The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Absolute Basic Body Work With Hammer

I just punched out the roof of the 1951 4400, and it filled me with enthusiasm! A few taps with the palm of my hand and the 'swimming pool' is gone, and now sanded and primered.

But . . . I have some creases in the sheet metal of both trucks, and I don't think they will pop out.
195? 1 Ton Dump (Dumpy)
1951 4400 \'Grey Goose\'

These trucks are not going to be restored. Instead, I plan to make them comfortable for me, while keeping them as restorable as possible. (No Mustang II IFS or Nova clips. No Cadillac 500 engines or TH-400 trannys.)

Now, I've read that, to fix a 'crease', you start from the edges and work inwards with a flat 'dolly'. I'm not sure I understand. Does the dolly go on the high point, or low point of the crease, or on the other side where the crease would be on the hammer side.

That's really vague and I wish I could provide a picture. Basically, does the dolly bridge the crease, or is it held up against the tip of the crease?

I sure hope someone knowledgeable can decipher that because I don't have a clue.

Maybe not the answer you were hoping to get but these links might provide some inforrmation...Eric

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2093955818

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2103083895

If you do a search for the user name of sevtchevelle on youtube you will find several videos showing hammer and dolly work.

Popping out an "oil can" on a roof panel has nothing in common with fixing creases and dented sheetmetal.

Metal finishing at this level isn't something where you go out and buy some hammers and dollies and then it all magically happens like these pictures and videos, it's a skill that takes years to master and these guys are obviously pros.

If you don't know what you're doing you can do a lot more damage than good and wind up with a part that won't even fit back on your vehicle.

Proceed with caution.

Yep ya can distort things beyond recocnition in no time ...if ya dont go slow , the point of MORE or LESS isnt much ..do some read up an do some PRACTICE panels ...just take a pc of sheet metal , rivet it to a frame made of welded up angle iron ...SMACK THAT SUCKER an then fix it ....it will give you more knowlege in a few hrs than a months worth a readin ever will ??? .that is how my Vo-Tech teacher started us out ...you built a nice panel then he would come bye an smash it with a pipe ...an say OK GO FOR IT ...as far as fixin it .

Eric/sevt_chevelle, Thanks for posting your links and taking the time to document this sort of stuff online. I enjoyed looking through your pictures and videos and hope to do some metal work when I get to working on my truck's body.

Sevt,
Just saw your youtube vids. Thank you very much.

Yeah Eric, I looked at those videos on U tube and it convinced me to take my stuff to a pro.

Thanks for the kind words guys.



Doing this type of work really isnt that hard. The links to the pictures and videos show nothing more then some basic methods of using hand tools to achieve a surface that requires no body filler.
Even if your goal is not one of no filler using those techniques will greatly reduce your filler work and in the long run make a better product.

All it really requires is the willingness to try...Eric

But to answer the original question, without seeing the damage I would take this approach.
[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc358365c47a5b1e8d9ce6a72452beb94/ea387981.jpg[/img]

Place the dolly on the low areas of the dent and push up on the dolly. Then with the hammer lightly tap the surrounding high ridge that surrounds the dent.
This is called hammer OFF dolly and you dont hit the hammer directly on the dolly.

A good beginners book is "The Key to Metal Bumping" by Frank T. Sargent. It's very basic and has old illustrations that may not always apply to today's vehicles, but sure apply to our old trucks.It won't make you a pro body man, but may get you started. I got mine from Eastwood.

SEVT:
That is the first time I have really understood exactly how a dolly works. Many times those trying to instruct are not detailed enough. They fail to explain exactly where the dolly is placed and where the hammer hits. It would be helpful to mention how hard to strike with the hammer. I tend to be a little rambunctious.