My Willys 3A and 3B Community

3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: CJJay on March 09, 2012, 12:36:27 AM

Title: welting
Post by: CJJay on March 09, 2012, 12:36:27 AM: any one have a way to compress the fasteners used to hold down thw grill welting?
Title: Re: welting
Post by: bretto on March 09, 2012, 06:30:14 AM: (http://walcks4wd.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/0b1c152f68462788b4bdd76719267de2/t/o/tool01.jpg)
http://walcks4wd.com/rivit-crimp-tool.html
http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/grill-welt-rivets_topic20671.html?KW=rivets
http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/my-journey-with-a-46_topic16378_post137588.html?KW=tool#137588
Title: Re: welting
Post by: athawk11 on March 09, 2012, 10:21:47 AM: CJ,

You don't need to buy a $30.00 tool. A vise grip and a large flat screw driver will do the trick.

Poke the hole through the welt.

Insert the rivet. Catch the underside edge of the of the grill with the vise grip (use some padding if freshly painted) and with leverage, press the rivet top with the othe jaw of the vise grip.

Hold this position while you use a large standard screw diver to spread the rivet open as much as you can. Once the rivet is slightly spread, use the vise grip to finish the crimp.

I had a freshly painted grill. Not wanting to scratch it up, I brought it inside, set up on a carpet and a blanket for extra protection.

It's a little tricky, but once you get the routine down, it will go pretty quick.

Tim
Title: Re: welting
Post by: garage gnome on March 09, 2012, 01:05:14 PM: I too did what Tim said on my '53.
Title: Re: welting
Post by: Jesse on March 10, 2012, 01:54:42 AM: I took a set of those pliers with the slot to open them up a notch and added weld to each side of the jaws. This way the throat of them was open enough to clear the sheet metal but they still pinched fully closed.

-Jesse
Title: Re: welting
Post by: macrisel on March 12, 2012, 11:38:47 AM: Tim describes the procedure very well. The only other thing I did was take a nail, heat it with a small MAPP torch and then use that to burn a hole through the welting. That leaves a clean hole with sealed edges so it won't fray.

Start "riveting" at one end and work your way to the other keeping the welting pulled tight and straight and trim off the excess. It's not a hard procedure, but it does take a little time and patience.
Title: Re: welting
Post by: athawk11 on March 12, 2012, 11:44:59 AM: Oooh, I like Macs idea. The fraying was a concern for me when I was cutting a slot for the rivet. That welting is pretty tough.

Tim
Title: Re: welting
Post by: Ryan_M on July 03, 2012, 11:17:41 PM: Macrisel & Athawk - I just installed my grille and the welting tonight. Thanks to your advice in this post it actually came out the way I intended. The hot nail trick and the vice grips are critical. Who knows what kind of disaster it would have turned into if left to my own ingenuity. Thanks guys!

(http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z403/rmurdock2121/51%20Willys%20Jeep%20CJ3A%20Rehab/DSCN0276.jpg)
Title: Re: welting
Post by: athawk11 on July 03, 2012, 11:43:58 PM: Very nice Ryan. ï¿½ ï¿½8-) 8-) ï¿½Looks perfect. There is something very personally satisfying when completing these tasks. ï¿½If you're like me, ï¿½I just stared at my grille all night once I got to this point. ï¿½

Have I said how much I like that gray?

Tim
Title: Re: welting
Post by: Ryan_M on July 04, 2012, 06:36:39 AM: Quote
Very nice Ryan. ï¿½ ï¿½8-) 8-) ï¿½Looks perfect. There is something very personally satisfying when completing these tasks. ï¿½If you're like me, ï¿½I just stared at my grille all night once I got to this point. ï¿½

Have I said how much I like that gray?

Tim

I like the gray too...but after one of your other posts now I REALLY hate my radiator cap.
Title: Re: welting
Post by: macrisel on July 06, 2012, 12:52:55 PM: Looks great! More power to the shade tree mechanic!