Panel Beating Aluminium

**slug_burner** · 14th September 2012, 11:31 PM

If you have oxy, run the flame on acetylene only to leave a coating of soot on the panel, turn the oxygen back on, heat panel from the other side, the soot will burn off when you get to the right temperature. Allow to cool and ally will be workable. Have also heard dad talk about placing soap marks and when they go, it is hot enough. Never seen the soap trick but have seen metal shaping vids where the soot method was used, Ron Covell was the craftsman who shows the soot trick.

**gromit** · 18th October 2012, 07:32 AM

I've nearly finished making a couple of wooden hammers for when I get round to practicing panel beating on a few Land Rover parts.
I called on Peter Tommasini yesterday to check out some tool prices. He is very down to earth, gave me some pointers and even told me how to go about the job (I even had a cuppa with him). I ended up buying a slapper(flipper), he gets them part made locally, does some work on them then sends them out for the face to be hardened and then finishes them off.
Peter's workshop is quite small but the work he does is outstanding. There was an early Jaguar on the floor that he's made about 60-70% of the panels for, total hours so far in excess of 900 ! Motoring pornography......

Colin

**clubagreenie** · 18th October 2012, 09:07 AM

Where are these guys? I've always wanted just to watch them work. Seen a few of their clips but you could just sit and watch and learn for hours. Sadly, there's little way to learn and ply these trades any longer.

**gromit** · 18th October 2012, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by clubagreenie

Where are these guys? I've always wanted just to watch them work. Seen a few of their clips but you could just sit and watch and learn for hours. Sadly, there's little way to learn and ply these trades any longer.

Peter Tommasini is based in Bayswater, VIC.
I'm not sure if Tom Peach is still involved.

You can buy the set of DVD'c from Peter Tommasini or via Gasoline. He apparently didn't make any money out of the features on Gasoline but saw it as a way to promote his business. Buy the DVD's directly from him and he makes something.
He also runs training courses.

Classic Car Restoration Melbourne VIC - Restoring Old Cars Victoria, Vintage & Antique Car Restoration- Keys To Classic - Home

Colin

**Landy Smurf** · 19th October 2012, 10:12 PM

has anyone on here actually panel beated aluminium successfully?

**clubagreenie** · 20th October 2012, 12:03 AM

Original Birmabright gets very brittle unless treated accordingly. Just outright hitting it won't do. Depends on the scope of repair as to the approach.

Pics?

**gromit** · 22nd October 2012, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by schmierer LR at singleton

has anyone on here actually panel beated aluminium successfully?

I guess it depends a lot on your definition of 'successfully'.

I've seen a lot of Land Rovers with gloss paint over dented panels and I've also been told that filler will not stick to aluminium (I'm sure with the right prep it will).
I've also seen Land Rovers with perfectly straight, undented panels but I'm not sure if this was because they had been looked after in earlier life, because someone had done a brilliant job of straightening them or the panels came from a collection of donor cars.

It's one of those jobs where you need to invest in the tools to do the job and then practice a lot until you get it right (or alternatively hunt down better panels). If you employed someone to do the panel beating you would quickly spend more that the car is worth.

It seems that to do the job properly you need to be able to anneal the aluminium so I need to justify gas bottle rental to SWMBO, luckily I already have a torch & gauges.

Colin

**clubagreenie** · 22nd October 2012, 07:38 AM

There's some new fillers out that will go straight over the paintwork. Amazing stuff, easy to work too, doesn't clump up as it goes off as much so you can work it longer.

**gromit** · 22nd October 2012, 05:02 PM

Just remembered, Chazza ran through the panel beating of a cab roof.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-ii-...g-2a-roof.html

Colin

**isuzurover** · 22nd October 2012, 05:54 PM

Yes I have successfully panel beaten LR panels.

Originally Posted by gromit

... I've also been told that filler will not stick to aluminium (I'm sure with the right prep it will).
...

These are probably the same people who say paint won't stick to gal or ally???

I built my IIA in 1993-1995. It had been heavily rolled by the PO, and I did not replace any panels except the roof and the cappings. All the filler is still stuck on as well as when I applied it.

IRC there is an "etching" bog available, however standard filler is fine, just make sure you go over the area with a coarse disc before applying the bog, to remove any oxide layer.

As described on the previous page, Oxy and a wet rag/sponge is vital to shrink any areas that have stretched during panel beating.

On mine, the rear tub was a mess (both sides bent in like a V due to being rolled with the canvas hoops fitted). I was forced to press the sides out with a porta-power, then cut along each crease, and re-weld with a MIG while holding everything in place with a porta power. I should have replaced the rear tub, but I had a more time than $$$ back then, and it was certainly a learning experience. Some of the welds have since cracked, but that was more to do with carting 1.5T loads of firewood...

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