TheSamba.com :: View topic - "Best" Manual Panel Flanger Tool for welds?

Wed Jun 11, 2025 11:25 am

Hey all,

I am looking for a panel flanger, I am no longer running air tools, I am looking at Eastwoods panel flanger, and these other two off brands. Curious if anyone has had any luck with a specific brand, AND budget friendly. Im using this tool for one weekend so would rather not spend a premium. And I think Eastwood makes one than a little wider of a flange. I tried a few brands when I had an air compressor for my now long and gone Chevelle rear quarters prior to selling it, they were all mediocre, name brand and Harbor Freight, those were air.

Option 1
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234401734792?_skw=Eastwoo...BM4KS3g-xl

Option 2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166152891234?_skw=Eastwoo...R-akt4PsZQ

Option 3
https://www.ebay.com/itm/232894692415

:?: 8) :D

Thu Jun 12, 2025 7:44 am

Why not butt weld the panel? It won't cost anything but some time & patience.

Thu Jun 12, 2025 2:36 pm

Nacho_74 wrote: Why not butt weld the panel? It won't cost anything but some time & patience.

It's alot of welding thats going to be seen, I am a good welder, but it would require extremely precise cutting for a conversion. Flange would be best for me .

Fri Jun 13, 2025 12:52 pm

Any takers on manual flange tools? Maybe not the most exciting topic... :P

Fri Jun 13, 2025 5:45 pm

SolarPoweredPickles wrote: Nacho_74 wrote: Why not butt weld the panel? It won't cost anything but some time & patience.

It's alot of welding thats going to be seen, I am a good welder, but it would require extremely precise cutting for a conversion. Flange would be best for me .

I have read (but have no personal experience) with flanging visible panels is that regardless of now well you weld them and finish them that sometimes the line of the flange appears as a "shadow" in finish painted surfaces.

I think that is why people advocate the use of butt and not flanged welds.

If you only want a good looking car and not a concours or show car then it probably doesn't matter. I have done the butt method on mine and whilst it is labour intensive it can give good results.

Another interesting technique is one by Fitzees Fabrication. He shows the method of overlapping the two pieces of metal and tacking the replacement panel in place in a number of spots. Then he uses a narrow zip cutter and by holding it at a 45 degree angle cuts between two of the tack welds through both the two pieces together and the resultant very well fitted section is then welded and then he just repeats until it is complete.

Looky here on his FB page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u31t13QO6A

Fri Jun 13, 2025 8:09 pm

Very cool method! I have an entire section of interior and exterior metal for 11 window conversion from a panel, so getting it to lay flat like that youtube fella did would not be possible unless I cut the interior metal apart, then welded it back together, I'll stare at it for a while until I find the best approach, that's a cool link I appreciate it!

I may consider a butt weld, angle cuts, and just measure measure measure, then cut, then start tack welding into place. My sections Im grafting in are pretty big, so its a bit of an extra challenge.