Do-it-yourself slipway clamps drawings

This article will be of interest to beginners in auto body repair who are interested in the process of stretching a car body after an accident. We will look at some points that are known to professionals, but unclear to beginners.

So, before repairing a damaged car body, it is important to carefully examine and understand the logic of the damage. What has shifted and where, what can be repaired and what needs to be changed. It is necessary to determine whether the geometric parameters of the body have been changed.

Slip drawings for body repair

Different types of slipways
What you need to create a slipway in your garage
How to make a slipway with your own hands

Servicing a passenger car is a very expensive business: you need to change consumables, carry out maintenance, and also have to periodically repair various parts of the car.
It is much more profitable to improve your car, change parts and repair anything on your own. Therefore, your garage should have the necessary equipment and tools. Among such devices, an important place is occupied by a slipway for body repair. You can make this device yourself. Platform slipway

There are three types of slipways: frame, platform and floor. There are also different devices according to the type of movement: rolling and mobile.

Making a simple frame device

It is easiest to make a frame slipway with your own hands, since this is the simplest and most common design for non-professional use. To carry out body work, in any case, you will need hydraulics, which cannot be manufactured independently, so the manufacture of a slipway will be limited only to the design and installation of the frame.

Since this part is directly responsible for securing the car, it is necessary to carefully approach its installation. To do this, it is worth preparing drawings in advance; you can draw them yourself if you have such experience.

A metal profile is usually used as the material for the frame. A stand with grips is attached to it, which will fix the thresholds of the car. The thresholds, in turn, are welded from metal corners and installed on the beams using bolts.

After installation, these elements are also strengthened by welding. The dimensions of the metal profile are determined based on the fact that the minimum dimensions of its cross-section should be 40x80 mm, and its length - 150 mm. A profile of this size will be quite sufficient for straightening the body of most passenger cars.

Dimensions for slipway

You can equip a slipway for body repairs in your garage. This only takes a few days and certain skills. In addition, having created such a device, it will be useful to you to repair minor defects in the car body or repair complex damage and restore the geometry of the car.

On the Internet you can find drawings from which it is easy to develop slipways. All sizes are indicated. The most durable construction is made on a metal profile. Additional parts are also needed: racks and corners for gripping car sills.

Slipway diagram

If we talk about sizes, then you should select a metal profile with a cross-section of 4x8 centimeters and a length of 1.5 meters. Such parameters are optimal for a design that can withstand almost any passenger car. The cross-section of the profile for the racks is 2x4 centimeters, and their height is about 25 centimeters.

The slipway consists of two parts: rear and front. The length of the longitudinal bars is 2.8 meters and the width is 1.5 meters. The structure itself is divided into sections. The central one is the largest, of the transverse and longitudinal profiles, forms a section of 1290x950 centimeters. The rest of the space is made up of four more sections, in which there are retractable mechanisms and devices for applying force.

Stationary floor slipway in the garage

And now, we have smoothly moved to a stationary slipway or, as it is also called, floor-mounted. Here is a statement from Evsey, the author of a mobile slipway made with his own hands and which we talked about in the first part of our article:

If I had originally built this garage for body repair, I would have concreted the channels along the entire length of the inspection pit, and anchored the grips to the car sills to these channels. And the traction boom would also be attached to anchor fasteners. I would also put channels or rails into the walls, that is, I would weld a kind of cage so that it could be pulled in any direction in several directions at the same time. Then I think it would be possible to undertake repairs of any complexity.

What is the most important thing in a slipway? The most important thing is that you can securely fix the car and then you can pull it in any direction, of course, if the design of the slipway allows it.

I cannot offer drawings for such a slipway, because... I don’t have my own, but for every craftsman, if the slipway was not purchased, but made with his own hands, then it was made according to the principle of his own vision of the situation (tasks to be solved, raw materials, garage size, finances and other “wants”).

Basically, these are channels welded and embedded in concrete with a cut for attaching various devices (threshold grips, “tower”). Some auto repairmen make a whole cube out of channels throughout the entire volume of the garage. This kind of slipway allows you to pull the body in any direction and at any angle. Of course, this solution is the most convenient, but very expensive.

Materials and tools for work

To make a slipway for car repairs with your own hands, you need to immediately take care of the necessary materials and equipment. Then the work process will go quickly. So, before work you must purchase the following materials:

a channel made of durable metal, the thickness of which must be at least 5 mm;
several unnecessary but thick pieces of metal to increase structural rigidity;
electric hammer drill, a set of thick long bolts;
clamps and clamps for subsequent securing of the car;
reinforced metal chain, pulling mechanism;
nuts, welding machine, oil paint, reinforcing columns.

When purchasing materials and tools for work, special attention should be paid to the quality and size of the metal channel. It should be taken into account that you will need strips to decorate the slipway around the entire perimeter, as well as transverse strips, which can serve as additional rigidity fixators. At the same time, we should not forget about the columns.

Calculation of required materials

Before starting work on the manufacture of a slipway, it is necessary to complete its drawing and calculate the amount of materials required. The platform should look like a rectangle (or better yet, several) made of metal profiles with a cross-section of 50×50 or 70×40 (the thicker the better). The optimal length is 2000 mm, the width is equal to the width of the car's wheelbase.

Why was this width chosen? In general, it is possible to manufacture a slipway with a width equal to the width of the wheelbase of the car. Or smaller than it, but with “shoots” from the frame, on which the clamps will be attached. The first method is preferable due to the location of the clamps.

In the middle of the platform it will be necessary to weld a stiffener from a similar metal profile. During the work, additional metal will be required, the amount of which is difficult to calculate at the initial stage of work.

After the calculation of the required amount of metal profile has been completed, it can be ordered from a special database or you can use an existing one.

To ensure the functionality of the slipway, it will need to be equipped with good hydraulics - a kit with a tonnage of up to 10 tons is suitable.

You also need to remember that there are two types of slipway: stationary (that is, installed in a specific place without the ability to move) and mobile (equipped with wheels and adapted for storage in a vertical position). If the second option is chosen, then you also need to purchase a set of wheels: 4 or more for the frame, 2 for the power rack.

Stages of manufacturing a slipway

The most popular are platform or frame designs. This is due to the ease of their manufacture, compact dimensions and relatively large functionality. Finding suitable drawings on the Internet today is not difficult. The best option is to measure the finished factory slipway and focus on its design. The main requirement here is the dimensions, which must correspond to the area of the workshop or garage. The recommended dimensions of the slipway are 4.5 × 1.85 m. Externally, this is a structure where one frame is inserted into another.

Required tools and materials

You will need a welding machine, a hydraulic device, an angle grinder, a drill with drills, a spray gun or paint brushes. Materials you need to purchase:

profile pipe 40×80 mm (calculate the length in accordance with the drawing, taking into account the jumpers) with a thickness of 4 mm;
metal for making scarves (thickness 4 mm);
clamping devices (you can buy factory ones, but if this is not possible, then how to make them yourself will be described below);
bolts, nuts;
primer;
regular or powder paint.

Frame making

First, the outer frame is welded from the profile, then the inner frame is attached to the finished structure. It is necessary to boil from above and below, turning the structure over. Don't forget to use gusset reinforcements at the corners of the structure to increase its rigidity. If you have doubts about the strength of the frame, weld a couple of cross beams in the middle. When the frame is ready, legs must be attached to it from below to adjust the horizontal position of the device. To do this, you can use 15 cm long bolts and 24 cm nuts, which are welded at the corners of the structure. If you wish, install wheels instead of hardware - you will get a mobile slipway. This makes sense if you have a perfectly flat floor or if you place the structure on rails that are in a strictly horizontal position.

Completion of manufacturing work

When making a slipway with your own hands, you need to remember that for better grip you will need to make special notches or weld nuts on the racks. To fasten frame elements, it is necessary to use nuts and bolts with fine threads. At the same time, experienced car enthusiasts advise taking such fasteners from repair kits from foreign cars.

When working with hydraulics with a capacity of about four tons, it is worth using M10 bolts. They allow you to clearly fix the racks on the beam and subsequently withstand the specified load.

After installing the device, be sure to paint it to protect it from corrosion, since it will be installed in a room with high humidity. To do this, you need to clean the metal from rust and coat it with a primer. After this, you should paint the frame using a spray gun.

After painting, the frame is mounted at the place of use. The installation site must be prepared in advance, and if you plan to carry out a wider range of body work, it makes sense to manufacture and install another homemade slipway mounted on a rotary column.

No matter how talented you are, hands alone will not be enough to straighten the body; special devices are needed here. In order to properly restore the body after an accident, you cannot do without a slipway.

Its function is to firmly fix the car during compression or stretching of the body. Slipways are different in design, but they can be combined into three types: frame (in the form of an iron frame), platform (for more complex work) and floor-mounted (these are multifunctional, mobile, professional).

For those who really need a slipway, but there is no way to buy one, I suggest making a slipway for body repair with your own hands, and I will help you with this.

Before I started making a slipway, I thoroughly probed the soil, read many articles and watched more than one video and drawings on the Internet.

We will make a straightening frame based on the operating principle of a car. The frame under the car is in the shape of a rectangle; fasteners are attached to the boxes on all four sides; they will come out on the back of the lifting platform, thanks to which it will be mobile.

First of all, measure the length from the front wheel to the rear. The width of the frame should pass between the wheels. Using a welding machine, we weld two three-meter metal sticks and two 800 mm sticks. To avoid distortions, we lay everything out on a flat surface.

To ensure that the frame is level and without distortions, we double-check all sides using a level. The frame must also be level, we check it with a tape measure, measuring diagonally from one corner to another crosswise, the size must match.

Carefully, so that there are no bumps at the joint, we weld the frame in the shape of a rectangle.

We will weld scarves with a diameter of 7 mm to each corner.

Let's weld the paws. For this we will need blanks: 4 metal pipes of 550 mm each and 4 metal strips of 10 mm each.

When all the parts are ready, we will weld them.

The paw needs to be cooked so that it is plug-in, so we cook it with stripes on both sides. We do not weld the paw itself to the frame. We will tightly weld the corners made of durable metal to the base, and on the other side we will weld them to the paw, so the paw will not move to the sides. We weld the remaining three legs in the same way. Next we move on to the drilling machine.

You need to make holes for the tensioning mechanism. We make columns with a diameter of 30mm and a width of 150mm according to the drawings and clamp them under the box.

Bolts of this design must withstand 10 tons.

According to the diagram, we assemble the base board.

The blanks for the base and middle plates are ready, now we move on to drilling, also in accordance with this diagram. When drilling, do not forget to water the drill so that it does not overheat and become dull.

When we finish drilling the workpieces, we will begin to apply scars and cut grooves as in the drawing.

We assemble all the finished workpieces into a single whole and weld them together. This is what happens.

We do all four sides identically. We mount the paws on a rectangular base. Then we put our homemade slipway under the car using a jack, lift it and adjust the paws under the thresholds of the car. Then we slowly lower the car onto the clamps - tighten it. And so on for the other three sides. We remove the jacks, and the car stands on a slipway that we made ourselves.

We mount the lever on the back side.

The lever can be installed at any angle. We drill holes for attaching the lever.

A channel was used to clamp onto the tensioner.

The pulling element is located in different corners; in order to screw in the bolt, we will double-check the holes on the plates and in the pipe.

Self-production of a stand for body repair

Follow the instructions for making the device frame, which is responsible for fixing the car.

First of all, draw or download drawings of the device on the Internet.
For the cross beam, take a metal profile. A stand with grips for car thresholds will be fixed on it. To create them, you will need to weld corners with holes drilled for bolts to the cross beam.
Make holes taking into account the specific car model. To change the dimensions to fit another car, you just need to drill new holes in the beam.
The profile should have a cross-section of 40×80 mm and a length of 150 cm. These dimensions are quite sufficient for almost all types of passenger car bodies.
For the racks, take a steel longitudinal profile with a section of 20x40 mm. Strengthen them with scarves from the same profile. The height of the racks should be 25 cm.
Weld corners at the top of the racks to grip car sills. For better adhesion, pre-weld the nuts or apply notches. Use fine-threaded bolts and nuts as fasteners.

It is recommended to use fasteners from foreign cars. The strength of such bolts is much higher than those purchased on the market or in a store.

Now you need to create a protective coating for the device. Clean all its elements first. Then coat their surface with an anti-corrosion primer, preferably epoxy. It will provide reliable protection against rust, because the slipway will be located in a place with high humidity.
Spray paint over the primer using a wet-on-wet method.
Fix the posts on the beam with bolts 10 cm long (M10). They are quite suitable for working with hydraulic devices that develop a traction force of up to 4 tons.
Install the completed slipway at its workplace.
Now all you have to do is install the chains and grips to secure the vehicle, a coupler or a hoist, creating a force of about 1.5-2 tons.

You can make another exactly the same device and fasten both structures with beams. This way you will get a rolling version of the design. It does not need a rigid attachment to the floor, but it will have to be installed on a rotating column.

Body clamps and their varieties

Clamp plate from Likota

Modern equipment for car body finishing is represented by various platform and floor-mounted machines and systems that easily eliminate damage and deformation of metal components. Body clamps play an important role in carrying out this type of work.

The role of clamps

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The role of body clamps is to create pulling and pressing forces in the process of pulling the car body. If the slipway effectively corrects deformations by pulling out potholes in the body, then without special clamps it is simply a useless thing.

Indeed, fixation and gripping is done using good clamps, usually on 4 sides. Almost everything depends on the reliability of the fixing moment. For this reason, it is important for a bodyworker to be able to select the correct clamps.

Some pile machines are equipped with mobile type clamps. They move without restrictions, giving easy access to all starting points of the metal frame, straightening it in any direction.

Clamps from the manufacturer Likota

Let's look at the most popular clamp options:

Standard clamps for body repair are usually sold at a price of 4-5 thousand rubles. They weigh no more than 2 kilograms;
Body Clamp 2/5 Ton. It features a narrow grip and the ability to stretch in one or two directions. Despite this versatility, it costs less than a standard clamp - 4,000 rubles. Withstands a maximum load of 2-5 tons. At the same time, in the forward direction – 5000 kg, and in the lateral direction – 2000 kg;
Body clamp 5 ton with 120mm working width with one direction. Approximate cost: 5,000 rubles. The clamp weighs 3 kilograms and can withstand up to 5 tons in the forward direction;
A clamp of 3-5 tons, allowing stretching in 3 directions. Approximate cost: 6,000 rubles. Direct direction – 5000 kg, side – 3000 kg each. The clamp weight is a little over 3 kg. The working width is 120 mm;
A plate for traction forces costs 2.8 thousand rubles. Easily screwed to the body through special holes. The deformed section of the body is pulled out using a hydraulic pump or other tools. The plate weighs no more than 1.7 kg;
Extraction device, hook costing 2000 rubles. Weighs about 1 kg and is used in body repair as a hook;
A C-shaped clamp that can withstand 4 tons and costs 8.5 thousand rubles. Capable of working in 4 directions. Weighs a little over 5 kg;
Clamp hook 4/5 ton. The price for this clamp is about 11-12 thousand rubles. The component weighs 12 kilograms and includes several additional accessories, such as stops, adapter, clamp, latch, etc.;
Plate clamp for aligning car doors. It costs about 3 thousand rubles, weighs 2.2 kg. Easily attaches to the car door pillar, and then uses hydraulics to straighten the surface of the body element;

3 ton large jaw clamp. The cost of the clamp is 3000 rubles. Functions in one direction, weighs just over 2.3 kg;
A body clamp with a long spout costs 2-3 thousand rubles. Withstands up to 2 tons, functioning in one direction. The design is made in a “flat” design, which facilitates access to hard-to-reach places;
Double chain clamp for 2.5 thousand rubles. Weighs 1.4 kg;
A C-shaped clamp that can withstand 5 tons, costs 6-6.5 thousand rubles. Weighs a little more than 3 kg;
Body mini clamp 2/3 ton (2 directions). The cost of the clamp is 2.7 thousand rubles. The clamp weighs more than 1 kg. Direct direction - 3000 kg, side direction - 2000 kg.

Clamps from AIST

Universal clamp from Stork

Now, for comparison, let’s look at clamps from the manufacturer Aist:

Retractable hook 5-ton, price 1.8 thousand rubles. Has a working width of 80 mm. Designed for chains and effective fixation of the brace to the body;
Door pillar straightening plates 2-ton. The cost of clamps of this type is 2.7 thousand rubles. Ideally fixed to the surface of the car body;
Plate bracket, an excellent option for stretching a deformed body. Withstands up to 3 tons when used with chains. Fixation is carried out using a screw. The cost of the plate is 2.7 thousand rubles;
2-way clamp that holds 3/2 ton. Used for body straightening. Makes it possible to pull metal in the forward direction with a force of up to 3 tons, in the lateral direction - up to 2 tons;
A 5-ton clamp for body work from the Aist company, priced at 2.9 thousand rubles, is very functional. It works in only one direction, the width of the jaws is 45 mm;
2-ton clamp for body work, priced at 2.9 thousand rubles. The ideal flat design makes it easy to work in confined spaces. Functions in one direction;
The grip, priced at 3 thousand rubles, is a very convenient tool for carrying out various work on the body;
A pincer-like 5-ton body clamp, priced at 3.4 thousand rubles. The width of the jaws is 40 mm.

Clamps and grips from Stanzani

Mini gripper from the manufacturer Stanzani

Another well-known manufacturer in Russia offers the following models of clamps for body straightening:

C55 is a multi-purpose kit used for most door hinge work. It makes it possible to exert force on the hinges very effectively;
C 121 is a special gripper for stretching with a force of up to 6 tons;
Plate C123 for body work with effective properties. It has several holes;
C126 – Picolo clamp is a small grip equipped with a durable ring. Withstands force up to 4 tons;
A set of clamps for MacPherson struts with universal properties. You can effectively straighten the racks without disassembling by combining the set with hooks;
Self-clamping 6-ton screw clamp for body stretching C 128;
Efficient 10 ton self-clamping screw clamp C 134 100 mm;
Floating grip for stretching C 135 with an eye, allowing you to stretch the body at any angle with a force of 10 tons;
4-ton flat-lipped gripper C 146, allowing deep insertion.

Watch a video about clamps and their use in body repair

The above clamps and grips are effectively used for straightening the body. Moreover, they can be used with different equipment, both with a slipway and with a jack, for example.

Extensions, inserts and clamps create optimal conditions for manipulation. It is imperative to pay great attention to safety when working.

If chains are used during the work, the straightening angle should be exactly perpendicular to the curved area of the body.

The body is also straightened using a square. The latter is fixed on a stand or on the garage floor, again, exactly opposite the damaged area of the body.

Learn more about body editing from video and photo materials. Read interesting articles on the topic of body repair on our website.

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Materials and tools for work

a channel made of durable metal, the thickness of which must be at least 5 mm;
several unnecessary but thick pieces of metal to increase structural rigidity;
electric hammer drill, a set of thick long bolts;
clamps and clamps for subsequent securing of the car;
reinforced metal chain, pulling mechanism;
nuts, welding machine, oil paint, reinforcing columns.

How to make a manual edge bender for auto repair

To save money, you can make a homemade edge bender for body repair. It will greatly facilitate the production of, for example, patches on the threshold or fender of a car.

In this case, the repair site will not protrude above the surface, which will reduce the time and costs of puttying and painting.

A roller model for bending sheet metal can be made from:

pairs of bearings,
bolt for an axle with a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the bearings,
thick metal plate,
handles from a grinder.

The process of making a roller model for bending sheet metal

Cut two pieces of the same length from the bolt and place the bearings on them.
Drill holes in the plate for welding.
Install bearings into the plate with a distance of 1 mm from each other.
Weld a nut for the handle from a grinder to the center of the plate on the side opposite to the bearings.

Tags: body clamp, slipway, do it yourself

Comments 66

Hello. There's no need to waste time here. It’s better to make your own adaptations for the slipway and spotter, etc. Good factory metal lasts for many years. The file won't take it. But if the clamps are g... Then you can even throw the factory in the trash. They are of little use. They bend, the notch is eaten instantly. There are also quality Chinese ones. Now everything is Chinese. You need to look when you take it.

Yes, I later bought a factory one, it coped with its task)

Everyone here advises you to buy it because... metal G, out of idle curiosity I want to ask if it is possible to find high-quality metal or at an expensive price.

you can find it, you’ll just have to mill it from a solid one

Adaptation for a torture chamber?

yeah for a dentist

it would be funnier - for a urologist

The factory clamp solves the problem, this homemade product is complete bullshit, it won’t fit anywhere with scarves later. I use inexpensive tota clamp clamps, maybe you can find them in your region. I use chains from a coal conveyor. I cut one link as a connector, so far I haven’t been able to straighten it, although there are and minibuses and cargo cabins, and there’s a lot of metal there.

IMHO: the wedge should be made sharper...thereby the clamping force will be greater...well, the long sides of the “jaws” could be thicker...

only if you weld the front walls or weld the back mortgages

buy the real ones at the store... you'll suffer with the homemade gun... yes... they're expensive... but they work as expected...

It is advisable to change the operating principle of the clamp. A simple grab breaks the winch with a force of 250 kg. It is necessary with a wedge clamp, the harder you pull, the more the gripping jaws compress.

This one is much weaker than mine, it’s definitely for me to pull out the spar and not a jammed empty seam. rather weak

Mine is tested and pulls 2.5 tons, but yours is drawn and not tested. There is no justification for the assumption of weakness...

what does 2.5 tons mean and how is force measured?

winch 2.5 tons. which he pulled to the limit and tapped with a reverse hammer to relieve the tension... You are too self-confident.

It’s not a matter of self-confidence, the rigidity of the structure is simply not visible, all hope is in the thickness of the metal

It seems to me that the quality of the metal will not allow the idea to be realized. will bend. and if you cook it, it will weaken it even more. dangerous if it breaks

Idk. If it’s filthy ferrous metal, then at least cook it. trying is not torture. If it flies off once, we'll see. I'd rather buy a normal clamp

You can’t heat it, it will tear when jerking...

It seems to me that the quality of the metal will not allow the idea to be realized. will bend. and if you cook it, it will weaken it even more. dangerous if it breaks

What difference does it make what you cook?

The heating area is, firstly, smaller and the properties of the metal are completely different from those of the arc.)

yeah, and if it doesn’t warm up, it won’t cook

The heating area is, firstly, smaller and the properties of the metal are completely different from those of the arc.)

in this case, under such loads, welding is not very reliable. maybe I'm wrong. but taking risks is more expensive for yourself

The heating area is, firstly, smaller and the properties of the metal are completely different from those of the arc.)

not long ago I cooked a “miracle shovel” from 12 rods and a profile. I’ve already tried to pin and strengthen it. I cooked it semi-automatically - one horseradish bends and breaks. I never expected this. and all our construction ferrous metal is like this.

It seems to me that the quality of the metal will not allow the idea to be realized. will bend. and if you cook it, it will weaken it even more. dangerous if it breaks

Device of manual edge benders

Edge bending machines are designed in such a way that the force acts simultaneously along the entire length of the edge or sheet blank. As a result, at the same time, the edge is deformed, but the metal does not warp, but lies in an even seam.

The designs of such equipment are divided into types:

rotary,
press,
rotary.

The modern market provides the opportunity to purchase different designs of sheet bending devices, but you can make them yourself.

Edge bending tools are similar in appearance to sheet bending products, but the devices are structurally different from each other. The length of the flanging working area for manual edge benders can be small, because the parameters of the bead height and radius of curvature do not change.

If, with a large extent of edge formation, it is necessary to carry out the process simultaneously, the principle of operation of the edge bender is more similar to the sheet bending technology; the difference, in fact, is only in the method of pressing the workpiece.

Creating a slipway

Example of a drawing
To make a slipway we will need drawings. Different sizes of cars require different stocks, but for a garage mechanic or for yourself, a universal stocks that you can make yourself will be suitable. Buying a slipway will not pay off for a long time, and since making your own slipway will not take much time and money, it’s easier to make your own. So, how to make a homemade slipway? What is needed for this? In fact, everything is not as complicated as it seems at first glance.

Slipway option

The final stage of work

To protect against corrosion, you should create a reliable protective coating, because the device will be installed in a place of high humidity. To do this, after first cleaning all the structural elements, we cover it with a primer. The most reliable protection against rust will be provided by an epoxy primer, so it is better to use it. Without waiting for the primer to dry, apply paint with a spray bottle. (To make a homemade structure more presentable, that is, a factory look, you can apply black stripes to the frame after the paint has dried).

So, the homemade frame is almost ready. All that remains is to install it in the prepared place. You can make another similar device, but do not fix it to the floor, but attach it to a rotating column. By combining this design with the one described above, we get a mobile version.

Step-by-step construction instructions

The construction of any home-made structures begins with the design stage. You need to make a slipway that is convenient to use. It is important that it does not take up too much space, blocking free movement.

The second point is always the creation of the structure's frame. The last point is to install fasteners and tightening devices yourself.

Drawings and dimensions

First you need to make suitable drawings. Ready-made options can be found below. The markings are made according to the dimensions of the vehicle. Afterwards the stage of preparation and selection of tools and materials begins. We will also need to make a mounting system large enough to fit our vehicle. It would be nice to cook it with the ability to change the height.

Once all the drawings are ready and the materials have been selected, you can start working. First you will have to remove moisture from the materials and coat them with a primer. You can paint them right away, or you can leave this step for last.
Now weld the metal corners to the base profile.
Weld the profile (this will be the stand). It is secured with bolts.
Now the chains, hooks and retractable devices are welded.

Frame making

The frame is responsible for fixing the car. Therefore, you need to be careful when creating it.

Before creating the frame, you need to create the outer frame. It is to this that the frame will be mounted.
A metal profile is suitable as a material. A stand and grips are attached to it (they are needed to fix the car threshold).
Now the thresholds are being made. They are created from metal corners.
Thresholds are installed on beams and secured with bolts.
After installation, all elements will have to be secured by welding.

Fastening the body to the slipway

Clamps are required for fastening. If you can't buy them, make your own. You will need railway platforms (what the rails are attached to the sleepers). Each of the platforms is cut in half, and metal is welded onto the inside. It is cut into diamonds using a grinder.

You don't need to do anything to the outside. A plate 4 millimeters thick is also welded to the inside. It is important that the clamping device fixes the threshold and does not bend during use.

The role of clamps

The main role of body clamps is to create pulling and pressing forces in the process of pulling the car body. If the slipway effectively corrects deformations by pulling out potholes in the body, then without special clamps it is simply a useless thing. Indeed, fixation and gripping is done using good clamps, usually on 4 sides. Almost everything depends on the reliability of the fixing moment. For this reason, it is important for a bodyworker to be able to select the correct clamps.

Some pile machines are equipped with mobile type clamps. They move without restrictions, giving easy access to all starting points of the metal frame, straightening it in any direction.

How does an edge bending machine work?

Structurally, a metal bending machine consists of several parts:

supporting surface,
working base,
clamping element
crimping punch,
levers-handles.

Some models are equipped with a hole punch and a knife for trimming edges. In the standard design, the supporting plane measuring 1m x 1.5m is a table made of wood or metal with powerful legs. The horizontal fastening of the base is made from channel No. 8 or 6.5. Metal structures are connected by welding, and wooden structures are connected by bolts.

Clamp

To clamp the surface when bending the edges, the device is equipped with a pressure bar - an angle with a shelf of 0.05 m. It presses against the punch at a given angle. Holes for bolts are drilled on both sides of the clamping mechanism. Also for clamping, “lambs” with pins welded to the base are used. More complex clamping parts are equipped with springs.

Punch

To make a punch, a square section of pipe is often used. The design of a part involves its horizontal rotation around an axis. In this case, the upper edge in front of the base exactly coincides with the punch.

For this purpose, the ends are equipped with loops. The clamp is located exactly vertically so that there are no distortions when bending metal. The punch is adjacent to the edge of the base without gaps so that the fold line is accurate. When not in use, the top edge of the punch is located in the same plane as the table plane. If the design has deviations, the fixture will work, but with an increased bend radius, which leads to a rounded straight line.

Drive unit

A manual drive made from a pair of pipe sections is connected by welding to the front or side of the punch. It can be in the form of a bracket or a telescopic lever. The length of the lever is firmly fixed for specific positions using pins connecting through the holes in increments of 0.1 m. This handle helps to distribute the load evenly, adjusting the force on the surface depending on its thickness. For example, the telescopic shape of the lever during body work allows you to increase the effort by more than 2 times.

Pneumatic edge bender

Particularly popular among craftsmen are edge benders with pneumatic drive, which work as a “rotary beam”. The pneumatic drive contributes to significant pressure (up to 6.2 bar) on the workpiece. But such equipment can be used when working with sheet metal no thicker than 1.2 mm. In this case, the edge width will be no more than 12 mm.

If you want to make a pneumatic machine with your own hands, you must take into account that its operation requires an air flow of at least 113 l/min.

Pneumatic punch

This is a universal tool model. On one side, the structure is equipped with a mechanism for punching holes, on the other, with jaws for forming an edge.

Thanks to this, you can simultaneously bend the edge and make holes in the metal for fasteners. That is why the tool is often called a pneumatic punch. Its working part is made of high-speed steel. The rubberized handles of the product are equipped with springs. They help reduce pressure on the palm, which facilitates the process of punching and processing.

Any model of hole punch-edge bender works much faster and more efficiently than its manual counterparts, which is why it is intensively used at service stations and car repair shops.