Hello
anyone a guru on heat shrinking panels. I have a panel that has been stretched slightly.
you know when you can push the panel and it makes a noise as it locks into position but then you can push it back the other way.
How can this stretched panel be fixed.
my plans are to go to bunnings and get a butane torch heat up a small spot until chery red then cool with a wet rag.
then continue this process until the section shrinks enough.
will this work, i dont want to F*ck it up.
cheers
Heat Shrinking panels
Started by
_the gts_
, Oct 15 2008 11:10 PM
8 replies to this topic
#2
V-SLR5000-P
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 05:47 AM
Heat shrinking is reasonably simple, but l'd recommend some practice before you get stuck into a valuable panel. The idea is to identify the high spot and apply heat (red spot no bigger than a 5 cent) then with a hammer and dolly tap the high down. Then a wet rag is applied to cool the panel. Your problem may take several shrinks in differnt spots to bring down. It may be safer to look into a shrinking disc from a panel beating supplier. This disc is run broadly over the panel and will heat the high spots to achieve the same effect as a torch.
#3
_Pete_
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 10:25 AM
If the panel still has an "Oil Can" problem where it pops in and out with a touch of a finger that needs to be addressed first before any heat shrinking should be done.
If you want to post up a pic of the damaged panel for us to see that would be beneficial in helping you out with a starting point.
Where the panel is oil canning you will probably find the cause of the problem will be on the outer edges of this area not being in the correct orientation. I would start by bumping the oil can so its in the "out" position and then you should find a low or high area on the outer part of the oil-can area that needs to be either brought up or tapped down. Once you unlock the damaged area and are left with a consistent high you can effectively bring down the whole panel by either using a heat shrink with an Oxy set-up or by using a Shrinking disc like V-SLR50000-P mentioned. I think you'll find a butane torch won't get the steel cherry red like it needs to be, particularly on an older car panel although they do work well on raising small hail dents on new cars!!.
Good luck!!
If you want to post up a pic of the damaged panel for us to see that would be beneficial in helping you out with a starting point.
Where the panel is oil canning you will probably find the cause of the problem will be on the outer edges of this area not being in the correct orientation. I would start by bumping the oil can so its in the "out" position and then you should find a low or high area on the outer part of the oil-can area that needs to be either brought up or tapped down. Once you unlock the damaged area and are left with a consistent high you can effectively bring down the whole panel by either using a heat shrink with an Oxy set-up or by using a Shrinking disc like V-SLR50000-P mentioned. I think you'll find a butane torch won't get the steel cherry red like it needs to be, particularly on an older car panel although they do work well on raising small hail dents on new cars!!.
Good luck!!
#4
_the gts_
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Posted 16 October 2008 - 01:03 PM
Thanks fellas.
Yes it is the old oil can problem. 1 section is where the sl/r badge used to be on the boot area, i will take pics to post up.
the other section is on a panel i fabricated to cover the coil overs in the boot. i will try to take a pic of that too but it may be difficult.
Yes it is the old oil can problem. 1 section is where the sl/r badge used to be on the boot area, i will take pics to post up.
the other section is on a panel i fabricated to cover the coil overs in the boot. i will try to take a pic of that too but it may be difficult.
#5
_the gts_
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Posted 17 October 2008 - 11:22 PM
If i can work out how to post pics they will be below
this is the stretched section where the SLR badge used to go
THis is pic 1 of the panel that needs to be shrunk, the big rusty panel. dont worry the rust has been treated and will be blasted
the same but from underneath
this is the stretched section where the SLR badge used to go
THis is pic 1 of the panel that needs to be shrunk, the big rusty panel. dont worry the rust has been treated and will be blasted
the same but from underneath
#6
enderwigginau
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Posted 18 October 2008 - 09:17 AM
That rear panel will be very difficult for you to fix if you haven't done a lot of this before. Lots of high/lows over a reasonable area, and it comes right up to the taillight fold.
Section it out and replace.
Or fly Pete over for the weekend!
Grant..
Section it out and replace.
Or fly Pete over for the weekend!
Grant..
#7
_the gts_
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Posted 18 October 2008 - 05:38 PM
HMMM! flying pete over.
probably about the same cost as a panel beater here too!
Might leave them panels for the panel beater.
I have not done a lot of panel work but do understand the principal behind shrinking steel as we often do that to remove bearings at work.
probably about the same cost as a panel beater here too!
Might leave them panels for the panel beater.
I have not done a lot of panel work but do understand the principal behind shrinking steel as we often do that to remove bearings at work.
#8
_lx-304_
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Posted 19 October 2008 - 07:14 AM
the trouble with that rear panel is it is curved both ways,across the car and vertically,so it will not be straight anyway and will appear to have a wobble in it.i would leave that to the beater,or replace the whole thing.depending on how the channel is and under the channel for the rubber.if it is all rusty,then i would look at replacing the whole rear panel,with an moletsed one.with it being one of the first places people see when following you,you want it straght,and know amount of shrinking and hammering will get that to a bogless repair.
#9
_Pete_
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Posted 20 October 2008 - 08:03 PM
I think this is still very repairable, you will definately need a lot more hammer work before trying to do any shrinking, if you did try and shrink it now I think you would make it worse.
I'd start by making sure you have complete access to the back of this panel, I know some LH/LX's have pretty good access to this part but some others only have round holes. If you need to gain access I would be cutting out the inner so you can get a dolly on the back of this and then rewelding it back into place later.
I'm guessing there once were badge holes there that have been welded up? this will have caused some of the problem to start with if they haven't been hammered up properly.
To repair it, I would start by bumping it into the outer position like it is in the photo, and then hammer up the lows that are surrounding the high spot (you can see in the pic to the upper right corner and surrounding the high spot) to try and unlock the springiness of the panel, then I would be trying to planish out the wrinkles and knock down the highs and bring up the lows so you have a consistent surface (don't be too concerned if it still is consistenly high ie. it looks pregnant)
Once you have a consistent surface and the oil can has been unlocked then I would start shrinking, if you use a heat shrink with an oxy torch I would start with small shrinks so it doesnt get away on ya. You need to get the steel cherry red about the size of a 5-10cent piece as quickly as possible then using a dolly thats crown is slightly lower than your panels current crown you then hammer lightly around the edge of the heated area in a circular pattern then quench with a wet rag or compressed air or let it air cool. Which ever way you decide to cool it is up to you as it will end up the same no matter what, a wet rag is the fastest method.
Alternatively you can buy a shrinking disc, they're a little hard to get a hold of at the moment but from what I've seen they're cheap compared to an oxy set-up. They work by creating heat using friction and then you cool it using a wet rag etc. It definately seems a lot more controlled way to bring an entire panel down than using a heap of heat shrinks. I'm waiting for the bloke I know of that sells them to get them back in stock so I can buy one and give it a crack myself.
Good luck with it, from all the work you've done so far I would hazard a guess and say it's not beyond ya thats for sure.
I'd start by making sure you have complete access to the back of this panel, I know some LH/LX's have pretty good access to this part but some others only have round holes. If you need to gain access I would be cutting out the inner so you can get a dolly on the back of this and then rewelding it back into place later.
I'm guessing there once were badge holes there that have been welded up? this will have caused some of the problem to start with if they haven't been hammered up properly.
To repair it, I would start by bumping it into the outer position like it is in the photo, and then hammer up the lows that are surrounding the high spot (you can see in the pic to the upper right corner and surrounding the high spot) to try and unlock the springiness of the panel, then I would be trying to planish out the wrinkles and knock down the highs and bring up the lows so you have a consistent surface (don't be too concerned if it still is consistenly high ie. it looks pregnant)
Once you have a consistent surface and the oil can has been unlocked then I would start shrinking, if you use a heat shrink with an oxy torch I would start with small shrinks so it doesnt get away on ya. You need to get the steel cherry red about the size of a 5-10cent piece as quickly as possible then using a dolly thats crown is slightly lower than your panels current crown you then hammer lightly around the edge of the heated area in a circular pattern then quench with a wet rag or compressed air or let it air cool. Which ever way you decide to cool it is up to you as it will end up the same no matter what, a wet rag is the fastest method.
Alternatively you can buy a shrinking disc, they're a little hard to get a hold of at the moment but from what I've seen they're cheap compared to an oxy set-up. They work by creating heat using friction and then you cool it using a wet rag etc. It definately seems a lot more controlled way to bring an entire panel down than using a heap of heat shrinks. I'm waiting for the bloke I know of that sells them to get them back in stock so I can buy one and give it a crack myself.
Good luck with it, from all the work you've done so far I would hazard a guess and say it's not beyond ya thats for sure.
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