There are loads of different ways to make bits like this and loads of different tools you can use. I have access to a metal folder at work but some times you want to do a repair "there and then" so taking it to work would mean waiting for the end of the weekend, also its good to "offer up" your repairs as your making them so you can spot any mistakes before its too late....... ok, heres how I make my basic repairs using only simple tools I started off with a flat sheet of steel (approx 1.2mm thick size to suit repair being made), I then folded a lip on to 2 edges using a vice and hammer....you'll see this in a bit. So this is what I've got you can see I've scribed a line where my next bend will be and a cut I have made in the bottom flange and this is where it has got to fit using the scribed line as a guide I can now make my next bend by clamping it into my vice......oh no, the first lip I made is getting in the way....I cant clamp it in - dont worry heres how to get round that problem. To compensate I have clamped a bit of wood in the vice to hold the jaws open enough to avoid the lip whilst keeping the metal secure clamped up I can start to bend using a combination of pushing at the top with my hand and tapping the lower bit over with a hammer.... to tighten up the bend you can hammer it down against the vice along the bend you have just made and this is what we've got now...... checking it up to the bus.. oops....sticks out a bit much :-[ its ok I can flatten it out slightly to re bend. You can use your vice to help flatten it back out by claming and squeezing like this... and this bit by bit, I didnt want to compleatly flatten it back out as I would have probably ended up with a nasty crease, ok clamped up again and re bend, much better (you can probably get away with flattening out the metal after bending in the wrong place about 2 times before the metal will start to be damaged) next using a template I made to match the shape of the post I could mark where I want the next bend double check by measuring if its all ok the scribe a line for bending
.......ok so I've marked the next line.......but dont go bending yet!!!!! the mark I have made is the measurement between the outside edges, if I bend along this line then the repair will be wider than I want by approx 1.2mm (thickness of the metal)....so I scribe another parallel line about 1.2mm in from the first line and clamp it in my vice to the new line then start to bend as before using hand pressure and hammer at the same time, obviously I cant photograph my self doing both as I'd have no hands for the camera...but just so you know what I mean....... and heres what we've got now......... checking using the template its held in by friction so I know its not too small and not too wide, next using the template I mark for the next bend and double check with a ruler cut a slit and scribe the line, this line is fine to bend along as Im folding the metal in on its self
ok, so I've clamped it in the vice but theres a problem. The metal has to be bent towards me (the front of the vice) but doing this will cause the lips at the bottom to collide with each other as I bend the metal.... Its ok I dont need a lip on the last bit so out of the vice and chop that bit off, I then decided to transfere my bend line to the other side of the metal so I could turn it around in my vice and bend it away from me which will be easier. It is obviously going to be tricky to bend this last bit.....so, I use a combination of bending a bit by hand and also by using a bit of wood which I hold against the metal and hit the other end using a hammer......like this....... not easy but it is achievable with a bit of patience. I can then rotate the repair bit in my vice to finish off tidying it this is what we've ended up with and holding it in place not sure if you can see in that photo but the repair bit is not sitting comfortably over the rear post............thats fine, it would mean you have made it too wide if it can sit over the top. next I have to trim it down and then I will really be able to see if all that work has paid off so trimming away little by little I can get it fitting the hole not bad even if I say so my self Hope this has been of some help
Excellent post mate - a good guide there - now carry on to the rest of the van please!! Curved roof panel next - heheheheee : (In the past I have used edges of house brick with a similar result to yours - hehhee no kidding the result was'nt as nice but still solid after 20 years!!
