| Completing any job in the workshop is always | | | | different jobs that you can use the air |
| easier if you have the right tool available. | | | | flange tool for will soon become apparent as |
| One area in which this is particularly true | | | | it finds its way into your hand whenever you |
| is body work on autos. If you want to be able | | | | need a reliable tool. |
| to provide the best possible finish for a | | | | |
| customer when repairing their vehicle, then | | | | There are a number of different air flange |
| you will need a full range of auto body work | | | | tools on the market, and all of them are |
| tools including an air flange tool. | | | | compatible with the standard compressed air |
| | | | supply that you find in most modern |
| One area where many workshops can really | | | | workshops, meaning that it can be integrated |
| struggle is in providing large scale panel | | | | seamlessly into your current work shop |
| repair on a vehicle. In order to return an | | | | environment, and be used immediately. |
| area of the body shell to its original | | | | |
| condition, it is often necessary to replace | | | | Prices for an air flange tool start from |
| an entire area of metal, and unless you have | | | | under $65 for the pistol grip style Astro |
| the tools to add metal to a frame work | | | | Pneumatic AST600PT model, which is a robust |
| effectively, this will not be possible, and | | | | and reliable tool that is flexible enough to |
| you will be forced to replace the entire | | | | carry out most day to day jobs. While it will |
| component, such as a door or fender. This | | | | not handle the heaviest duty sheet metal, it, |
| will result in a much higher cost to the | | | | forms a smooth crimped edge that is set up |
| client. With an air flange tool, you can use | | | | ready for welding. Thanks to its relatively |
| it to simply re-skin a door with fresh metal, | | | | light weight at just two and a quarter |
| negating the need to replace the entire door, | | | | pounds, you will be able to use if over |
| or engage in a lengthy panel beating session. | | | | extended periods of time without having to |
| | | | worry about getting tired. |
| An air flange tool is designed to use the | | | | |
| compressed air supply in your workshop to | | | | Of course, by investing a little more in your |
| deliver a compressive force to a piece of | | | | tool, you can get something a little more |
| metal in order to fasten it into place | | | | powerful like the Mountain MTN 7378, which |
| without the need for welding. By using the | | | | retails at less than $90 at Red Hill Supply. |
| air flange tool you crimp one piece of metal | | | | This tool can handle punching holes through |
| onto another, and thanks to the enormous | | | | metal up to 5/16" thick, and will crimp metal |
| force that the tool can deliver, it creates a | | | | up to 5/32" inch, making it ideal for body |
| very tight fit that will last. | | | | work jobs. |
| | | | |
| An all-new panel will not suffer from any of | | | | At the top end of the market, there are a |
| the defects that you may get in one that has | | | | number of specialist tools that use the air |
| been beaten back into the correct shape, and | | | | flange tool technique to reliably and quickly |
| will also sit better on the car than a wholly | | | | re-skin doors. By spending around $280 on an |
| replaced door. If the panel is cut properly | | | | Astro Pneumatic ASTDS1000 Pneumatic Door |
| to shape in advance, then actually using the | | | | Skinner, you can complete the task of adding |
| air flange tool can be a great deal quicker | | | | a new skin to a door to a factory standard |
| than actually hanging a door on the car and | | | | very quickly. |
| installing all the electrics. | | | | |
| | | | If you are serious about getting the best |
| Of course, there are many other uses for an | | | | finish for your body work repairs, then an |
| air flange tool than reattaching panels, and | | | | air flange tool is the right item for you. It |
| the tool can be used to punch neat and clean | | | | will cut the amount of time taken using a |
| holes in sheet metal for bolting into place, | | | | manually powered tool in half, and give you a |
| or for allowing wiring looms to pass easily | | | | much superior finish thanks to the high |
| into the correct place. The breadth of | | | | pressure it can apply to a task. |