Will be re-skinning the doors - what features do I look for in buying panelbeating tools ?

Bearing in mind that this will probaly be the only job they will be used on this car but will probably be needed on the Moke - so don't need professional quality but need to know what are the imortant bits to look for.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

To reskin a door you will need a sander or grinder to go around the edge of the skin to remove it. Then you will need what is called a toe dolly which has a flat side and a curved side and also a planishing hammer. You have the door on its side with skin down and with the dolly flat side up underneath go around the skin and carefully hammer the edge over. Take several passes at this until fully folded over.
And YES it does take experience to get right everytime.
Be patient or take to local panel beater.
Phil

Thanks Phil,

I'm OK with the technique -plenty of 'How to's" on the web - skin is already off the door - Just wondering on quality of tools and if it has a big bearing on the results. eg eBay has tools at $29, $50, $200 and $380 for what all look the same but obviously different in quality.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

I used a set of 30 dollar hammers and dollies over the last three years. The set came from supercrap I bought them for the Sunshine, used them on the LS and then the Cooper.

They worked pretty well, and didn't lose their shape...I still have no idea what some of the shapes provided were for...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I have cheapish hammers and dollys.

My tip to put in, if the surface of the hammer or dolly has surface rust it will texture the metal, wet rub the hammer/dolly and it will be nice and smooth again

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.

If you go to automotive supplier or rare spares they sometimes do complete panel beating tool kits for under $200. I actually have one myself(paid $150 3 dollies, 3 hammers and a body file) for when I'm doing something at home rather than bring my good tools home from work. These are very well made. I think they were GPI
See how you go and good luck.
Phil

The big difference between good and bad hammers is the balance and therefore weight distribution over the length of hammer. Not that you will notice it if you only plannish a panel for say 10 mins but spend a whole day on a hammer and you sure will wish you had bought the best.

Remember you hold a plannishing hammer differently to a builders claw hammer. You also use a wrist action rather than an elbow action that you woulld use with a claw hammer The hold means you dont have quite the control on the head as you would a claw hammer. You need this to achieve the plannished surface which therefore means correct balance is critical . Buy the best you can afford - just buy less of them!!! Try Sykes Pickevant - they are the tradies choice

Dollies - the best have the most consistant changing radius over the surface They are also much nicer to hold than the cheapies Again if you hold one all day this is important
Replacing a door skin - just make sure you dont hold the dolly dead flat against the outer skin - tilt it ever so slightly and hammer down on to the outer edge - take it down bit by bit - not all at once. You will dent the panel if you have it flat - then you will need to apply filler - shame, shame!!!!!
Good luck

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Mk1 Cooper S
Mini K Rally car

I found it best to use a soft face hammer in conjunction with a dolly. Whenever I use the planishing hammer or similar I just stretched the crap out of everything and ended up with little wobble boards everywhere.

If its a cheap set don't be shy to buff the dolly's and the faces of the hammers if they get any nicks in em.

they have there uses but I reckon I used my hand or a bit of wood more often than not.

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I guess thats why panel beaters ( the tru type - not the panel replacers) get paid so much. A lot of your stretching problems relate to how you hold the dolly and the pressure you put on it Also wether you hit on or off the dolly
All good beaters will semi finish with a tinmans or bossing mallet made of wood (synthetics are available) that does reduce and in good hands eliminate the stretching. Also hot shrinking is done with a wooden mallet and only stress relieved with the plannishing hammer. Remember the plannishing hammer is only used to raise or lower metal that is highlighted by filing and thes are very small areas about 10 mm max

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Mk1 Cooper S
Mini K Rally car

You did say you won't be using the tools much so DON'T spend hundreds just to sit on the shelves gathering dust. The cheaper tools would be fine for you.
Just don't buy the really cheap and nasty ones.

I was nearly going to buy a set on eBay - they ended up going for $57.65 with $20 shipping - just before it finished I saw the same thing here - FREE SHIPPING - NowI have a cheap set of panel beating tools

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Ahhhh, they're the same set I have here....

Free postage? They're heavy buggers....their loss, Oz Post's gain

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Let us know how they are.......while there's free postage!

Thanks........

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Cooper S Mk2
Cooper S Mk1
ex Cooper S Mk2, various Morris 1100s, 1300s, 1500s, Leyland Sherpa!

Off topic, but I wonder if this would be any good as a hydro pump..

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

I reckon you are a genius
Out of stock, and ebay doesn't have them however...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.