Technical thickest steel sheet with a panel beater bag?

I'm getting ready to beat some steel into submission to make a transmission tunnel - I don't own an English wheel or a planetching hammer, so all I have is a panel beater bag, a couple of mallets and various body dollies and body hammers.

What's the thickest steel sheet you've successfully panel beat and how nice were the results?

 

1/8

 

It’s gonna move no matter how thick. Depends on the size of hammer.
How thick does a floor need to be?
Most are 19 gauge from the factory
I usually use 18 gauge. That can be shaped with mallets easily.
The thickest I’ve hand shaped is 16.
That seems overkill for a floor

 

Will the tunnel be exposed, or covered with carpet? If covered with carpet you could use a sheet metal brake and make a series of small brakes and form the tunnel. Heck, I suppose you could then metal work it round afterwards as well.

 

We were taught in panelbeating school if you don't have access to the fancy gear , use what's around. In place of a wheel or a bag use a ball peine hammer and a wooden chopping block. Lay your piece on the top of the block and use the dome of the hammer to stretch the metal into a curve. Planish as required.

 

Sounds like a fun project...

 

Acetylene bottle cap welded to a bench + body hammer = planishing hammer

 

18 would be good for that.

 

I think it may really depend on how big your biceps are...LOL!

 

What if you don't have a welder?

 

I really don't want to pound out thicker than 18. As you shape it, it becomes harder......and harder, if it's standard cold rolled sheet metal. You can get some that is AK (aluminum killed) that will shape easier but you can definitely do a tunnel in 18. It would be even easier if you found someone nearby with a slip roll.

 

Use the acetylene and gas weld it
Or just friction weld it by turning it real fast

 

Thanks...I beat on some 18ga after I read your message, it's shaped surprisingly easy using an Eastwood panel beating mallet.
I have a bunch of 18ga in my garage, so I'm go with it.
Thanks for everyone's input! I especially like the acetylene bottle cap plannishing Hammer idea

 

If you need to shrink the edges, look up how to “tuck shrink”
It works

 

Yup, have two, one big, one small. Bar stock on the bottom, so they can go in the vise.

 

When using the combination of hat-channel and rolled beads, I will use 20ga.

Otherwise, 18ga is maximum.

 

Maybe if aluminum.

 

You shouldn't need much if any stretching for a trans tunnel which is what beater bags do. They are mostly just a couple of cone shapes that can be rolled around almost anything by hand.

 

I usually use 16 ga of floors, sometimes 18. Depends on how much bead rolling I can do. But the shape of the trans and driveshaft tunnels are so strong inherently, that 18 ga. is more than strong enough. And easy to shape on the bag.

 

Henry used wood from transmission crates...

 

Mailbox post, lally column, fire extinguisher, bending over your thigh, a log, stubborn friend's head, etc. I have used 4 of 6 mentioned... hahaha.

 

5 gal solvent can for the big side, welding gas bottle for the small side. The part will have long "tails" which can be broke up for flanges then trimmed as needed. Make it big enough to give leverage for the wrap around. As said above, a pal with a slip roll is the ultimate choice. Thickness? I never have adjusted to gage, but .040/.045 is plenty tough enough. That's about the thickness of an early Ford fender. Duesy and Packard fenders are .050/.055 likely due to the sheer size of those monsters. I've done some round tops and flat sides for added room below and extra foot space. I added this to inspire even though I see you came to a conclusion already. You're looking at it, we're imagining. Or you could be a pal and drop a pic or 3...

 

Wood is your friend. There are many threads on stump shaping. Most make their deep tucks on a dished stump, but for me I use the flat part of the stump more, and use it more for finish shaping. Rough forming I do in the bag . Wood grabs the metal so it either forms with no stretch or it shrinks. Even on the flat

 

You must have arms like Popeye dude.

 

this bumper end was hammered out of 1/8 inch steel. My attempt failed. Our more experienced metal guy made it. My mistake was not being patient enough to make a detailed pattern.
I carved a prototype out of foam. Our better metal guy made a detailed pattern. Transferred that to 1/8 plate and cut every detail into the plate and hammered it together.
It was cool watching all the cuts fit together as the metal was shaped.
I metal finished it and built the recess in the car.

 

look up pipe anvil cheap and looks to be very useful with a relatively small foot print

 

How about building a tool for doing that. I can't remember his name, but he does some very instructive videos, on how to do it with pieces of pipe, welded together. It's a name like Zippy, Ziggy, and he is Canadian, I think. Here it is.https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/fitzee-fabrication-how-to-make-a-pipe-anvil.1215712/

 

You Should Check out ProShaper on utube Wray Schelin also listen to Marty Strode!

 

Fitzee

 

I edited my post.