Tapping, slapping, shrinking, stretching, bumping and bending.....

[b5blue]

I'm at a point on my body work I wish understood how to do all of these correctly and what tools are best. 
Anyone care to enlighten me?

[elitecustombody]

Every tool has it's purpose,so it's not about what tools are best. It's using right tool to complete specific task.Metal working tools can get expensive quick,but even with few simple hand tools ,shrinking disc and right approach magic can happen . I suggest searching youtube for ideas . 

[Dino]

I tried using a shrinking disc once and didn't know how to really use it.  Apparently it was much easier than I thought it would be.  I'm old school so I use a torch to heat a small spot, there where the metal is stretched the most, quickly get a planing hammer and dolly and hammer the metal to the center of the hotspot, then do a fast cooldown.  To stretch just place the dolly right under the hammer and plane away, the metal will gradually stretch.

I have a few good books on metal working but nowadays you can find all this stuff online.  

If you really really want to learn how to manipulate metal then lookup how to create a bowl out of a straight sheet.  You'll need a shot bag and mallet to do so, something you don't need for anything but fabricating but it's a damn good way to get your feet wet.

Metal work is not as hard as most people think.  As elite said, the right tool for the right job.  Don't get any fancy tools, all you really need to start is a few good hammers, dollies and spoons.  Do get the good stuff so you'll never have to buy a set again.  Troy has a great dent set but I can't remeber where he got it.  Eastwood maybe?

The big secret to any job is this: know the theory before you attempt the job.  When you know how metal reacts and you know the theory behind shaping, then you can learn how to do it.  If you start by hammering away without knowing what the goal is then start with bying bondo in bulk!
The best example is removing a big dent.  Most people will plant the hammer right in the center of the dent and that is wrong wrong wrong!  Try to envision how the dent got there.  The deepest spot in the center is the point of impact and the first part to move, the shallow depressions at the edge were put in last so you have to reverse this by gently tapping the outsides and moving inwards.  This is crucial to avoid the typical 'mountain in the valley' effect.  I always start by looking at the dent and in my mind seeing the accident happen in slow motion, then you can go backwards in time and you can clearly see what needs to happen.

As always, post the issue at hand with some pics so we can guide you through it.  Once you have a few techniques down you'll be golden.  And don't worry about making a mistake, Charger steel is pretty forgiving.

[b5blue]

  Door dings and light dents had me wondering mostly. I see members here doing fantastic repairs, amazing work and drop dead gorgeous finishes. As I uncover 33 yrs of old paint and body repairs my buddy did, most is not as bad as I thought it may be. Seeing shops near me with "Paintless-dent-repair" signs all just had me wishing I had time to learn and money to fix and fab like you bad boy body guys do!
  I see books and video on it and watched a bunch of YouTube but came here for trusted advise to do what I can.
Thanks! 

[Dino]

Paintl;ess dent repair is an artform but it won't work on the thick steel of a charger, not all of them anyway.  The newer cars have tissue paper for panels so it's very easy to get them out.

Get in there from behind and gently tap them back and again work from the outside of the dent inward and you'll be fine.
BTW it is ok to bump them out a tiny bit too far and drive them back with a planing hammer, you'll get great results.  The paintless guys do the same thing but use rigid nylon  hammers and stick to tap the bumps back.  Then a little sand and polish and done.

[b5blue]

What's a planing hammer?  (I'll Google it...) (I don't know S--T!!    )

[Bobs69]

Tapping, slapping, shrinking, stretching, bumping and bending..... 


oh crap.................. it's about auto body work.

[twodko]

Tapping, slapping, shrinking, stretching, bumping and bending..... 


oh crap.................. it's about auto body work.

Ya see what I'm sayin'? I had expectations dammit.

[b5blue]

I glad I didn't include swelling, grinding, poking, squeezing, pounding and licking!     I'd had a bunch more worthless reply's!   
  You guys gotta get out more! 

[Bobs69]

If you really really want to learn how to manipulate metal then lookup how to create a bowl out of a straight sheet.  You'll need a shot bag and mallet to do so, something you don't need for anything but fabricating but it's a damn good way to get your feet wet.

Is it safe to assume that this project would be pushing a straight piece of metal to its extreme?  And if you are able to do it a dent shouldn't be so hard? 

Again, I'll assume Harbour frieght or Eastwood is the place to get the shot bag?

[Troy]

In regards to the reference to my tools above, I was looking at Eastwood's "Professional" hammer and dolly set but ended up getting a bundled "set" of Martin tools (plus a few individual ones to round it out) from a vendor on eBay. They are really nice tools. The set was way cheaper than the individual prices but I think it was still a bit over $400. The Eastwood kit was around $200 I think and their cheaper set is about half that I believe. The Harbor Freight $20 hammer and dolly kit is pretty useless - although I used it initially for some small dents and it was fine.

Troy

[Dino]

If you really really want to learn how to manipulate metal then lookup how to create a bowl out of a straight sheet.  You'll need a shot bag and mallet to do so, something you don't need for anything but fabricating but it's a damn good way to get your feet wet.

Is it safe to assume that this project would be pushing a straight piece of metal to its extreme?  And if you are able to do it a dent shouldn't be so hard? 

Again, I'll assume Harbour frieght or Eastwood is the place to get the shot bag?

Any good metal supply shop will have the shot bag and mallets.  There's not a whole lot that can be wrong with these except for some lousy stitching on the bag maybe so if HF has them for cheap go for it.

You will indeed be pushing that metal to certain limits and that is exactly the point so you, as the manipulator, can see what goes and what doesn't.

Once you know how metal reacts then you not only will know how to remove a dent but you will also start to find out why frames are built the way they are or how a crumpled fender may be saved or is too far gone.

One of the things with body panels or skins is that many people think they need to be perfectly flat but they are not.  A perfectly flat piece of metal has very little rigidity to it, it wobbles real easily.  A seemingly flay door panel always has a crown to it, this gives it much of its strength.  When you use a longblock to sand a panel you know it is there and so you do not try to force it any flatter because that would ruin the panel.   

You have all seen the 18 wheelers with the long trailers and it's real easy to see that crown in the trailers platform when you sneak up on them.  If it was totally flat, the weight of the freight would bend it down.  Same theories apply in car building.

[Dino]

Martin tools  They are really nice tools.

 

[vancamp]

Paintl;ess dent repair is an artform but it won't work on the thick steel of a charger, not all of them anyway.  The newer cars have tissue paper for panels so it's very easy to get them out.

yes Paintless will work on the older cars i have repaired many the oldest being  a 1941 hudson yes it was tough but did repair, the 60s cars are not that hard to do metal work on. I have a facebook page for my business that shows some of the newer and old cars i have repaired.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/VanCamp-Dent-Systems/327735687443