Like most of you, I spend as much time as possible in the garage repairing, repairing or improving construction vehicles. I currently have two different builds, one of which is fully functional and the other I like, just tiptoeing around on local roads to get settled. Finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I wanted to add a few more custom touches.
I usually spend some time cutting and bending cardboard or particle board to make what I envision, then I go to a maker friend and do wonders and build it for me out of aluminum. Lately, however, I’ve been tempted to make some creations myself to save time and a lot of money, and take on new car challenges in the hopes of making progress. With that in mind, I knew Eastwood would be the perfect source for some new do-it-yourself tools now that the company is in the midst of a pandemic period.
Admittedly, the part I’m trying to do is pretty simple, but as they say, we all start somewhere. Despite the simplicity, the absolutely zero experience with metal meant that the learning curve was very steep. YouTube videos, especially Eastwood’s channel, and browsing some of the blogs have given me some direction, but like most in the automotive world, I feel that hands-on experience is the only way to really get it right.
My first few projects were for a ’92 Civic hatchback that I’ve been building for the last few years. Most of the interior was long gone when I bought it, and I left it that way, but there’s a sharp “squeeze” at the top of the sill where getting out of the car from the deep bucket seats requires a hand on that part. on it, then place your weight on top of it. So a stress relief plate seems like a good first project.
Instead of buying good quality aluminum and inevitably destroying it, I go to my local hardware store and sift through what they have left. It’s full of sometimes oddly shaped, often scratched and worn parts, but it’s cheap and readily available. Since I plan on painting everything I’m going to do, the scratched surface is no hassle and I only paid $71 for two large sheets. That compares to $109 for a shiny new look in the same size.
Larger sheets have to be cut to suit my needs, and while I originally planned to use a straight grinder with a cut-off wheel, Eastwood offers a quieter, cleaner solution with this brand of electric shears. The variable speed trigger adjusts the working speed from 0 to 2500 rpm, and the replaceable blades cut steel and aluminum up to 16 gauge and stainless steel up to 18 gauge.
When you make a cut, a “curly sprout” about 3/16″ wide begins to form and guides the cut, so you need to keep this in mind when modeling so small gaps don’t get in the way of your design. Adding one to two drops of engine oil before cutting ensures ultra-smooth performance. It’s nowhere near as noisy as my cut-off wheel grinder, and there aren’t any sparks or random shrapnel to deal with.
In addition, if desired, the cutting head can be rotated 360 degrees to provide a clear view if your project requires unusual curves or if you work in hard to reach places.
If you’re working with sheet metal, chances are you’ll want to do precision bending at some point, and that’s where Eastwood’s Versa Bend sheet metal brakes come in handy. It’s compact and perfect for home garages that don’t have room for freestanding giants found in builders’ lairs.
Versa Bend has a set of “legs” that can be screwed to the front edge of the bench if desired.
Or, if you don’t have the space (like me) and need the entire table surface area, you can simply screw on the included base that fits right into your vise – like my 8″ Eastwood Bench vise. This allows you to remove and store it when not in use. It will be 20 gauge steel and 18 gauge aluminum with a removable front guard for more flexibility.
After cutting out the pieces, I marked the two bends needed to completely cover the pinch points, and then used cardboard to determine how many degrees would be needed. By placing it in the Versa Bend, I was able to bend the first over 90 degrees and the second just under 90 degrees.
Double actuated levers make folding easier, and when the adjustment tabs are properly tightened, the folds are perfectly even throughout.
These two bends allow the piece to rise above the Civic’s weld and close it completely.
Satisfied with the sill trim fit, I reached for a 1.5-inch Eastwood metal punch and flare. They are convenient to store in the garage because they do not require a press or any special tools and allow you to quickly and easily punch and flare in one pass. They are suitable for 1.0-2.5 inch applications and work with aluminum up to 14 gauge.
I marked and drilled five half-inch pilot holes, large enough for the machine head bolts to go through.
I then added the ends of the mold with washers and hand-tightened the bolts to secure it.
Then I take a ratchet and start tightening the bolts until the top of the mold is flush with the panel.
You could feel a slight “give in” and I knew it had completely bottomed out. Then I remove the bolts and tighten the two ends of the matrix, and this is how the holes are punched and unfolded. Not only does this clean up the aesthetics, the stamping and flair technique will give your project considerable strength, and after adding 5 padding to this thin strip, it becomes very stiff.
After light sanding, I added a few coats of black finish to give the piece some texture. To keep fingers and even shoelaces from snagging on the inside edge of the trim, I found these self-adhesive plastic door protectors at my local auto parts store and they fit perfectly when cut to length.
To secure it, I drilled two holes in the rocker arm and used a couple of rivets, after a few test drives out of the car and making sure it was in the right place and really served its purpose.
At the back of the car, after the interior plastic pieces were removed to reveal the insides of the side panels, I wanted to make a set of covers to hide them. They are busier because they take on an awkward shape and don’t even sit back to back. I found that with the raised area behind the front seat belts, I could install a panel covering both openings without having to deal with the impossible kink in its center.
I used poster board to outline the entire section as best I could, then cut it out and trimmed it until I found the rough shape I wanted. Back at my workbench, I traced the stencil over the aluminum sheet and cut it again with the electric sheet metal shears, then placed it on the second aluminum sheet and cut out the matching panel for the other side.
Instead of using a regular flat panel, I wanted to add an X-shaped touch to the surface, like you see on old steel oil drums. Not only would this give a simple panel a custom look, it would also add rigidity, and Eastwood’s metal ball rollers were exactly what I needed.
Like the Versa Brake, it can be installed quickly and easily with a standard vise. The only requirements are that you mount it high enough to free up the handle and that there is enough room behind the tool to run your project. Grease nipples are already installed for future lubrication and roller combs are easily replaced with a set screw and bolt on end.
You can get a wide range of dies to get started if you need more versatility or if you are looking for a specific style profile, channel or style line, Eastwood metal ball forming dies offer you options to suit your needs. to this ball wheel or any other ball wheel with a 22mm diameter shaft. This will be the next set of tools I will be practicing on the ball presses as they provide incredible flexibility.
The safest way to draw a straight line is to use a solid ink marker on the object and keep it at eye level with that line to make sure I’m not leaning left or right.
Once my panel was in place I tightened the set screws just enough to feel a lot of pressure on the part and noted how many turns it took to get there so I could do the same for the next few rows (2.5 in this case). circle).
The action of the lever and the process of rolling the ball are very smooth, and since this is a manual process, you have complete control over the speed. My problem is that in order to keep a straight line (especially with my poor eyesight) I need both eyes to die even with dice when turning the crank which is on the opposite side of the action, and this turned out to be a tough combination. .
Ideally, it would be better if someone operated the handle with me while I operate the panel, but working late at night while my family and neighbors are sleeping does not allow this.
Anyway, I was able to get all 8 passes in both groups, for those who didn’t have a second set of hands the first time, I’m happy with the result, hopefully with more experience I’ll improve.
Eastwood also offers a motorized ball drive system that you control with a foot pedal, which I find more suitable for a do-it-yourselfer and something I would like to have in my arsenal.
After adding four extra touches with a punch and bell kit, and then light sanding and a few layers of black finish, I bolted on the panels and was pleased with the finished product. I usually wear something like this powder, but over time I can try it as I practice and improve. To be honest, if it wasn’t for Eastwood’s handy ruler, I wouldn’t try them at all.
There was a lot of scrap metal left, and I decided to do something else. This license plate bracket is the result of two quick passes in the Versa Bend and a series of holes I drilled before applying multiple coats of paint and then countersinked the drill back into the holes.
Since I didn’t use a stereo or speakers for this build, the Bluetooth speaker provided some on-the-go entertainment. Using a Versa Bend for three 90-degree bends and using a 1-inch punch and bell to make the speaker ports, I added a couple of magnets to the top to keep it securely on the roof and not roll around the cabin.
These latest tools complement my various garage items purchased from Eastwood in 2020 and have been consistently tested without any issues. So what are you waiting for? Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it better.
Post time: Aug-11-2023