Like most of you, I spend as much time in the garage as possible fixing, tinkering, or upgrading a project car. I currently have two different builds, one of which is fully operational, and I've been enjoying the other just tiptoeing on to local roads to shake down. After finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, I've been wanting to add a few more custom touches.

Typically, I'd spend some time trimming and bending cardboard or chipboard to craft whatever I envisioned, then I'd reach out to a fabricator friend to work his magic and create it for me in aluminum. Lately, however, I've had the urge to make some of my own pieces to save time, quite a bit of money, and take on a new car-related challenge that I can hopefully progress with. With that in mind, I knew Eastwood would be the ideal source for some new DIY tools, as the company was during the height of the stay-at-home period of the pandemic.

Granted, the parts I wanted to make are very simple, but as they say, we all start somewhere. As simple as they are, having absolutely zero experience with metal work means that the learning curve is incredibly steep. YouTube videos, especially those on the Eastwood channel, and combing through some blogs gave me a bit of direction but like most things automotive, I feel like hands-on is the only way to really get a grasp of things.

My first few projects are for a '92 Civic hatchback that I've been piecing together over the last few years. Most of its interior was long gone when I purchased it and I've kept it that way, but atop the door sills, a sharp "pinch" exists and exiting the vehicle from its deep bucket seats requires placing your hand on that section and putting your weight on it to jump out. So, a plate to cover the pinch seemed like a good first project.

Rather than buying top quality aluminum and inevitably destroying it, I headed to a local metal supply outlet and sifted through their remnants section. It's packed with sometimes oddly shaped, usually scratched and scuffed pieces that are much cheaper and readily available. With plans to paint whatever I'd be making, the scratched surfaces were no bother and I picked up two large sheets for just $71. For comparison's sake, shiny new pieces at a similar size would have been $109.

The large sheets would have to be cut down for my needs, and though initially I'd planned to use my die-grinder with cut-off wheel, Eastwood offers a much quieter, cleaner solution with the brand's Electric Cutting Shears. The variable speed trigger commands a zero-to-2,500-rpm operation and the replaceable blades cut through up to 16-gauge steel and aluminum, and 18-gauge stainless steel.

As you make your cut, about a 3/16-inch wide "curly fry" starts to form and lead the cut, so that should be kept in mind during your mockup to make sure that the small gap won't interfere with your design. Adding a drop or two of machine oil before making a cut resulted in ultra-smooth operation. It's not nearly as loud as my die-grinder with cut-off wheel and there are no sparks or random shrapnel to contend with.

Also, if needed, the head of the shears can be rotated in different directions (360 degrees) for a clear sight path if you've got a project that calls for some quirky bends or you're working in a hard-to-reach area.

If you're working with sheet metal there's a good chance that at some point you're going to want to make some precision bends, and that's where Eastwood's Versa Bend Sheet Metal Brake comes in very handy. It's compact, perfect for the home garage that doesn't have space for the free-standing behemoth that you'd find in a fabricator's lair.

There are a set of "feet" on the Versa Bend that allow you to bolt it down to the front edge of a work bench if you choose.

Or, if you're out of space (like me) and need all the work bench surface area, you can simply bolt on the included pedestal that drops right into your vise - like my Eastwood 8-inch Bench Vise. That way you can remove and store it when not in use. It'll take on 20-gauge sheet steel and 18-gauge aluminum, and the front fence is removable for even more flexibility.

With my pieces cut out, I marked the two bends necessary to completely cover the Civic's pinch point after using some chipboard to determine how many degrees would be needed. Placed into the Versa Bend, I was able to make the first bend beyond 90 degrees, and the second bend just under 90 degrees.

The dual actuating rods made the bends effortless and with the adjustment paddles properly tightened down, the crease is entirely uniform across the entire piece.

The two bends allow the piece to go up and over the top of the Civic's pinch weld and completely cover it.

Content with the fit of the door sill garnish, I reached for Eastwood's 1.5-inch Metal Punch and Flaring Die. These are great to have in your garage, as they don't require a press or any specialty tools to make a clean punch and flare quickly and easily in just one pass. They're available in 1.0-2.5-inch applications and will handle up to 14-gauge aluminum.

I marked and drilled five pilot holes at half an inch each—large enough to fit the die bolt through,

Then I added both ends of the die and the supplied washers, and tightened the bolt by hand to snug it up.

I then grabbed my ratchet and started tightening the bolt until the top portion of the die was flush with the panel.

A slight "give" could be felt and I knew it was entirely bottomed out. I then removed the bolt and pulled off both die ends and just like that, the hole was punched and flared. Not only does it clean up the aesthetic, the punch and flair technique will add considerable strength to your project and with 5 dimples added to this thin strip, it became remarkably rigid.

After some light sanding, I added a few coats of wrinkle black to give the piece a little texture. Just to avoid potentially snagging a finger or even a shoelace on the inside edge of the garnish piece, I found these self-adhesive plastic door protectors at my local parts store and they fit perfectly after being cut to length.

To secure it, I drilled 2 holes and used a pair of rivnuts in the door sill after a few trial runs of getting out of the car and insuring it was in the right position to truly serve its purpose.

With both sides complete and the paint dry, the new pieces were bolted down for the final time.

In the rear of the car, where the plastic interior components were removed reveals the inner portion of the quarter panels, and I wanted to make a set of covers to conceal them. They're a bit more involved in that they present an awkward shape and don't sit even from front to back. I found that with the area just behind the front seat belts being raised, I could fit a single panel to cover both openings and wouldn't have to deal with the impossible bend in its center.

Using poster-board, I traced the entire section as best I could, then cut it out and kept trimming until I found the approximate shape I was after. Back to the bench, I traced my template onto the sheet of aluminum and took to the Electric Sheet Metal Cutting Shears once again to trim it out, then set it on top of the second sheet of aluminum to cut a matching panel for the other side.

Rather than having a plain, flat panel, I wanted to add an X-shaped touch to the surface, sort of like what you'd see on an old steel jerry can. This would not only give a personalized look to the plain panel, but add some rigidity to it as well, and Eastwood's Metal Bead Roller is exactly what I needed.

Like the Versa Brake, it is quickly and easily mounted using a standard bench vise. The only requirements are that you mount it high enough to clear the handle and there's enough space behind the tool to run your project through. There are Zerk fittings already installed for future greasing, and the bead roller dies are simple to swap out using the set screws and bolts at the end.

You get an assortment of dies to get you started, and if you need more versatility or you're after a specific style contour, channel, or style line, Eastwood's Bead Roller Metal Fabrication Forming Dies give you a full array of options that will bolt right on to this or any bead roller that uses a 22-mm shaft. This will be the next set of tools I'll be practicing with on their Bead Roller as they offer some incredible flexibility.

The safest approach to maintaining a straight line is to use a solid ink mark on the subject and get down to eye level with that line to make sure I wouldn't be veering left or right.

With my panel in place, I tightened the set screw enough to feel significant pressure on the piece and noted how many turns it took to get there, so that I could do the same on the next few lines I would be doing (2.5 turns in this case).

The action of the lever and the bead rolling process is smooth and, because it's a manual process, you fully control the speed. My issue is that to maintain a straight line (especially with my terrible eyesight), I needed to have my eyes dead even with the die, while simultaneously turning the handle, which is on the other side of the action, and proved to be a tough combo.

Ideally, having someone with me to operate the handle while I controlled the panel would have been a much better scenario, but working late at night while my family and neighbors were sleeping didn't allow for it.

Regardless, I was able to get all 8 passes for both panels and, for a first timer without a second set of hands, I'm satisfied with the result and I expect I'll improve with more experience.

Eastwood also offers an electric Bead Roller Drive System that you can control via foot pedal, which I feel is a better fit for a solo DIY'er and something I think I'd like to have in the arsenal.

After adding four additional touches with the Punch and Flare kit before a light sanding and a few coats of trim black, I bolted in the panels and am pleased with the finished product. Usually, I would get something like this powder coated but I'll likely take another stab at this as I practice and improve over time. Truth be told, I never would have even attempted any of this if not for Eastwood's user-friendly lineup.

With plenty of scrap metal leftover, I decided to make a few more items. This license plate bracket was the result of 2 quick passes in the Versa Bend and a line of holes that I drilled before adding a few coats of paint, then going back over the holes with a countersink bit.

And since I didn't bother with a stereo or speakers for this build, a Bluetooth speaker provides a little entertainment on the road. Using the Versa Bend to make a trio of 90 degree bends and the 1-inch Punch and Flare to make ports for the speakers, I added a pair of magnets to the top and it attaches firmly to the roof rather than rolling around in the cabin.

These latest tools are in addition to a variety of garage goods I picked up from Eastwood back in 2020, and they've continually been put to the test without issue. So, what are you waiting for? Trust me when I tell you that if I can do it, you can do it so much better.