HOW TO properly clamp this?

[darkie]

Good Afternoon,

I am shaping some metal that I clamped into the inner wheelhouse.

As you can see in the images;

I used these long clamps to clamp the metal from inside the wheelhouse to the back part of the bumper; I clamped them onto these sockets, but they keep slipping off, I have to use my foot to hold the clamps at the bumper end while I set the metal patch in the wheelhouse.

WHAT CAN I DO TO CLAMP THIS BETTER AND/OR NOT LET THE CLAMPS SLIP OFF?

If you can also recommend what other subs to post this to, I will greatly appreciate it.

Thank you and have a great day

 

[JOEPRO]

Yep just get it aligned as best you can and get a tack on it. Then tap with a hammer and fine tune and add a few more tacks.

With one edge tack welded and working up an edge you can shape / position it better also.

 

[bourbon]

And welcome to the forum

 

[Nomad]

I'm no expert but can you drill a couple of small holes in each joint and hold the panels in place temporarily using self tapping screws until it's held by the first welds?

Or use ratchet straps to stop the ends of your clamps slipping - loop the strap to something above the repair area (maybe a bumper mount or something in the engine bay?

 

[Wildefalcon]

Tack the clamps to the body work.

 

[Barking Mat]

You could just hold it in position, leather glove obviously, couple of tacks or four.

 

[dextadriver]

Have you removed all fire risk material?
That stuff you have taped on looks a bit risky
I couldn’t figure out how some parts have rotted and some parts look like new
You are in Canada which I thought has a dryer atmosphere
Can you put photos of area to be repaired

 

[darkie]

Yep just get it aligned as best you can and get a tack on it. Then tap with a hammer and fine tune and add a few more tacks.

With one edge tack welded and working up an edge you can shape / position it better also.

I dont know how to tack weld

 

[darkie]

And welcome to the forum

Thank you

 

[Wildefalcon]

I dont know how to tack weld

A tack weld is just a tiny spot of weld to hold something together. Either holding a new piece of metal, or a temporary brace/clamp/jig, that's subsequently welded over, or cut away.

 

[dave h 2]

I dont know how to tack weld

Use the MIG button at the top of the page and read.

 

[Windy Miller]

I dont know how to tack weld

In that case how do you intend to attach the repair patch?

 

[darkie]

In that case how do you intend to attach the repair patch?

Panelbond

 

[Robert Weaver]

I think we've misunderstood.
You want a clamp solution that doesn't slip while the 2part epoxy resin cures and holds the metal plate in place.
Not the return clamp for a welded solution.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Ah! That's making sense now. Double sided adhesive tape on the clamps might do it.

 

[Cato]

Now that the serious advice is out of the way ....

From what I remember of such jobs in the 1970s the popular method was to get a small child to wedge themselves into a small gap either in or under the vehicle. Said child would then keep whatever was required in place. I fthe child didn't have sufficient strength then they could be motivated to increase their strength by an order of magnitude. Motivation usually took the form of a speech about the dire consequences of failure to hold whatever it was in EXACTLY that position and NOT TO MOVE NO MATTER WHAT. There's probably a physiological name for this condition, but we'll just call it terror for now.

The supplementary benefits of using a child include keeping sparks off of anything more important than the child's skin (everything) and also fume extraction as children can filter all sorts of toxic fumes as their lungs have a greater efficiency than adults who've been on 40 fags a day since the war ended.

Of course H&S these days has ruined what was a perfectly honed technique.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Depending on the inner structure and any corrosion potential it may be worth considering a few well positioned pop rivets as this will draw the panels together and hold everything while it cures off.
You can get stainless ones, but they require a decent tool to pull them.

 

[darkie]

I think we've misunderstood.
You want a clamp solution that doesn't slip while the 2part epoxy resin cures and holds the metal plate in place.
Not the return clamp for a welded solution.

I want a clamp solution, while I am shaping it in the fender with hammers.

Also some hammers are too big.

Exactly how snug does it have to fit?

I am making a patch piece for the inner fender

Thank you

 

[octo0072000]

tek screws self tapping roof screws

 

[darkie]

I think we've misunderstood.
You want a clamp solution that doesn't slip while the 2part epoxy resin cures and holds the metal plate in place.
Not the return clamp for a welded solution.

Hi there,

How snug does the patch panel have to fit?

https://imgur.com/a/qGCswhx

I am planning on panelbonding and then screwing in tiny screw taps.

Thank you.