How To Achieve Perfect Welds on Sheet Metal - Manual Perfect Panel PrepTool from Eastwood

How to prep panels to achieve the perfect butt weld, using Eastwood's Perfect Panel Prep Tool.
LINK BUY YOURS: www.eastwood.com/manual-perfect-panel-prep-tool.html?Manual%20Perfect%20Panel%20Prep%20Tool&
Eastwood Manual Perfect Panel Prep Tool
Item #21130 Brand: Eastwood
★★★★★
The Eastwood Weld Prep Tool is an exclusive design that provides a perfectly beveled 45° weld-prepped edge in 20 or 18 Gauge sheet metal to achieve solid, full-penetration MIG or TIG butt welds.
Details
The Eastwood Weld Prep Tool is an exclusive, patent pending, design provides a perfectly beveled 45° weld-prepped edge in 20 or 18 Gauge sheet metal to achieve solid, full-penetration MIG or TIG butt welds.
Each strike forms a perfect 0.062” x 45° beveled flange
Works great in 22 to 18 gauge
Proper weld-prepped edges allow strong, flush, crack-free welds in sheet metal
A must for the beginning welder and professional like. Minimizes blow through and warpage when joining panels. Great for patch panels of full quarter panel replacement. Simply cut patch or full panel. Overlay panel over repair area, scribe and cut panel on vehicle and use the Pneumatic Weld-Prep tool to create the “perfect weld edge”. The formed edge of both panels is now created that will accept the full penetration MIG or TIG bead with almost no post grinding or leveling. Minimizing warpage and crack potential.
For more information on Eastwood products visit www.eastwood.com or stay connected with the team via:
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Blog - www.eastwood.com/blog
Since 1978 Eastwood has been supplying products to the people who want to do the job right. Eastwood offers a complete line of hand tools, welders, plasma cutters & accessories, metal working tools, powder coating supplies, paint and paint guns, specialty paints and hard to find products, all for the DIY-er. Eastwood has all the tools and supplies you need to restore your car, truck or motorcycle.

[@arguingwithstupidpeople2047]

With butt welding, you have to grind away 90% of your weld bead. This tool eliminates that, leaving the junction very strong. I like it!

[@shadowmink888]

YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS WELDING SQUEAKY-CLEAN, SHINY METAL. THIS IS UNREALISTIC.

[@Super73VW]

But that is how metal should be when you are welding it... at least where it is going to be joined.

[@shadowmink888]

REVENUE: SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. I AM FOREVER WELDING ON RUSTY JUNK.

[@obfuscated3090]

Rust is removable. If you are burning 6011 stick rod making farm gates that's one thing, but if there's time to weld sheet metal there's time to clean the area with a flap disc then weld it properly.

[@alwcurlz]

Media blast it, then weld it. Simple.

[@jesseburk6957]

I'm no professional welder, but these welds look cold. If your welds penetrate correctly, you will not be left with a "crack" between the pieces after you grind to blend,especially on thin sheet metal. That said, this is a cool tool.

[@floridaroadracerguy]

Some try to weld with no gap between panels like in the video. It's recommended to have a gap the same thickness as the sheet metal for full penetration with MIG. This tool will save some time grinding I think though.

[@adamtravismeinhardt]

These would help a novice in places were no hammer dolly would be allowed but if you tried you use a dolly to straighten a heat affected weld joint after using these you be up shit creek.

[@revenueretrieving5539]

Jesse Burk thats a low spot, not a crack. you can't necessarily tig weld to cold because it simply won't weld. no puddle will form.

[@Toxedd]

its not a tig weld...mig it is

[@fishhuntadventure]

I'm not convinced this is a cool tool at all. I'm no body man either. But the 'flaw' this tool is supposed to help with is a poor prepped seam that wasn't welded properly. No panel spacing, not enough penetration imho. Both sides of an 18ga butt weld should want a little smoothing after welding. Use this tool, weld improperly, and you still have a problem with "structural integrity" and open edges in the back side to begin rusting.

[@tobygathergood4990]

For body work I butt weld with either a 00 tip on my oxy set up or a Cobra torch. You don't get the hardness of a MiG weld nor does it stand proud like a MiG seam. Less grinding and less fill needed, if I fill at all. Usually lead. I LIKE the tool for flat metal.

[@filibertobarrera3839]

Well if you might weld that poorly yes ur going to have issues,but a full pentration weld melts both metals together ,it actually creates a bead of weld on the other side.So when you grind flush it shouldn't crack.

[@jacobaguilar6756]

Not hating on Eastwood in anyway shape or form i love!!!!!!! Their tools!!! But BUTT WELD CLAMPS should solve needing this. And if your weld doesn't fully penetrate and fuse the whole gap down in you'll have an open air space under your weld

[@McElhinney65]

Leave a 1mm gap between the panels using inter grip clamps, put an Eastwood magnetic copper weld backer on and weld into the gap.

[@MrAjjordan]

I'm sorry if you grinder then sanded no matter how far you went down you shouldn't see a line. In all reality what you have is really a lack of fusion

[@noampitlik2332]

Right.

[@bobords4811]

@@noampitlik2332 p000pp

[@cdnbroncolife1889]

AGREED!... First and foremost. they did not leave the necessary gap required when butt welding sheet metal together. .. NO gap will result in exactly this in my novice experience. that was the first thing anyone taught a guy when butt welding. perfect spacing / gap is key

[@raguspag55]

nice tool

[@steenmortensen6410]

éxcellent idea

[@dman1848]

Butt welds using a mig will always get you a slightly proud weld. No matter how good of a welder you are. Meaning allot of grinding and heat distortion to get flat. Especially on thin gauge steel.I can see how this would help eliminate that problem. Probably not ideal in every case but I think its still pretty neat.

[@a914freak]

I would have like to have seen the other side of that weld. My guess is that weld was just puddled on top of the seam, and if that's the case that's what will happen when you did not use enough heat.

[@AZRN928]

Would love to see the other side of that weld.

[@BisdremisKostas]

do you have any bead roller die set that produces the same effect faster and easier ?

[@kellyappel3015]

Just leave a small gap (1/16") and your weld will penetrate completely through the other side. No problems.

[@nicolec7290]

Nice

[@rexhavoc2982]

If the back side don't matter, use a 1/2 wide strip of back up metal and pour the coal to it.

[@frankc6430]

supposed to leave a small gap between the butts ( maybe more less 1/16th) so melted puddle can grab both sides and not leave those "craters" along the seam... that example was a bad weld on purpose...I done the butt welds with acetylene and still got better than that... but a tool is a tool only if you really needed!

[@tobygathergood4990]

This is why I use a Cobra torch on body metal. Low heat, but it's enough to fuse both panels together without leaving a proud seam. and it can be used on compound curves.

[@blazvignater]

Backing your welds will solve all these problems. Back the weld with either your gas or a plate of brass,copper or aluminum. Steel is easy guys, just clamp some brass,copper or aluminum to the back of the joint. Hit it hot. problem solved.

[@sentradynamics8889]

will this work on 1/2" titanium plate?

[@kremerrak]

Do you have to worry about expansion issues with the seam now being thicker than the surrounding metal?

[@chrisorazio925]

How do I make the rust not come back? Lol...getting a wheel well repaired with new metal and people keep saying the rust will come back. Esp at the weld spot in future because water will somehow get in...really bummed about this because I just got the car smh.. can I Plasti dip over the repair to ensure no water ever comes into contact with the weld repair again? Lol. Best options to make sure the wheel well doesn't rust again at the weld spot ? Thanks for any replies. Need some optimism lol. Going to be paying $800 for a wheel well repair ( cut out old metal and weld in new )

[@MrFrozenrabbit]

and you align the seams out in the middle of a quarter panel with this bent edge how?

[@gaskinsgarage4192]

Was literally just thinking that this tool isn’t going to be the right fit for precision application where a simple gap would work out way better

[@mindover3]

With that lump on the underside of the panel any attempt to dress out any distortion would be futile. Butt welding with a tig welder can be done so that no grinding is needed and the metal is perfectly ready for metal finishing

[@CosgroveNotts]

I never get metal that clean to weld and it's usually in the most difficult place.

[@PBMS123]

Shouldn't there be a gap between the panels rather than having these butted together? That low spot seems to just come from no penetration from the mig welder, there's a bead being laid on top but the base metal isn't getting pentrated.

[@chriscraft77022]

im buying one

[@W333dm4n]

you tricked me into watching a fucking commercial? are you kidding me.

[@McElhinney65]

This would only work on perfectly flat sheets of steel. If a panel has a crown this tool will distort the shape of the panel.

[@tootsie5052]

A video I saw about welding sheet metal said a good weld will make a little button on the back side of the panels, indicating good penetration of the two panels which will leave no crack after grinding. The welds on this video are surface welds with no penetration.

[@eastwoodco]

These welds fill in the valley, so when the sheet metal is grinded smooth, you still have a thick weld that is strong.

[@daos3300]

Larry Pyne that's correct. if you didn't get penetration you didn't weld properly, and had your marketing department come up with yet another excuse to rip people off

[@ricardoooo1969]

Downside to this tool is that it leaves the backside of the repair panel looking like poop.

[@a914freak]

And if its a fender who cares what it looks like on the other side, because if you had good penetration to begin with the other side should look like a button/spot weld not very pretty in either case.

[@bernardmauge6628]

you need to put a copper backer in the back out of 2mil copper sheet to prevent root contamination. The idiots at Eastwood dont know shit about welding they are just robots programmed to sell tools.

[@zanic07]

I can't be the only one who noticed that he was just tacking the plates together with a MIG welder that wasn't set up correctly. lay correct stringer and you won't have a problem. Also TIG that joint closed and you also won't have that cracking problem. Plus with TIG you can control how "proud" your cover is and still achieve full root fusion.

[@sh1237]

Its a shame it wont work om bended metal:) and i think its cheaper to just learn how to weld...those look cold

[@Dino30ish]

Do you have this in an air version for larger panels ?

[@eastwoodco]

Yes. Here is a Pneumatic version: www.eastwood.com/perfect-panel-prep-tool.html

[@hbmartian]

Your weld cracked because there was no proper heat or time allowance for the pool to fuse the base metal. I do concourse-level bodywork that requires the back of the panel to look as good as the front. I imagine you will see a nice hump from the backside?

[@cristobalroman16]

Does it come with a manual lol

[@aguilayserpiente]

A resistance welder is the correct tool for sheet metal.

[@Thelegend-gt5lb]

Would you take five minutes to make one

[@bernardmauge6628]

not sold on that one. The valley created is too deep, will need to be filled which will create excessive heat an distortion. But I may be wrong. From my experience always use 0.6 mil wire on MIG never bigger, that is the secret.

[@davidhenri2722]

Ahhhh......nope. Great for a flat panel but pretty much every panel has a "curve" and using this tool and bending the metal against the curve will stretch the metal and will result in more work. The weld on the front should almost look like the rear on a butt weld. When it does then you can grind away to get your shape. Doing it right now and I have never had an issue with "cracking" that you claim.

[@FrustratedBaboon]

Gimmicks to make money.

[@FrustratedBaboon]

Jesse Burk below makes a valid point !!! " Jesse Burk Jesse Burk 1 year ago (edited) I'm no professional welder, but these welds look cold. If your welds penetrate correctly, you will not be left with a "crack" between the pieces after you grind to blend,especially on thin sheet metal. That said, this is a cool tool. "

[@djstatyk1540]

I'm disappointed in the comment section. All i see are know-it-alls who apparently came to a video to belittle the product. Well, i believe those would be the same autobody Managers who discourage their customers from getting a job done because "It's not worth it". In the end, i'm glad these old timers are lazy, it gives the Hungry young guns the chance to rise up. Until of course, i too am the tired Pro hoagie welder. You know the saying "If you want something done right, ya gotta do it yourself"? I became GOOD friends with that saying. Whenever i went to get a quote, they always told me the labor would be more than the cars worth. What they fail to realize is: A. I Had the Money B. It's worth it to me and there is No C, i already made my point. The Legacy i drive is a rare wagon, and i could just as easily cut out bullshit panels and start fresh. Yeah, some panels have curves, i'll deal with it. Most of my panels are flat anyway, fuck it. If it's a curved panels, there are other ways. I'm tired of people acting like something is so fucking impossible, i swear you people are like the opposite of cavemen. You see success, you immediate hate on it. Why...why is society going backwards..... Ugh. You see custom shit done every day but your simple mind makes you shy away from what you believe is unattainable...That's what holds you back. Stop it. Get out there and get out of your comfort zone. That's why you're bored. That's why you hate everything. Once you start to learn the shit you never knew was possible, the world becomes fresh again. Stop hating, people. STart seeing the positive in every situation. - Statyk

[@OldJoe212]

Is everything on the Eastwood channel a commercial?

[@eastwoodco]

We have hundreds of tutorials, Live demonstrations and instructional videos. We do upload some short promo videos for different audiences to introduce them to these tools.

[@raguspag55]

You have to admit, commercial or not, this tool makes it way easier than just welding bumps and sanding down to metal.

[@markman63]

How about curved panels?

[@eastwoodco]

It works fine on curved panels. Here's a Pneumatic perfect Panel Prep Tool to make it even easier: www.eastwood.com/perfect-panel-prep-tool.html

[@nkcwilliams]

Will this tool work on 18 ga steel?

[@eastwoodco]

Yes it will work on 18 ga steel. We also offer a Pneumatic version that works great. www.eastwood.com/perfect-panel-prep-tool.html

[@urbanpkrider31]

@1:08 I’m sorry, that’s not a hairline crack. That’s where you haven’t fused the underlying metal and had full penetration. Terrible practice to trivialise such a major problem

[@dsilva2012]

the was no penetration to those welds.

[@haffiti2000]

looks like vice grips with a different tip lol

[@MrTheHillfolk]

I pick up old vise grips at garage sales and weld all kinds of stuff to the jaws to use as special tools. Heck, I've cut some "tools" back off and made another tool I'd need when I didn't have any extra vise grips. I'd make these, but I don't need em right now😂 When I do need em, what the heck, I'll buy em and save an hour of fab work.

[@TheRandomDead]

It looks like that because that’s literally what it is lol

[@paul-simonsinclair8424]

Just imagine having this on the back side whee ist exposed to weather..... it will rust within weeks.....

[@eastwoodco]

What is different than a standard butt weld without using the Perfect Panel Prep Tool? The back should still be painted to prevent rust. It would likely rust in both cases if it wasn't painted.

[@paul-simonsinclair8424]

Yes but it is easier to cover with paint without the hassle of trying to penetrate the crack which would soak all of the moisture and because of less ventilation would keep the moisture in for days. And there’s where your rust problem starts

[@eastwoodco]

LINK TO BUY in the video and description above. SUBSCRIBE for future videos!

[@oscarwilliams7686]

Surely a careful touch and a pair of pliers would achieve the same...

[@eastwoodco]

You could try that but I doubt you would get get results. We also offer a Pneumatic version that works great.

[@daos3300]

Oscar Williams exactly right. but eastwood is going to try to sell you more shit regardless, rather than agree with you or admit you're right.

[@cefb8923]

Sure you could achieve the same thing but I'm not going to sit there with normal pliars and try to match the two panels together. Someone said the tool is $22.. Its like 10 more dollars than a pair of vise grips with the shipping included. Jesus you guys are cheap as shit. If you're into automotive restoration and you complain about spending 10 more dollars.. Probably not the best hobby to do to save money.

[@vermontjeff2535]

I think the tool would take way to long to crush 1" at a time . It's a good idea. But build a small power tool ( electric) -( cordless) and then it's a hit

[@rdspeedfab]

They also sell a pneumatic version.

[@jarnosaarinen4583]

Do a butt fusion weld with an oxy acetylene torch! That is if you are a real professional welder?

[@eastwoodco]

Cobra Torch at Eastwood: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpzHhKqvj7eWqrM

[@vhehn]

do you get any warpage that way? lol

[@ironnuts2587]

huh

[@berniceperry8898]

Would be ok if they costed 50 cent or less....

[@petrirantanen4670]

Why to advertise these when they are not available for European customers. Local dealers do not have and Eastwood does not care or send. This is so called Eastwood service. I was ready for experiment and ready for paying the courier costs, but but but ....

[@Hackjob-Extraordinaire]

Shitty weld on 1st example...

[@AfricanSouthernCross]

Perfect....sell your tools instead of showing how to weld....go sell on eBay f ups

[@eastwoodco]

We have more than 50 videos on KZbin that educate people on MIG, TIG and gas welding, from beginner's guide to advanced techniques.

[@revenueretrieving5539]

anyone who thumbs down this video has no welding experience

[@aguilayserpiente]

Revenue Retrieving Resistance welding is the correct system for sheet metal.

[@daos3300]

Revenu Retrieving rather the opposite is true - those with any welding experience know how to avoid these basic problems and consequently see right through this cheap shot

[@WolfgangVonRichthofen]

Another "crutch"for the inexperienced.