Bending steel for deck repair

[pfrederi 17,970]

I need to make some repairs to a deck that came with my newest horse Charger 10.  I want to put a patch over the small holes in the picture.  The metal between the holes has been significantly thinned by rust so I want a single patch that will provide some support.  The black line shows where the baffle under the deck is.  Because of that i will have to patch on the outside.  The deck shell is 1/8" thick steel.  I have some 1/8" stock but I have no clue on how to bend it to match the curve of the deck shell. I would start the patch at the small dip for the belt drive area so I only have to get the large radius bend
 

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

This is were a rarely seen item in a home shop would be handy. It's called an "English Wheel." I would suggest maybe making a wooden buck and then using a ball peen hammer to shape it. With a lighter gauge steel (1/16"?) you probably could form it over the deck.

[JPWH 6,145]

I would clamp the flat to the side then heat the plate to form the bend to the deck. I use a small plumbing torch with mapp gas.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Hank01

[pfrederi 17,970]

I would clamp the flat to the side then heat the plate to form the bend to the deck. I use a small plumbing torch with maps gas.

I have an oxy acetylene rig.  I could use that to heat it and hammer it over the deck shell.  I think I will try to find some thinner stock as I would be afraid of the heat and hammering deforming the deck shell...

[JPWH 6,145]

You could also form it on a piece of pipe to get it close
 

[RedRanger 1,468]

I would clamp the flat to the side then heat the plate to form the bend to the deck. I use a small plumbing torch with maps gas.

This is how I did it for our latest deck patch/repair.  I agree.
Also cut out the rotted material and lay the patch flush in the hole.
Weld and grind smooth.

[slammer302 2,155]

I like to find a old parts deck and use it to cut my patches out of it that way the bends and curves are already the same. I turned a 36" SD deck into a 36"RD deck this way couldn't even tell that i replaced the whole corner of the deck when i was done. I should of took pics now that i think of it!

[pfrederi 17,970]

I would clamp the flat to the side then heat the plate to form the bend to the deck. I use a small plumbing torch with maps gas.

This is how I did it for our latest deck patch/repair.  I agree.
Also cut out the rotted material and lay the patch flush in the hole.
Weld and grind smooth.

That certainly would be nice ..but the baffle underneath plus my lack of metal working skill combined with the fact there is an external patch on the other side of the deck...

How does one go about cutting out the deck to match the patch???

[JPWH 6,145]

I would use a grinder with a thin cutting wheel because it is what I have. I guess it would depend on the tools at hand.

[RedRanger 1,468]

Cutting wheel on a grinder or a sawzall with metal blade.  Can also use a jig saw with a metal blade.

[PaulC 342]

A thin cutoff wheel on a grinder is definitely the best way to go, easier to use and better control imo. as far as bending steel your best bet is to use 16 gauge because its still thick enough to be tough and hold up on the deck but also thin enough that it can be bent by hand or with various hand tools without using heat. I have done many deck repairs now and that's always what ive used. The latest repair I did was actually for a coworker but its by far the best one ive ever done. Heres a link to the thread I made maybe it can help you out somehow. http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/55878-deck-shell-repair/

Good luck Paul

[DennisThornton 4,769]

Looks like you've put a lot of time into it already so I'm guessing you want to do the best, longest lasting repair that you can.  Take a torch to it, playing the flame over the bare area gently at first and heat while checking for changes in color to small spots.  The good thick area will hold it's color while the thin ready to rust through needing to be patched areas will turn straw and then blue.  You'll have a better idea of how big to make your patch while limiting your work by using the smallest patch possible.  Then make your patch.  Don't cut until you have your patch ready!  Use some heavy paper to make a pattern thinking about how you will make your bends in the sheet.  No point in making a big one piece complicated pattern if you can't bend and make it in sheetmetal.  You might consider doing some of the bending before you cut your patch since you might have more to grip and better leverage.  A vise, pliers, hammer and an anvil, big chunk of steel or pipe will be very handy, but you can use the edge of a workbench or edge of your deck or steps and a length of 2x4 and clamps.  Whatever it takes with whatever you got!  Bend, heat and bend, pound with a backup, block of wood or even sand or dirt.  Then test fit your patch to the still uncut deck.  You can even do a bit of finish shaping using the deck as the backup.  Clamp it in place, hammer, heat the resisting spots and hammer some more.  When you are happy with the patch mark around the edges and cut out the bad area.  Tack weld corners and edges first until it is locked in place hammering out any distortions as you go.  Use a metal dolly or another hammer to support your work from behind.  Then fill in your welds and grind.  If you shaped and hammered well you'll have less work now.  If you didn't then hammer, heat and hammer some more.  Any bad spots are still fixable.

Good luck with it!

Dennis Thornton

[Lane Ranger 11,023]

I use a bench vise and slowly move the flat metal piece upwards.  Using a  hammer  (ball peen is good) or  heavy plier s if bending .   You can shape a round if yu keep going.      The size of the vise does make a difference on the width of the bend  being even and straight.   Worked well for me when I made two muffler silencers our of perforated metal.

 

Edited July 23, 2015 by Lane Ranger

[Digger 66 3,488]

2 pieces of angle-iron in a vice with the stock clamped between them will re-create that sharp fold nicely .
While ( as mentioned above ) a large piece of pipe will aid in forming the curve .

Edited July 23, 2015 by Digger 66

[Sprocket 48]

For those of us that may be handicapped by limited tools and work space, what types of shops might be willing to take on a resto items like a mower deck - applies to hoods, etc - there's a guy near me that specializes in British  cars an probably does a lot of resto work on metal - he's my first stop, the other guy does one-off pieces like water pumps for obscure autos.  Neither one will be cheap but if the quality of work is there I'm willing to provide the business.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[RedRanger 1,468]

By the time you pay a professional to repair, it may be less expensive to look for a used replacement deck.

[DennisThornton 4,769]

I would clamp the flat to the side then heat the plate to form the bend to the deck. I use a small plumbing torch with maps gas.

This is how I did it for our latest deck patch/repair.  I agree.
Also cut out the rotted material and lay the patch flush in the hole.
Weld and grind smooth.

That certainly would be nice ..but the baffle underneath plus my lack of metal working skill combined with the fact there is an external patch on the other side of the deck...

How does one go about cutting out the deck to match the patch???

Indeed overall the deck needs to be strong but not every inch.  That area is strong from the support behind.  If  your metal working skills and tools are limited you could use thinner metal and/or other materials to patch it.  You might use whatever thin metal that you CAN manipulate and just solder or epoxy it on.  Or even skip metal altogether and use fiberglass and resin.  Both would last a season at least or several if you remove all the existing rust.  You could even patch mostly from the inside and have far less cosmetic work from the outside.  Actually if you remove all the rust (tough where that support is welded to the deck shell...) you could do a pretty good looking and lasting repair with no metal at all! Don't even have to remove the damaged section.  In fact, you could leave it to help hold and shape your fiberglass cloth from underneath.  Just epoxy resin (thin resin, not glue!) the cloth to the inside of the shell!  Then just JB weld over the rusted out areas from the outside, sand and paint.

If you are still going to pursue cutting out the area, a high speed cutoff wheel on a 5" grinder (with safety glasses!) is a cheap and usable choice!

[steve k 82]

cut your pattern out of heavy paper to get it right then lay it on your metal and trace it. cut out the new patch, find an area you can weld the patch into place then use a torch to heat it and bend as needed little by little all the while welding more into place.

[Sprocket 48]

Thanks All - I may do a separate topic so as to not hijack this one.  I haven't really gotten to the deck yet, so many other little things on the tractor I want to work on at this point.