Roof dents

[Micag]

As I tackle the dents in the roof, I will take photos to share. My plan is to make templates of the areas to be worked, draw a solid model in the program I use (Cobalt)and cnc mill out wood bucks to push behind the dent via a 2x4 held by a cleat screwed to the floor. If a exterior mold is needed I'll make that too.
I'm going to experiment with shrinking the creases using a test piece in my shop. Does anyone have experience trying something similar to this?
Thanks,
Mike

[Aerowood]

I hate to be blunt here, but you are going to spend a whole lot of time with minimal results. Replacement would be my first choice, but in loo of that, and if you are determined to re-contour, remove the panels and use a quality English Wheel with alot of annealing to re-form the panels. I do not think that the results would outweigh the expense of the English Wheel. You could also make a 13 panel segmented cap.

How much aluminum forming skills do you currently have.

I have been doing aluminum work for approx 40 years and I would replace the panels with new or make the segmented panels.

[Micag]

Thank you for your reply. I agree with you and respect your experience, I'm delaying this work until a later day. We popped out some easy ones and made it look a little better, worked some areas with a soft rubber mallet, and called it a day.
I have an english wheel I used to make corners on a copper range hood, I thought it was used for expanding not shrinking.

[Aerowood]

You are correct with the English wheel stretching. The issue is that the aluminum is going to stretch as it is reformed, especially the areas that are kinda folded. So you would have to stretch them to straighten them and then shrink the aluminum back down. The metal will also work harden as it is re formed which would then require annealing to continue.

[mayco]

Thats one cool/beautiful looking range hood!

[perryg114]

Really Cool Steampunk range hood.

I have to agree with Aerowood on either replacing them or taking them off to work out the dents. If you are really good with the English wheel you could start from scratch and make new panels or do the orange peal end caps. I expect you could pull off the orange peal strips. I think the old panels will take more work than starting over.

Perry

[Micag]

After thinking about it, unless you replace the bent panels, any english wheel work or other fixing would rapidly make it difficult to reinstall the panel. At least the panel is constrained while in the roof. I noticed some references to a roller being available, is this for dents?
I have metal spinning rollers that could be modified, might this be similar to Aerowoods roller?
Thanks,
Mike

[perryg114]

You can always match drill if the holes don't line up. Putting washers on the back is also a good idea in case the hole is not perfect or intersects another hole. You are going to have to anneal the heck out of the panels to get the creases out.

Perry

[Micag]

I'm pretty much determined to do them in place, do I use the burn off the sooty acetylene method to anneal? Here's with popping and some mallet work.

[rodsterinfl]

I can only say- wow. Your mallet work did quite a bit. All you can do is try and see if the result is acceptable. If so great, if not get the panels replaced.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by micagadams

Here's with popping and some mallet work.

I would say that is at least a 90% improvement. Nice mallet work!

Dan

[rodsterinfl]

micagadams, you could name her the hammered wonder or alumamallatata!

[reinergirl]

Holy moley, I gotta say that looks great... If you can do that much with a mallet, I'd try a roller and call it quits.... They all have some damage!

[Micag]

Thanks for the compliments. I will post some more pictures when we have done what we could. This is some other mallet work we do.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by micagadams

Thanks for the compliments. I will post some more pictures when we have done what we could. This is some other mallet work we do.

Give your idea a shot.

All you can lose is some time.

You can always replace the panel, if you reach the point of saying "well I at least tried".

Some people love doing what many say "can't be done".

Ask me, I have been there many times, and for that matter, I still am.

GO FOR IT.

Andy

[perryg114]

You can do it all with
Mallets but you need something on top to buck against. You can sand to get dimples out but you will go through the Aclad if that yr used it. Might think about white top coat to hide small dents and cool the trailer.

Perry

[Micag]

Thank you Perry, very good advice.
We are stripping the interior still so we haven't done any more with the dents. Theres so much to become familiar with, the forum is an indispensable source, especially folks like you. I'm confident we will tame the dents, sharp creases on the other hand....

[perryg114]

In lieu of buck you might try of bag of lead shot. Good luck with your dent removal.

Perry