Pulling dents
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Pulling dents
I don't know too much about pulling dents.... but if i heat up the area with a blow dryer, then suction it out, since the metal will be soft now, will work? otherwise i'd love some advice. i want to do most of the prep work myself before it gets painted... just to save some cash. thanks!
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When metal dents it stretches a little. Google metal shrinking. THere is a way to shrink it by heating and cooling. For basic body work though you usually want to pull it cold so that its close to out then finish with filler. If you come too far you will def. Notice and finishing with bonds is pretty standard practice. Metal working is an art.... then come lead... lead working is a lost fine art!
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Originally Posted by tntchitwood
Hair dryer will not get nearly hot enough to "soften" metal. Your best bet is to see if the dent can be pushed back out from the back side of the panel.
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If you use a heat gun... not a hair dryer... you should be able to heat the area up enough to "pop" the dent out with a toilet plunger. However you do need to remember that you are putting a large amount of heat in one area so it's best to do it slowly so you don't damage the paint. Also, getting it hot and then having a plastic bag full of ice wrapped in a towel to place on the heated section once it's heated up enough can work as well as the toilet plunger.
x2 on the google search for metal shrinking.
x2 on the google search for metal shrinking.
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Where exactly is the dent? Heat is a good tool to get dents out, however, if you overheat the area you're working on it will "oil can". That's a whole new can of worms. Metal shrinking/stretching is an art. If you work slowly and try to push the dent out while it's cold,you may get it close to being level. As someone else stated, if you have access to both sides of the panel you can work the dent out with a hammer and dolly.
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Originally Posted by Slick761
I was actually talking about an acetylene torch.
That is a very bad idea. You will warp the hell out of the thin metal... Plus you most likely burn your jeep down.
pieced together on my iPhone using my uber l337 hax skilz.
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Google metal shrinking. My friend does it. It's an art. I wasn't suggesting he do it but professionals do it with a torch.
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When I had a big dent I got behind it hammered it out with some wood. Slapped on some Bondo and was good to go. It wasn't perfect since I didn't keep sanding and bondoing but it's a Jeep, it is supposed to have a few dents.
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