door skin trimming

[DBeaulieu]

As I work my way through the door skinning process, I would like some experienced insight from the group. This is on a Patrol and would like to know what to do with this small piece of skin above the top hinge arm (pic), also the builders manual calls for bending the top edge of the skin over the top door frame tube to cover the tube. I'm thinking of snipping off the small piece of skin and doing the 90 degree bend over the top door frame tube in place after riveting the skin to door frame. What holds that 90 bend to the top of the tube, adhesive of sorts? Also consideringthe use of Pro Seal to fillet and blend the cut allowances for the hinge arms. Open to any other ideas. Many thanks! (Dave from Maine)

pilot door top hinge skin area small.jpg

[podo]

I put a 90 in the skin over the top of the tube. The bit that extends forward is not fastened in any way but is quite rigid from the bend.

[Paul Johnston]

Did mine like this but put fabric on door interior first.used blind countersunk on top of door

[DBeaulieu]

Looks good like that. Maybe a bit problematic because I've already drilled to #40 on the skin and door frame. Not sure how to make a nice bend that sits flush with top tube of door frame without misaligning things. Guess I could try bending in place to start off, then once established take skin off and finish off to compensate for spring back on the bend? Thans for posting! Dave

[Ryan Koeneke]

Similar to the above, I decided to do a full return on my model 5 front doors.

On the cargo doors I ran into a similar thing where I didn't have much room in the door tubing so I decided to drill a hole with a #40 bit and use a smaller size pull rivet.

[DBeaulieu]

Not enough material on the door skin to do that with my doors. I like that look though. Not keen on a simple 90 degree bend to sit flat on top of the door frame tube. Thanks for posting the pic!

[Pbruce]

I went to a sheet metal market where they have a big bending brake and sheers. I told them to bend the top 5/8” over at 90 degrees. Drilled and clecoed it to the top of the frame and then started trimming the other three sides. Very glad I did. I’m sure it wouldn’t have looked all crisp and perfect if I had done it. Never thought of making it into a c channel as above-that looks good too. The little tag above the hinge on my patrol looks like yours. It is still loose, but seems to lay pretty flat. I was thinking if it gave me any trouble I would consider a dab of UV-proof glue or calk after painting. It wouldn’t take much, should last years, and be easily re-glued when needed.

[DBeaulieu]

That's what I should have done for sequencing...I agree it will be tough to get a nice bend/flat lay to the top door frame. May try making a "curved" form fit to the top by working the material around the top tube while in place. I suspect an experienced auto body worker would be able do so rather easily?

[Bcone1381]

If it were me, I know I would look at the door every time i climbed in so My building satisfaction would go up if I were to remake the door skin. BTW, I wish I had thought about attaching the top skin to the top of the door tube. Too late though. Moving on. In addition, the first door skin gets nailed to the shop wall as a sign post of education. It also sends the message that errors expose weakness that we builders overcome.

Bergy, a scratch builder, shared his method of sheet fabrication. I copied it and secured it to the wall in my shop.

1) cut the piece oversize, then
2) bend it, then
3) Drill it
4) Trim it to final size.

This is because locating a bend accurately is very diffacult, whereas drilling a hole within a thousandths of an inch is not.

To Get practice and find errors when I often make a sheet part first out of posterboard. Like on the door, the practice piece becomes the template to cut my sheet oversize 1/2 inch.

[DBeaulieu]

Brooks, remake is likely. Though, I've done some bend calculations and have access to a radius brake so I'm going to give it a try today. Worse case I buy some aluminum and redo the skins (at least I'll have the templates...(ha)

[DBeaulieu]

Had success today using a 4' finger brake...I assume the top is riveted down somehow?

Door skin with bend.jpg
Door skin with bend aft view.jpg

Dave from Maine

[Bcone1381]

You NAILED it! Awesome!!

[podo]

Nice! I think the top row of rivets at the face of the skin will be plenty stiff. I cleco'd my door skin to the top tube and that 2024 sheet does not budge beyond the 90.

[Ryan Koeneke]

I don't think I'd rivet the top. The only thing I might be worried about is chatter from vibration and I feel like that can be solved in other ways (a little foam strip or something) but don't listen to me I don't know what I'm talking about.

[svyolo]

I didn't have the brake to do that long/thick of bend on the door skin. Instead, I bent some sheet strips and then riveted those to the top of the door skin. Does the same thing. Looks OK. A little heavier.