HF Air Flanger

[kaycee]

In need of a flanger and thought I would try the Harbor Freight special what a mistake . The side that punches holes works great but the flange side don't give near enough step depth. I went over the scrap piece several times to try and get the pieces to lay flat. Looking in eastwood ,ebay and amazon they all look the same just branded different.I know all about the trap moisture and rust issue with flanging but this is will work in my app. so just needing advice on a tool that you found that works .Is it worth the extra $20 for these other brands are they any better???

[MP&C]

If it's only a $20 difference in price, my gut feel is it's the same stuff in a different wrapper, HF just gets a better volume discount. Who was the other vendor?

If you have to do this repair with a stepped flange, and have a bit more money to spend, buy some stepped dies and a bead roller. The fabrication you can do with a bead roller is virtually endless where the flanging tool is limited in application.

[kaycee]

I have looked at about everyone on the net auto body toolmart ,sumitt etc. etc. Don't have a lot of money and I live in the middle of nowhere so kind of a special tool most stores have to order it anyways.

[MP&C]

....and I wouldn't be my anal retentive self if I didn't say something about butt welds being a better solution..


Look at where most of the rust occurs on any vintage car or truck, it's the lapped seams and pinch welds that were used primarily to speed up the assembly process. So anytime you can do a butt weld you will be ahead of the game. I've even removed some pinch welds that did have rust issues on the flanges and butt welded to prevent a re-occurrence.

There. Glad I got that off my chest..