Matt's Metal Working Tips and Tricks - Ford Free-T - Ep. 47

In today's update on the Ford Free-T Matt covers his basic steps for finishing out welds and addressing low spots on the side panels on the T. He talks about hammer and dolly use, the bulls eye pick, hand held planishing hammer, stud gun and slide hammer, and finally his shrinking disc.
Eastwood Hammers and Dollies- www.eastwood.c...
Eastwood Bullseye Picks- www.eastwood.c...
Stud Welder and Slide Hammer- search.eastwoo...
Shrinking Disc- www.wolfesmetal...

[@heathhenderson7217]

Thanks for going over some body working tips and styles. Body work without using filler is the ultimate goal but probably the most daunting task.

[@QuickSpeedShop]

Definitely two thumbs up on leaving Henry's seam intact.

[@IronTrapGarage]

That's my first instinct! -Matt/ITG

[@chuckhawes7519]

Glad to see you use some of these tools. I am old school and have used those tools for years.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks Chuck, nothing better than using old tools and tricks to bring old cars back to life! -Matt/ITG

[@crystalrerick4010]

im a hobbyist currently building a model a pickup and enjoy your informational videos like this. im always seeing new tricks and tool. keep up the good work.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for watching!!! - Mike/ITG

[@justinrigdon6877]

Leave the seam as is. Looking awesome.

[@richardwelcher4836]

My first instinct on the cowl seam is to leave it. You don't want to smooth all of the personality out of it. My opinion may change after the windshield post, but I'm sure you will know what to do. I enjoy your videos, and am jealous of your garage.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for the input Richard, I really don't have an issue with the seam. It's just a slippery slope when you start smoothing seams and such, it takes real restraint to keep it from weighing towards the fiberglass-street rod look. Thanks for watching and commenting! -Matt/ITG

[@Opigoink]

Matt, another great video...nice when you have the tools and skill to use them...

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for watching! -Matt/ITG

[@jeffreylevin1266]

Do what ever makes you happy with the car. It’s your car and everybody’s opinion is just that, an opinion. I like the seem, because as you said, it shows it’s metal and not a kit car. Thanks for the metal working lesson, enjoying the videos!

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks Jeffrey, I just like hearing input from others. In the end I'll make my own decision, but I think it's neat to hear others views on a subject. Thanks for watching! -Matt/ITG

[@Kustom-by-Anton]

Awesome project and man you have inspired me to make my own gastank to my bike! You have learned me a lot! Greeting from Finland 🤘

[@IronTrapGarage]

Awesome! Glad to see we are inspiring you to do metal working, and even cooler to have European fans!! -Mike/ITG

[@Kustom-by-Anton]

@@IronTrapGarage to bad Eastwood dont sent to Finland. And keep on doing videos man!

[@Kustom-by-Anton]

@@IronTrapGarage plz help me! I have made the tank and welded it together. Now the final step hammering it. Your guys learned me about hammer of and hammer on dołly technique. But I'm just quite there! I can give you my Instagram and you can see what problem I have! Hope you answer guys cheer's

[@rogermishler8794]

Great episode! I've always wondered about those shrinking disks and if they actually worked. I remember watching my dad shrink panels back in the day with a torch and quenching it with a wet rag; not sure how kosher it is but he swore by it. It was a production shop back in the 70's, so the level of metal finishing was not exactly Iron Trap grade. ; )

[@IronTrapGarage]

Hey Roger, Yea like a lot of these specialty tools they work if you know what to expect out of them. I've found the shrinking disc works well for me to smooth out all of those real light ripples in a panels, but I do use it from time to time to heat shrink and area and pull an oil can out. It's the same concept as with a torch, but a little more controlled IMO. I tend to wash over the panel a bunch and check it regularly to sneak up on it all rather than with a heat shrink where to get what you get! In the end it's whatever technique works best for you. I use them all! Thanks for watching Roger. -Matt/ITG

[@mikeyt3940]

Great video Matt. You have a lot of skill. Love all your stuff, and have picked up some great tips. Thanks.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for watching!1 -Mike/ITG

[@jeep4752]

It needs the seam, helps break it up some, otherwise it would look like just another molded fibreglass t bucket.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Exactly my thought. It's good to hear my first instinct is probably the right one judging by the comments. Thanks for watching! -Matt/ITG

[@TravelBackroads]

Great work. Thanks for the tips. I was looking at a shrinking disc a couple of years back but I didn't know if it was a snake oil thing. I appreciate your info. I think you should leave the seam. It wouldn't be a repair it would just be a "look" thing that did nothing else. That's more of a street rod type of mod. Do what you like though. You already know what you want I think.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for watching. Yep the shrinking disc is a long debated tool. I just think most people that used them and didn't like them weren't understanding how to use them or expecting too much out of them. You won't pull a caved in panel out with it, but it is nice for final finish work and tightening up a slightly loose/oil canning panel. -Matt/ITG

[@Dave_Boyer]

I have one of those Eastwood mig stud welders, it works pretty good once you get the hang of how to use it. Leave the seam!

[@IronTrapGarage]

Hi Dave, Yea they work great and it's WAY LESS cumbersome to use than the big stud guns, but I am working with some paper thin sheet metal in some areas on this car so I have reverted back to the traditional stud gun for this project. Either works well if you practice! Thanks for watching. -Matt/ITG

[@charlesdyer2376]

Your Dog was trying to figure who in the hell you were talking to LOL !!

[@IronTrapGarage]

Haha that's very common. Camera on or not! LOL! -Matt/ITG

[@robertironside3166]

Great episode Matt. Peeps need to know this sort of thing :-)

[@Ajen1959]

Leave the seam.Let it show it's age. It's earned it!

[@BoxcarsGarage]

Sweet episode Matt. I am looking for a stud gun and that planisher.... And I'm interested in in a planisher gun too. Will look for those at an upcoming swap this weekend Moultre Ga. Three days of scrounging.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Yea both are very handy tools! Stud guns seem to show up at swap meets often! I usually see at least one or two planishers at Hershey every year. Just who gets to them first is all! Thanks for watching. -Matt/ITG

[@chaslittle6521]

Keep seam, and as always amazing work.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Seam has been kept! Thanks for watching Chas! -Matt/ITG

[@waynegilling6048]

I would leave the seam on the sides; not only does it show a steel body it adds some slightly more original touches. Love what you are doing but I question the FREE label. I spent way too many late night hours doing the free stuff to create my ideas. Love the job but..... time is money and yours is certainly worth more than you are giving credit to.KEEP up the great work and love the honesty.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for the tip Wayne they're staying! -Matt/ITG

[@mikeyt3940]

I would leave the seam, it follows up to the top of the door nice. It gives the car a more period look.

[@timothynewkirk2654]

By all means...LEAVE THE SEAM ! Newk from Kentucky

[@jimbridges1436]

Matt: Leave the seam as it is original and neat!

[@fredbarnes3969]

I have a old Sunchaser shrinking disk with the ruffled edge. It is much more dangerous. The edge will cut, I have a 1.5" gash on my knee from the beast. Learned to leave it on the metal until it stops spinning.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Hi Fred, yes those are the ones! I haven't used them but have heard many horror stories about them! This style seems a lot safer! Thanks for watching. -Matt/ITG

[@RedBullMan7]

Great tips! I would leave the original seam

[@larrya.mccloskeysr298]

I TRULY LIKE THE SEAME LEFT IN IT IS STEEL BODY NOT SOME FIBER GLASS KNOOK OFF I WASN'T SURE WHEN YOU DIDN'T PUT THE BEAD AROUND THE DOORS BUT YOU WERE RIGHT ON LOOKS MUCH BETTER KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thank you Larry that is sort of my thinking as well! I know the bead around the doors was a risk, but I think it came out looking pretty "factory" to the untrained eye. Thanks for watching and commenting. -Matt/ITG

[@jodyblackwell9012]

very nice work keep building enjoy

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thank you Jody for watching! -Matt/ITG

[@jodyblackwell9012]

@@IronTrapGarage i do know how to do body work and paint for the last 30 yrs ive painted street rods for some friends we didnt have the tools you use we only had hammer and dollies and we only did it on weekends and did not charge very much since it was to help out the guys that didnt have the bucks for a high dollar body shop . but since i have moved i left all that behind so i dont do it anymore, dont know any of the car guys here .

[@johnmcleod5536]

IronTrap,I just found your site.Very cool.I have a 1924 Cowell and part of an earlier touring car (back half)which I plan to marry. It's 23 gauge. What's the gauge of that bucket.

[@frankhartranft2133]

I like the seam. BTW, Moon is worried about you, carrying on such a long conversation in your shop when there is no one there. In this video you can see it on his face. He hopes you haven't gone around the bend.

[@easttexastramps]

leave the seem... too cool.

[@pgthompson48]

1966 my first bucket body was lost to a garage fire, replaced it with glass, HAD TO mold a seam onto the glass, just didn't look right without it. I think the car wants it.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Dang that stinks! Thanks for watching. -Matt/ITG

[@00swank]

If your jeans dont have seams, you might be wearing yoga pants. Just something to think about.

[@greenmountainsuriving]

I love the original body lines, but that being said brother it's your wallet that's paying the bills on your T bucket so the choice is your's my friend thanks for more awesome content

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks Sean, yea I think everyone is on the same page as my original gut feeling! Thanks for watching Sean. -Matt/ITG

[@robbieautrey3158]

I say leave that seam just like it is, like you said: "IT SCREAMS THAT IT IS THE ORGINIAL BODY"...

[@IronTrapGarage]

Yep you're right! Seam Stays! -Matt/ITG

[@jerrymoore3118]

keep the seams !!!!

[@terrykeithley6183]

Matt, leave the seam. That's how the " Ole Man " built them.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thank you for watching and commenting Terry. -Matt/ITG

[@thomheath2569]

PSA, don't google slapper paddle ;-P Thanks for sharing your knowledge Matt

[@IronTrapGarage]

HAHAHAHA! Yea that might throw up some red flags on a work computer! Thanks for watching Thom! -Matt/ITG

[@836dmar]

Another for leaving the seam. There are enough areas that are welded up and molded in that it needs that touch to wake the viewer up. JMO

[@IronTrapGarage]

Sounds like everyone agrees. Thanks for watching and commenting! -Matt/ITG

[@skeeter2746]

Love these kind of videos! This lil hot rod is going to be bitchin!!!

[@AJvsEverything]

You need to build yourself a coat rack style mobile hammer tree, something you can move around and hang hammers on while working so they're not laying around in the way...

[@IronTrapGarage]

Yea you ain't kidding! I have been meaning to make a rolling stand that holds my anvil and hang hammers around the perimeter. Need to just take a day here and then to do shop upgrades! Thanks for the comment Johnny. -Matt/ITG

[@JohnSmith-sf8gj]

Great video. Unfortunately it seems that more people know what a pneumatic planishing hammer is, and what they fetch for on eBay. I'm sure thousands were junked before the internet came to be! It looks easy enough to fabricate, though.

[@IronTrapGarage]

You're very correct John, I have had to pay a little more at places for them now that tool resellers have figured out their value. Still good deals to be found on these especially when you know what the individual parts alone look like. Found a ramshead planisher part in the Chrysler when cleaning it out even! Thanks for watching. -Matt/ITG

[@EastTxCobb]

Great content as always, keep the seam less work to do.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Thanks for watching Caleb. That is the way I'm leaning. -Matt/ITG

[@IowaMercMan]

I like the original seams too. However, it kinda depends how slick you want this thing to be, once painted. And... even if you clean up those body lines, it will still be a steel original. The guy who asks if it’s fiberglass probably doesn’t know what he’s looking at.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Very true. If I do these cowl seams then I'm going to have to do the rest of the body seams I guess and then it all goes in a downward spiral of OCD haha. Thanks for the input! -Matt/ITG

[@IowaMercMan]

IronTrap Garage yeah man I fell to this on my current build. Lost sight of my original vision and went apeshit making everything perfect. It added years and $$ to my project. It’s cool but I can’t say I’m happier with it.

[@IronTrapGarage]

Yepppp I have been down that road before and sold stuff off unfinished for because it got too crazy. These days I just want something that is decent to look at and fun to drive. I want to build and drive this stuff not win the Ridler! -Matt/ITG

[@davidmurray3426]

Keep the seam

[@IronTrapGarage]

Yep we kept it! Thanks for watching! -Matt/ITG

[@easttexastramps]

btw, the dog seems to be questioning your explanation of the shrinking disc, just sayin'.

[@IronTrapGarage]

I could have gotten much more technical on it, but I wanted to just give a really generic description on how it helps me, I'm by no means a pro or master! . Moon always gives me that look because he wants me to throw the ball for him haha. Thanks for watching. -Matt/ITG

[@darrenv7929]

I’m sure your dog thinks you are nuts. Standing there in the background while your there talking to something on 3legs not talking back to you🤣 oh by the way .. leave the seam there. Keep some of the original character. 👍🏻

[@IronTrapGarage]

Haha I often think that myself. "Humans are weird!" He sometimes thinks someone is there hanging out when I'm talking to the camera and looks around for them. Thanks for watching! -Matt/ITG