straightening stainless trim

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

straightening stainless trim

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

Can you post some pics? The worst part would be that you would've stretched the metal too much, a very common mistake.
It all depends on where the dents are, and the contour you are working with.

-- Edited by Gazoo on Saturday 22nd of February 2014 09:49:52 PM

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

Almost impossible to get a good pic...

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

Is this the trunk section you are talking about?
rides.hotrod.com/ride/1001655/pontiac/1952/pontiac/chieftain/photos/2.html,
I'll be more then happy to fix it for you, taken it hasn't been stretched too far.

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

Is that the big strip that ran in on the center of the trunk lid

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

Yep. That's the strip from the middle of the trunk.

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

I'm dying to try and fix it myself but I know if I tried it would look like I did it. I just might take you up on the fix it offer. How do I know if it's been stretched to much?

dualquadpete · BLACKSTOCK, ONT

I've seen this done by putting the piece in a tub of sand & then make up a "hardwood" tool close to the shape of stainless, then gently tap the pc. from back side, "face down" in sand as not to damage or stretch the metal????

toomuchjunk · S/W ONTARIO

JohnnyBgood wrote:
I'm dying to try and fix it myself but I know if I tried it would look like I did it. I just might take you up on the fix it offer. How do I know if it's been stretched to much?

If I were you I would take it to Gazoo and learn by watching. If you make it worse then it is you won't be happy with your self. it is a rare piece.

IMO

TMJ

johnod · SOUTHERN ONTARIO

If you're so inclined heres some good info.

forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php

forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php

-- Edited by johnod on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 12:51:45 PM

JPB · AYLMER, ONT

johnod wrote:
If you're so inclined heres some good info.

forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php

forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php

-- Edited by johnod on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 12:51:45 PM

Thanks for the links johnod.I have some trim for my Canso that needs the dents taken out and straightened. Thanks!

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

Yeah I think I'm going to get help with this. Tried a piece of extra stuff I had. Was not impressed with my results. You need some skills for sure.

Ragtop · BELLE RIVER, ONT

A professional is always your best bet and it's good to know we have someone on the board who can do this type of work. However, if you want to attempt it I've had good results with the wooden block methd mentioned using a body hammer and I've also made a tool out of long nose vice grips by welding a little bump on one jaw and even a very small depression in the opposite jaw to push tiny dents out, then finishing them with a fine tooth file and increasingly finer sandpaper. Good luck

Gazoo, can you do tiny dents in the doubled over edge of some old hubcaps? My friend has some cool aftermarket (Lyons) caps on his car but these dents are tough to repair.

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

Ragtop wrote:
A professional is always your best bet and it's good to know we have someone on the board who can do this type of work. However, if you want to attempt it I've had good results with the wooden block methd mentioned using a body hammer and I've also made a tool out of long nose vice grips by welding a little bump on one jaw and even a very small depression in the opposite jaw to push tiny dents out, then finishing them with a fine tooth file and increasingly finer sandpaper. Good luck

Gazoo, can you do tiny dents in the doubled over edge of some old hubcaps? My friend has some cool aftermarket (Lyons) caps on his car but these dents are tough to repair.

"Professional" not. Basically all I use are the same methods as above, I use hard wood, hard plastics (toothbrush handles), etc...

I work in a machine shop, I have access of basically unlimited forms. Therefore, if I need to form a 3/8" radius, I get myself a piece of T7 aluminum and a ballnose endmill and cut a groove down the block, this would be my bottom piece, to rest the part that needs to be repaired in.

The most important part, is to have something supporting/backing directly behind the area you will be trying to tap out, otherwise you stand a much larger chance of stretching the material.

You can't rush this, it's sometimes very tedious process, 20 small taps generally work better then 1 big one.

As far as the hubcaps...I had an old Plymouth hubcap, that had some decent dents in it...I was only keeping it for a wall hanger...so I decided to try to fix it a bit.

But because it's a two piece, and the inner part of the hubcap is rather thick material, and the outer skin is very thin and brittle, kinda like shim stock.

When I started working away at it, the two layers simply wanted to separate. The outer layer is so thin that if it's dented, the material is stretched, and there is not enough meat there to bring it back. What also happens is that rust then forms between the two layers, and it makes it even more difficult to repair.

Ratmotor · PARRY SOUND, ONT

If you know of anyone wishing to get into the stainless trim business I have hundreds of pieces of vintage trim I would like to sell in a lot.Most was marked as to what it came off of....

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

We'll I said I would get someone to do this because I would screw it up and I had a very good offer from Gazzo but....I just had to try. I blame it on the weather..as in weather or not if I could do this. So here are some pics. Front side (2nd pic) looks good but I have to get some really fine sand paper and figure out how to buff it shinny again. First pic is the back side . Ever one of those little marks are a hit from a hammer or anything else I could find that would get the shape back. You guys got me this far now what??? How do we buff these up? Need a machine or wheel or something. Any ideas?

-- Edited by JohnnyBgood on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 12:12:06 PM

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

I was just about to send you a PM, so we could try and meet on Saturday.
Good on you for giving it a shot, it looks good.

Some of the scratches look a bit deep still. I'd go over them with 400 grit emery and a touch of water.

I use clay brick for buffing, use "super white" brick for stainless. I also use a liquid compound.
And yes a buffing wheel on a grinder works good.

-- Edited by Gazoo on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 12:19:56 PM

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

What in the world is clay brick. I'm hopping your not telling me to get a real brick???

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

The stuff you load your buffing wheel with white red green ..... each mabe for a different finish

Looks great by the way.

-- Edited by slim on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 12:32:03 PM

Gazoo · BADEN, ONT

Canadian distributor for Eastwood, hawkesauto.com/.
Tip; Use a different wheel for each compound.

-- Edited by Gazoo on Wednesday 5th of March 2014 12:39:59 PM

toomuchjunk · S/W ONTARIO

Johnnybgood
Wow nice job I am impressed!!!!!
Tmj
There is the guy that usually goes to Ancaster that sells the supplies if that helps.

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

Thax guys...I gotta lead on a buffer and supplies. Going to see it next week.hope it's as good as the guy says it is.......

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

you will find out soon enough why most chrome shops don't buff anymore smile

JohnnyBgood · ST CATHARINES, ONT

Picked this up today. Got some polishing bricks too. The tool that cleans the pad looks like a mid-evil torcher tool. Got a box of little polishing pads too. Paid $100 for all. When I get back from BC in going to have a go at it....wish me luck. I hear you can make a real mess of trim if the wheel grabs it and tears it out of your hands......

-- Edited by JohnnyBgood on Tuesday 1st of April 2014 01:44:35 PM

-- Edited by JohnnyBgood on Tuesday 1st of April 2014 01:45:44 PM

Rochie · LONDON, ONT

PLEASE…WEAR THE THICKEST GLOVES YOU HAVE!!!!!

If the stainless gets caught up in the wheel not only will you go looking for a new piece, but a trip to the emergency ward is not out of the question. Be very careful to follow the length of the piece and really be careful around the edges and ends. My buddy has a 5hp polisher in his shop and crap can happen in the half blink of an eye.
Don't ask me how I know