wire edging a panel

After much seaching, I still do not know what type of wire to use to edge the panels I am making.

I am building a 20ga steel body withe 1/8" wire in the edges.

Any wire will probably work. I just want to know what you have used and how it worked. Also, do I use welding wire in 3' pieces and butt weld them together?
Several edges are more than 6 feet in length.

Thanks

TFR1

 

I used mild steel 1/8" rod to trim the radius on my wheelwells. It bends and welds easily, and worked great.

 

1977BB427

Thanks for giving me such an obvious answer!

I have been focused on finding 1/8" wire. I had not even considered 1/8" rod.


TFR1

 

1971BB427

Forgive the typo!

 

The tool that is used to bend the metal looks somewhat like an old beer/soda cap remover. A Google or HAMB search should turn up a vedio of how it is done. Bob

 

Here is a wire edging tool I make and sell on Ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321178196866?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

Hey,

Henry used high carbon wire in his fenders to resist flexing.

A tipping wheel in your beading/swage machine makes for a good/clean start for the placement of a wire, in the flange of an edged panel.

" Meanwhyle, back aboard The Tainted Pork "

 

I use the appropriate thickness of fencing wire (normally 1/8"). Its usually zinc coated too ,so it won't rust quickly, is stiff enough to hold whatever shape I bend it to and doesn't cost the earth. just my .02

 

Nice! Some day I'll add one to my tool collection. Bob

 

X2 on this. Galvanized fencing wire comes in a few different sizes. I used 3/16 fence wire when I re bodied the 33 Morgan. It had 72 feet of 3/16 wire edge in that body. I got pretty good at wire edging when I was done with that job!!!

 

Don't weld on galvanized anything if you can help it.

 

You don't need to weld the wire.

I also use fencing wire. I don't tip the edge first because there is no need and many panels would be just about impossible to pick up and feed into a jenny (bead roller). I show a little of how I do it on my youtube footage.

Here is a '33 fender that I made and wire edged. Too big to feed through a bead roller, for me anyway.




David

 

Tim,

My project is a 1927 Morgan Aero.
I intended to use 1/8" wire, but pictures of your morgan project with 3/16" looks great.

TFR1

 

The original panels all had 3/16 wire in them. The only 1/8 wire on the 33 is in the openings on the hood. I had the luxury of having what was left of an original body to get all my info from! I think they used 3/16 to keep rigidity in the long one piece side panels. I'm still trying to figure out why they made them that way. They were a PITA!!!

 

Thanks Tim

Where do you source the wire?

 

Any fence supply or maybe Home Depot or Lowes. It's very common!
Nice looking start you have there! Keep us posted as you go!

 

After finishing your wire edge, squeegee in some structural adhesive for steel and fill all voids to prevent rust. Finish with a good sanding and you will never know it is there.

It is available at body shop supply stores for bonding steel to fiberglass.

 

^^^ you could do that..or run fishoiline in around the edge.

 

I have a new Metalshaper god to worship.

Tim @ Irrational Metalworks provided the advice and support I needed at this point in my project.

Thanks again

I have decided to take his advice, back up a step and redo some things.

As I regroup, thought it might be of interest to look at where I started, and where I am trying to go.

I am going to start a thread describing my 1927 Morgan Three Wheel Car build.

TFR1