Floor panel swaging

[malcolm]

New floor panels don't seem to be available for my Renault any more. The floor is about 2m square, 0.8 thick and has a lot of swaging.

Just wondering if anyone had come across a DIY method of neatly putting swaging into a big flat panel? I have an old chassis I could fill with concrete to use as a template, but am running low on thousand tonne hydraulic presses.

 

[Justme]

You can get small swagers but on a 2m panel I doubt you will be able to get to the middle. You could make a wood template & use a hammer & dolly to form them. Guess you will get loads of distortion. What about taking it to a metal fab shop & getting them to swag it before you shape it. Also sure you can buy pre swaged panels from auto factors.

Justme

 

[lexi]

Would it not be an option to double the thickness and maybe weld in some strengthening. Filling it with concrete.......it would have to be thick or reinforced or would break up with hammering. Maybe you want it to look original? Scaffold tube halfed down the middle? One section under and one over and hammer it........maybe? maybe not.
Alex

 

[Justme]

Try looking at THIS thread. Lots of big pics but well worth it. the stuff they can doo with a hammer & dolly is unreal. The floor pan was hand made.

Justme

 

[lexi]

I get it now.. it`s that fine swaging rather than a profile.

Alex

 

[Justme]

Oh just found this forum too that looks like it could be helpfull

Justme

 

[Lippyp]

Frosts sell swagers/bead rollers like this one. You'll probably have to make the panel in two halves as you're going to struggle to find a machine with a metre throat.

http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail....=Bodywork &frostSubCat=Machines&frostubCatID=

 

[malcolm]

Got me thinking now. The swaging machine idea - a little roller doing a little bit at a time as it goes along sounds like a sensible approach. Though even the really big ones don't seem big enough to do a whole floor though.

I've got a spare steel table with a 1 inch top that's about the right size. Wonder if I could combine that with an I-beam with a swaging roller attached....

 

[Lippyp]

Thats the thing, most only do small panels, that frost one would be enough to do a decent sized floor panel in two parts as obviously you can roll from either side. I'd kill for one as I intend building a hot rod soon. I know of guys in the states who have adapted them to give a deeper throat but you start to get into some pretty hefty engineering to cope with the stresses.

 

[Justme]

Do a google for english wheel. The strength in the frame is unbeleavable. Did soo some one selling the wheels on eBay recently. But its more for curves than channels.

Justme

 

[malcolm]

I've always wanted a wheeling machine for making curved panels. They seem to have a greater reach than swaging machines. Would make sense the swaging machine needs more force, though presumably doing the job in multiple runs would reduce the force needed. The eBay guy has a complete one listed at the moment - could be worth a question.

Body panels for my favourite Renaults are getting to be in short supply too, so maybe I can persuade myself.

 

[malcolm]

Try looking at THIS thread. Lots of big pics but well worth it. the stuff they can doo with a hammer & dolly is unreal. The floor pan was hand made.
Justme

How on earth did they manage that so neatly? - un-swaging parts of a continuously swaged panel to make an accurate floor panel. Maybe I should get hold of some bigger hammers!

 

[Masked Marauder]

Flattened it out and shrunk it back with heat?

 

[MG David]

Malcolm, if you have not been there already it might be worth a visit to www.metalmeet.com. There are many threads about English wheels, home made swaging machines and hammer forming. I guess those are your 3 options.

 

[malcolm]

I'd been searching for the wrong thing on there. Seems swaging machines are called beading machines over there.

Some good ideas on that forum.

 

[MG David]

Yes, I find the metal bashing focus on that site complements the welding focus on this site.