Does anyone know where someone could rent tools that one would have little likelihood of needing more than very occasionally?

A friend needs a flanger for some patches he needs to make on some auto sheet metal.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

May be someone who is on the forum tool rental program can help.

Otherwise I'd go and find some plywood off cuts and cut a step of the required depth into it with a router - or do it the old way with a chisel - and then shape the flange with a hammer. This method works best for a part off of the car!

If you need to flange "on the car" then make two plywood hammer forms with a step in them and then use a step on either side of the sheet metal with a G-clamp to start the shape you need.

You'll have trouble getting crisp straight shapes in mild steel thicker than 1mm though...

...crisper shapes will happen with a harder (steel) former - like the dies of a flanger...

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Do you mean for making a lip for mating sheet metal panels? If that's what you need I can look through my Dad's tools. I think he had one.

That said, do you have a MIG welder? I prefer to mate sheet metal with a butt joint. Fit it well with about 1/64" to 1/32" gap all around. Get it flush and MIG a tack using shielding gas, NOT flux core. Bounce around spreading the tacks all over to prevent warping. Keep filling in between the tacks until it is solid weld, then grind it flush. The beauty of the MIG welder for this purpose is that you can weld over weld without chipping slag or otherwise cleaning.

Let me know if you need the tool I describe. I will be at my Mom's house Thanksgiving and I can look through my Dad's stuff for the tool.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Thanks, Larry. I will get back to you; that is precisely the tool, and the technique. My friend has a wire-feed welder and uses the shielding gas, but maybe not the skill for butt welds.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

There's very little skill involved to do what I describe. There is more skill involved in fitting the replacement piece than the required welding skill. Since it's a tack, just look at the table inside the welders wire compartment cover. Pick the sheet metal thickness used and set up the welder that way. Then burn just enough of a tack to penetrate to the back side.

You can use magnets or long necked channel lock clamps, C clamps or whatever to get the metal in place for the first few tacks.

I will look for the tool.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

This is not a real good Youtube of the process, but it will give you the idea.

Karmann Ghia sheet metal patch - YouTube

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

a pair of flanging vice grip pliers is only around $25

There is a very cheap one for use with air tools like the chisel driver impact type of tool. I forget the technical name of that air tool at the moment.

MS,

I apologize for the delay in the response. I looked through my Dad's stuff Thanksgiving and couldn't find the tool. I thought I might have already brought it home, but if I did I can't find it.

After Thanksgiving and all the things that went on while I was off for the holidays, I forgot to respond.

Sorry for the delay and sorry I couldn't find it.

If I stumble upon it, I'll let you know.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution