Sometimes, the best lesson you can learn is how to properly use a tool. Tools are made to make us better and more efficient in the tasks we perform. For example, you're not going to try removing a lug nut with a 1/4-inch ratchet. The same thing goes for bodyworking tools; if you know what to use and when to use it, you'll receive a much better return on your investment of both time and money. You'll get better results, faster, and they will stand the test of time. Because this is our paint and body special, we thought it would be the perfect time to teach a lesson on how to identify dents, and what tools to use to remove them. After that, we'll show you how to mix and spread filler, and then which blocks and paper to use to make it straight. We'll also cover the different primers and when to use a sealer over a high build.
To gather the information, we hooked up with a few different body shops in our travels, including Marcel Venable, from Venable Koncepts,who we put to work for most of this. We also spoke with the fine people at Hutchins All American Profinishers, makers of budget-minded hand-sanding blocks and high performance pneumatic sanders.
These are just the basics, so don't assume you will be able to open a body shop after reading this, but at least you should know what tool to use on a given application and how to use it. So, if you have a minitruck that has a few dents and you have the time and patience to practice, this story is exactly what you need. If you are still leery about taking a block to your ride, this will at least show you what body guys go through and why they charge the price they do. After all, some things are best left to the pros. Bodywork is a very taxing type of job and will have you covered in dust the whole time, but there's always some satisfaction in doing it yourself. Start out small with the hand blocks, and if you want to do more, then step up to the air tools. Either way, the tools are cheaper than some body-shop bills.
1. The first thing to do...
1. The first thing to do is to find out what kind of dent is in the panel, and what is lurking underneath the paint. To do this, you can use a flat board-for the non-air compressor people-or use a Dual Action (DA) sander for those with air. By using 80-grit sandpaper, start sanding the panel, if bare metal shows through at the same time, then the panel is pretty straight and shouldn't need more than a few coats of high-build primer. If you unearth bare metal quickly in one small area, then that is a high spot. If you have to use the edge of the sander to dig out the paint of an area, then that is a low spot. If you unearth a bunch of little holes, then that is rust and will need to be cut out and replaced.
2.
3. If you find this under...
3. If you find this under your paint, then you're pretty much screwed because it's not an easy fix. This area must be cut out and replaced.
4. This is a low spot. As...
4. This is a low spot. As you can see, the paint stays in the dented sheetmetal. You can tip the sander up and dig the paint out, but this is exactly what you're trying to find.
5. This is a high spot. These...
5. This is a high spot. These will show up relatively fast while sanding. When you find one, stop sanding because you'll shave away precious metal.
6. Here are two basic hammers...
6. Here are two basic hammers and dollies you'll need to manipulate the metal. The faces of both hammers are flat. However, on the other end, one is a pick designed to provide excellent balance for close-in work. While the other is a chisel for work on hard-line areas like body lines or the front edge of a hood. The dollies are used to back up the hammer and come in different shapes.
7. Here is a look at two...
7. Here is a look at two little dents. You want to place the dolly on the low side of the dent and hammer down the high side.
8. Don't try and pound the...
8. Don't try and pound the dent out in one monster blow, just hit it with a medium swing a few times. You'll know when the dent is pounded out because the tone of the hammer blow will change when the sheetmetal and the dolly are flat against one another.
9. Now that you have a few...
9. Now that you have a few little dings out, let's go over welding up the holes. The first thing you need to do-before welding-is to get all of the paint off the area to be filled. One of these air grinders fitted with an 80-grit Roloc will make quick work of that task.