How to use a swager to shape sheet steel

Master this capable tool to make repair panels for your classic

Aswager is a brilliant tool for shaping sheet metal. It will allow you to quickly and easily reproduce the strengthening ribs, creases, flanges and folds stamped into panels at the factory. It expands the scope of what you can achieve and makes fast work of jobs that would take hours with a hammer and dolly.

Cheap swagers from the Far East are available for as little as £160, including some basic pairs of dies. Mixing and matching these dies will allow you to carry out a wide range of metal-shaping activities. Adding an old skateboard wheel to the mix adds a whole new dimension to what’s achievable, regardless of whether you’re on a budget. Investing in a few specialist dies will allow you to do even more. There are various companies selling pairs and kits for general and specific jobs, priced from around £65 a pair. If you have a lathe to hand, you can even make your own.

This feature will show you how to perform a selection of swaging tasks that are invaluable when making classic car panels and repair sections. Cheap swagers are perfectly usable straight out of the box – but they can be easily upgraded to become faster, easier to use and more versatile. We demonstrated a few DIY improvements in the November issue of Practical Classics. The swager we’re using here is a £160 item that sports these improvements, but the processes are equally applicable to a bogstandard machine.