What tools do I need to crimp over the edges when replacing a door skin?

Al

[This message has been edited by sevt_chevelle (edited 01-06-2003).]

All body guys Ive seen and myself all use a rubber dolly with a special hammer shaped for bending door skins. The hammer has a long flat head so you can bend over the flange easily. I believe you can buy a kit that includes the dolly and hammer in eastwoods if not you can get them at TP tools, pretty much the same thing as eastwoods. Ive used them many times website is www.tptools.com (http://www.tptools.com)

One little trick for door skins is before you fold over the edge very lighty grind the folding edge. It makes the edge easier to fold. Also TAKE your time when folding over the edge, dont smash it all done at once do it in stages. Fold like 1/16 over alround the door and then fold alittle more.

Also some like to weld on the skins after folding, I use glue use 3M #8115. I prefer the glue because it seals the metal joint from rusting and plus it tolds a nice tight bond with the skin and shell. I glue on my skin first then clamp it, wait for the glue to set up i believe it says 8 hours, then fold over the edge. I find that the skin is easier to fold when the glue is cured. make sure that both the shell and skin are free of paint and rust must be bare metal. Then apply a small amount of glue that covers all the bare metal on both the skin and shell, then apply a very small bead on the shell. Then you can install skin and clamp it down...Eric

------------------
1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a BUICK BABY
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

Do a search on MartinSr, he had an eccellent post on door skin install, a few months ago.

Frank
66 SS396

Here is the "Basics of Basics" on door skin replacement. I only use the door skin hammer on the tight spots where the door shell is in the way of the hammer. The door skin tool has a curved end on it to clear the door shell and it is usually only needed on the bottom of the door. The head on the door skin hammer is curved, WAY more than it should be for the flat areas around the door. As I say in the "basics" match the hammer shape to the door shape. One of the guys at work made a neat dolly out of a short piece of 2x4 wood with a 3M black rubber squeegy glued to it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

First off, to remove the old skin, take a grinder and grind the edge door where the skin folds around onto the door shell. On the spot welds you can drill them or grind them, sometimes both. By grind I mean a die grinder with a cut off wheel, just set the spinning wheel on the weld moving it back and forth till yo have cut though eliminating the weld.
As preparation, sand with 120 grit on a DA the OUTER edge of the fold in the new skin a LITTLE bit so it will "want" to fold easier.
If you don’t plan on bonding the skin on, I highly recommend it. It is a corrosion fighter like non other. With the door sitting on it's back (the interior side down) clean the edge where the panel will bond with an abrasive disc to bare metal. Don't use a grinder, it removes metal. Then you will put a small ribbon of panel adheasive, NOT door skin adheasive but the Panel adheasive, it has a higher strength and longer working time. Spread out the adheasive with a plastic spreader so ALL the bare metal is covered. Then apply another thin ribbon on the inside edge of shell where it folds down towards the interior.
I don't know what primer you will find on the new skin, if you can be assured it is good quality and has bonded well, leave it. If it is questionable, then sand it out and apply a good epoxy primer.
After you have a good primer (or left alone) you need to simply scuff it with a red scuff pad down in the area that will be bonding. And believe me DON'T over do it with the bonding! It WILL go around the other side of the fold without even trying and get on your dolly and hammer!
Lay the skin down on the door and position it. Clamp it down at the top where you won't mess up the outer skin. I used a rubber dolly, if you don't have one take a flat dolly and tape a rag or something on it to provide a little cush. Hold the dolly on the top surface right over where you are going to fold the lip, strike up on the fold with your hammer while pushing down on the dolly, strike it at an angle so the metal "wants" to hold and NOT lift the skin off the door.
THE TRICK!...... Don't fold it very much at a time, I mean VERY LITTLE, about an 1/8" MAX, maybe even 1/16". Go around the WHOLE door before folding more. Go around and around untill you have it folded down almost flat, about 1/16" from touching.
Turn the door over, being particularly carefull not to rest the door in a way that will bend your new skin! Now strike down with the hammer while you are still supporting with the dolly to close up the fold a bit more.
ANOTHER TIP!....DON'T smash it down!!!! Two reasons, one you will distort the outside and two you need to leave the bonding in there for it to work.
STILL ANOTHER TIP!.... Use a number of hammers that closely match the shape of the door, if you are in the rounded area at the top of the door, use a domed hammer.

After all folding is done, fine tune the edge so that there are no high or low spots. You can run a vexin file over these areas to spot highs and lows and cut a LITTLE if you need off of high spots. Then using a DA on grinder mode with a 120 disc you "block" the panel around the edge to perfection.

You can spray a weld thru primer on a couple of inches or so at the corners so you can then weld there and not burn the adheasive. But be ready to trial fit the door and twist it if need be be for your weld it. You should always tril fit the door before the adheasive cures and “massage” the door to fit well then weld the corners on the back side so the door can’t twist while the adhesive cures.


If you have any fears of not being able to get the door skin on and folded in the working time of the adhesive, don’t use it! Just go ahead and prime all the hidden areas and after the skin is on, put a seam sealer on the folded seam and spray a cavity wax or underseal around the seam from the inside.


Read the recommendations on the adhesive you are using, some want the metal bare while other want it to be primed, read the tech sheets.


------------------
1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"