Flanging tool too shallow??

[northeastmoparnet]

Hi, Installing a quarter panel using a central pneumatic flanging too. No proble making the offset flange, but when I lay the AMD quarter in place it appears to project out as such that if I grinded it smooth I would reduce the panel guage by about 50%?? Now that is not acceptable. Do I have the right tool to do the flanges? I would think that the sheetmetal overlay would be a tad bit deeper so there is room for a skimcoat of bondo?? I don't see any adjustments to change the offset. Are they available for different thibknesses? Is there a better tool and maybe mine is just cheap china crap? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[zyzzyx]

Is there a reason you don't butt the panels together and mig weld them together?

 

[northeastmoparnet]

Is there a reason you don't butt the panels together and mig weld them together?

I have actually done butt welds and they came out fine. On this car I decided to do a lapweld as the seam would be in the trunk anyway and I think the seam will be stronger regarding keeping things straight with less warpage. I did any welds on my Demon with butt weld seams. So it is just preference on this vehicle.

 

[slimt]

Buttwelds are good. Just make sure you have good metal so holes dont get bigger

 

[59pwrwgn]

I had one of those years ago. I seemto remember having to add oil it.

 

[gkent]

Is there a better tool and maybe mine is just cheap china crap?

I'd say you're putting the blame in the wrong place. It might say on the box what gauge the flange will accommodate but even if it doesn't, a quick check of the flanging step with a feeler gauge will tell you how thick the flange will be. There is no adjustment here, if you want a different thickness in the step then you need different flange heads or a different tool.

 

[snakeoil24]

Flange welds will be more prone to heat expansion in summer Months.

 

[northeastmoparnet]

I'd say you're putting the blame in the wrong place. It might say on the box what gauge the flange will accommodate but even if it doesn't, a quick check of the flanging step with a feeler gauge will tell you how thick the flange will be. There is no adjustment here, if you want a different thickness in the step then you need different flange heads or a different tool.

I am not trying to put blame anywhere. The quality coming from many Chinese factories on tools is terrible. I was wondering if this tool for instance is primarily used to flange sheet metal AC ductwork which is much thinner and there is another brand which is made for the 18 GA or 20 GA metal that AMD panels are made of? When I trigger my tool it appears to stop short of actually closing up all the way and I can see a space between the two jaws? The space seems to represent the depth I am coming up short on. Seeing I do usually butt weld seams, I am new to this tool and was looking for some help.

 

[gkent]

When I trigger my tool it appears to stop short of actually closing up all the way and I can see a space between the two jaws? The space seems to represent the depth I am coming up short on.

The gauge of metal is determined by the gap indicated by the arrow. Too thick and the metal will jam in this area. If you trigger the tool with no metal in it you'll see that the jaws will actually close all the way but that gap (arrow) remains the same. If you want to be adventurous you could enlarge that gap.

Also, make sure the tool is getting the max air pressure.

 

[gkent]

Flange welds will be more prone to heat expansion in summer Months.

You're joking, right ?!?! Just what brings you to that conclusion?

 

[northeastmoparnet]

You're joking, right ?!?! Just what brings you to that conclusion?

All I know is that the chicago pneumatic/harbor freight too I am using at the correct 90PSI and filled with hydraulic fluid and I ran it over the metal several times makes a nice offset. BUT when I lay the AMD quarter panel onto the offset, the panel stand proud of the surface by about 50% of the panel thickness. If I weld it there and then grind it smooth, the panel will be 50% thinner and we all know these panels are not exactly like my 66 charger panels. The offset was placed in the origianl 1970 panel. The overlay was the AMD panel. So I am assuming that the offset should be the correct guage for the AMD panel to sit in and actually I think it should be a few thousands deeper to allow for some very thin body filler after it is mig welded. I can also ube my TIG as well, but this is all about panel thickness and the tool itself.

 

[Runcharger]

You could fix it but it would be tricky. You would have to grind/mill the jaws to increase the depth of the overlap. I have a Chinese made no-name air flanger and it is the correct depth. I agree maybe yours was designed for HVAC duct work.

 

[gkent]

My flanging tool has a pistol shape to it. The flange it makes is the proper thickness for AMD panels. I don't know if the one HF sells is the correct thickness or not.

 

[northeastmoparnet]

You could fix it but it would be tricky. You would have to grind/mill the jaws to increase the depth of the overlap. I have a Chinese made no-name air flanger and it is the correct depth. I agree maybe yours was designed for HVAC duct work.

Just added hydraulic oil in case it was low and prevented it from ramming all the way. Nothing changed. I notice eastwood has several on their page and one or two of them say it leave a flange that is .040 and will punch a 7/32" hole.

 

[northeastmoparnet]

My flanging tool has a pistol shape to it. The flange it makes is the proper thickness for AMD panels. I don't know if the one HF sells is the correct thickness or not.

OK, but what is the thickness of AMD panels?? Their wesite does not specify. 18GA panels are .047 thick and 20 GA panels are .042 thick. All the flanging tools that do specify say they make a .040 offset?? So how does anybody put .047 or .042 into a flange with a .040 depth. If you do, you will then need to blend grind the panel for finish which thins out the already thin panel, correct??? Can anybody explain the math here? Again, I am looking for the correct depth flanging tool for what I am working with which is a AMD panel?? Not a piece of heating/cooling ductwork sheet??

 

[gkent]

Blending .005 at a seam by minor grinding and some filler is no bid deal.

 

[northeastmoparnet]

Blending .005 at a seam by minor grinding and some filler is no bid deal.

OK I just checked the thickness with my calipers. My flanging tool is averaging .020 to .023 in depth? I think a real autobody flanging tool should be making about an .055 depth for 18GA sheetmetal which is .047 or the AMD sheetmetal which I just checked at .040 or about 19GA. So I think the flanging tool that harbour freight sells might be for tin knockers to flange offsets in heating and AC ductwork. I agree taking a slight bit off but then you need some space for a little filler. So I guess it will be back to my butt welding and I can butt weld right to the .020 offset my tool made and then I will have the .020 depth to fill after grinding.

 

[gkent]

Why not check youtube and see what other guys are using for flanging tools

 

[Photon440]

Back around 1980 after seeing a magazine ad for a flanging tool I made my own by brazing squares of 18 gauge steel to the top and bottom jaws of a flat jaw vice grip. It has the right offset and worked great. I still found use for it a couple of years ago.

 

[gkent]

I’d be checking what Eastwood has to offer