Shrinking sheet metal / steel with torch

Using a torch to shrink bowed sheet metal / steel on vehicle body. Sorry for the poor narration- my first! Also, if you do this, BE CAREFUL.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• shrinking
• metal
• steel
• torch
• heat

[vf4000]

I've never tried, but the principle is the same. I am sure the base material must be steel, and not aluminum, copper, or other. You WILL have "corn flakes" or oxidized material on the other side of the surface, in this case inside the pipe.

[ke6gwf]

Did you learn the tip about checking for flammable materials in the other side from personal experience?

(I won't admit to learning it that way! ;)

Good video! (including the narration)

Now to go try this on 3/16" sheet metal with an inch per foot bubble...

[vf4000]

@ke6gwf Sorry for the VERY late reply! I learned about flammables in the area from an accident I was involved in many years ago. My brother was able to extinguish the fire while I worked at removing the lacquer thinner from under the bench I was working at (the boss set it there!).

[vf4000]

@ke6gwf Sorry for the VERY late reply! I learned about flammables in the area from an accident I was involved in many years ago. My brother was able to extinguish the fire while I worked at removing the lacquer thinner from under the bench I was working at (the boss set it there!).

[sdime59]

Nice video.does the sheet metal stay straight or do you still have to hammer/dolly it?

Or the whole point of shrinking is to make it straight.

The reason I ask is because my old truck bed is warped real bad from some welding.

its smooth(no dents) but you can see the waves of hell on it.

thanks

Seth

[vf4000]

@sdime59 Sorry for the VERY late reply!! The steel is still wavy, but the idea is to shrink it to reduce the waves. In my case, the waves were 6" to 10" wide and I was able to get them down to 2" to 3" wide. Some dolly work was then required, and I finished with some light Bondo.

[vwbeetle1954]

I never knew about this but thanks for the vid know I can fix my vw dashboard

[savage8199]

can this method also be used to shrink metal tubing, or a variation of this?

[scoob316]

@vf4000 , not really, he kept his quench cloth in ice water, and used a slightly less aggressive flame but heated the steel to same colour, just between orange and red (more heat on the highs) then quench with ice cold cloth, you dont see ppl using these old school tricks much these days, its good to see its not a dead art!