Technical Sheet metal vs. Body panel gauge???

[STRANGERODZ]

Hi, I would like to know if there is a differents in body panel steel and mild steel?? If a car hood is 18ga and a peace of 18ga sheet metal is the same. Way will one have louver punch in it easyer than the other. Is car steel mild, cold rolled or hot roller. Can any one please HELP?? Thanks..

[53sled]

http://www.sheetmetalguy.com/sheet_m...auge_chart.htm

I've read Ford used 19 gauge, so you just use some mild steel 18 and go to town. Most seem to prefer cold rolled, I think there is more slag?crap on the surface of hot rolled.

[1Bad67]

Type of steel, not the thickness, is probably the main difference. I think they use a type that is easier to form for body parts.

[metalfaber]

Cold rolled sheet is what you want, 18, 19 or 20 gauge is best for bodypanels. Cold rolled is rolled and formed cold, hence the name, and it has tighter tolerances and a nicer slag free finish. Hot rolled is rolled while hot, and then ends up with slag on it. If you take a piece of cold rolled and hammer it over in the vice, and take a piece of hot rolled, you will see the crap pop off of the hot rolled.

Use cold rolled for sheetmetal, and you can take your pick on thicker stuff for brackets, frame parts, etc. There are several other options for the thicker material, such as P&O (pickled and oiled) which is basically hotrolled with some things done to it afterwards to improve its appearance.

To sum up for you, a car panel should react the same as cold rolled, unless you get a newer car that has some of the high strength steel in it, but I very well doubt you will, as that is also on in certain structural areas of the cars anyways, and it is new.

Probably more than you wanted to know. LOL

Brian =)

[STRANGERODZ]

THANKS, guy. That's a lot of help..

[65COMET]

I am a retired sheet metal worker and we used 21 gauge cold rolled metal made for forming body panels,much more plyable,on all our custom body panel products. ROY.

[61 chevy]

cold roll is stronger than hot roll when it comes to bending it

[jimvette59]

With out going to it cold rolled is more pliable as per specs.

[Hnstray]

If you are looking for good sheetmetal for forming body panels, 19 ga. AKDQ is the type favored by many pros. The AKDQ is short for "aluminum killed, draw quality". Yes, we're talking steel, not aluminum, that just refers to the mill process and the "draw quality" indicates it's greater stretchability for being drawn into or over dies without tearing. That is, of course, an equally a beneficial quality when hand forming panels.

Ray

[STRANGERODZ]

Lots of good stuff. Thanks