Best Way to Bend Thin Trim Pieces

H

Hunter

Well-known member
On thin metal pieces such as the steel top molding trim that goes across the roof (front and back) and the c shaped pieces behind the quarter windows on a special coupe - what is the best way to bend original pieces back into proper shape? The bends I need are slight as they occurred in the process of removing them from various cars.

Does heating them with a propane torch before trying to bend them help? Any other tricks?

Thanks - Hunter
 
Thin sheet metal can easily be bent without heating. If you heat unevenly it can warp and that is a mess. Just do it cold.
 
If you used something like a profile tool to obtain a fairly accurate shape that you want to obtain, you might consider building yourself a "former" out of 3/4" plywood to bend the metal trim pieces. Might work !
 
Hunter,

Forming moldings can be tricky, using home made forming blocks or surfaces is a good method. Materials such as steel or aluminum can be formed without heat but when you do it by hand it is always helpful to have a hot workpiece,

Good luck,
 
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