheetmetal break to make it before i put the panel in but it went from ok to worse fast once i put it in and started making it match the original a metal.

my tipping die in on loan to my friend whos out of town for christmas!!!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Hey Flop (BTW, is that your real name??) I think what you are calling an "undercut" is the term I am struggling with and not understanding.

The general term for a weld that has not been planished is a proud weld. As you well know to eliminate this, the weld is made and then planished using a hammer or slapper and also using a dolly or spoon backup with the dolly-on method. This not only flattens the weld but it strengthens it and it normalizes the molecules where you do not have warpage. What I am trying to figure out is, ...are you saying the weld is warping the sheetmetal on the edges --or is the "undercut" something caused by the grinding?

I'd bet you were ready to strangle your buddy when you needed those tipping dies and he had them locked up!! They would have made quick work out of it. Have you ever used a crescent wrench to tip with when you need to do a curve? That might have worked well here and then used a shrinker to take care of the excess.

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[30cabriolet]

Flop, incredible work. I have a few questions. What size tungsten tip have you found that works best for this type tig welding? What type and size filler rod? I have been using .040 tip and .023 -6 mig wire, but I would be willing to try something else if it might make things better for me. Also, is it better to start the planishing while the weld is still hot/warm or do you wait for it to cool? I would love to read any tips you can post about metal work.
Keep up the impressive work and keep posting!