Paul.
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- Location
- Northampton. UK
There been a bit of talk about tuck shrinking just lately, Today I had a small job making a repair section for a trailer mudguard for one of my regulars, the customer bought in a cardboard pattern to make it to, this is not the only way to do this but it is a good example of how to shrink without using any special tools, also bear in mind this is a piece of 1.5mm probably almost twice the thickness that would normally be used for car repairs, thinner is much easier. this process took no more than 10 minutes, and involved no welding or heat.
Start with the fold, this is about 15mm, the wider the flange the harder work it will be
Use the vice and a cross pein hammer to make the tucks, I made them in alternate directions on the sheet to make the curve,
Overbend it a bit, it will try to straighten when dressed out, dont worry if the flange bends in or out at this stage
Thats tucked it.
The dolly is a bit of steel bar clamped in the vice, it needs to be nice and solid, so that you can work the metal with the hammer
Using the planisher or similar flat faced hammer work the tucks into the flange, keep some sideways hand pressure on the sheet pressing it against the dolly to maintain the curve, keep checking the shape, if it straightens out too much give it a tap on the edge of the flange as in Pic 3
Nearly there
Quick tickle with a linisher and that will do
And the inside of the bend, where did that metal go.....
Start with the fold, this is about 15mm, the wider the flange the harder work it will be
Use the vice and a cross pein hammer to make the tucks, I made them in alternate directions on the sheet to make the curve,
Overbend it a bit, it will try to straighten when dressed out, dont worry if the flange bends in or out at this stage
Thats tucked it.
The dolly is a bit of steel bar clamped in the vice, it needs to be nice and solid, so that you can work the metal with the hammer
Using the planisher or similar flat faced hammer work the tucks into the flange, keep some sideways hand pressure on the sheet pressing it against the dolly to maintain the curve, keep checking the shape, if it straightens out too much give it a tap on the edge of the flange as in Pic 3
Nearly there
Quick tickle with a linisher and that will do
And the inside of the bend, where did that metal go.....