Body Shop Tips & Tricks |
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otto
Member Joined: 26 Feb. 2012 Location: Orygun Status: Offline Points: 2267 |
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Posted: 01 Feb. 2021 at 2:14am |
I asked viewers in my project thread if there was any interest in tips/instruction for body/paint topics. There were a few responses to my question, so I may attempt this to see how it goes. I am a former body/paint technician who worked in collision shops for a number of years and although not employed in this field any longer (thank god!), this knowledge shouldn’t go to waste and could potentially help someone save some time and/or money or more importantly aggravation. Purpose: not to turn anyone into a body/paint professional, just some helpful advice/problem solving assistance. What I’m envisioning is a forum discussion where we could discuss/debate/argue tools & equipment, techniques, products, procedures, etc., as much as you like. I’ve seen a lot of sketchy practices on the internet and have shouted “what the %#*& are you doing that for?!” at the screen more than once. Is there an interest in this? |
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47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A 64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle! |
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General Eisenhower
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 24 Aug. 2018 Location: DE Status: Offline Points: 1700 |
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I have an interest sure. I dont have many metal shaping tools, so most things I contact out, to people that know metal and welding.
I have a panel above the rear fender that should be straight, and it kinda isnt, so I'm trying to figure that out
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I Like Ike!
1948 CJ2a "Hefty Horse" 1994 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 2016 Jeep JKU 75th anniversary edition |
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TateC
Member Joined: 23 Feb. 2018 Location: SLC, Utah Status: Offline Points: 510 |
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I would also be interested, especially in metal shrinking and dent removal.
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Tate Christensen
1941 Ford GP #9687 1943 Willys MB #263100 1944 Ford GPW #234613 1945 Willys CJ2A #10226 |
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Michaeltru
Member Sponsor Member x 3 Joined: 22 Oct. 2012 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 988 |
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Definitely interested. Thanks
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Mike in AZ
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JeepFever
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 07 Aug. 2012 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 2753 |
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Interested
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bight
Member Sponsor Member x 2 Joined: 20 Aug. 2020 Location: mid coast maine Status: Offline Points: 1689 |
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+1
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CJ-2A 72586 tan (stock)
CJ-2A 197624 green (resto-mod) the wife abides (def: to bear patiently; TOLERATE) |
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JohnB
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 01 June 2014 Location: Saint Louis, MO Status: Offline Points: 393 |
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Always looking for help to achieve a better job and not spend any more than necessary to get there.
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nofender
Member Sponsor Member x 3 Joined: 10 May 2016 Location: Maryland Status: Offline Points: 2035 |
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interested for sure! what I have done up to this point has come out ok. But I'm certain there are things I don't know that could give me even better results. This is handy as I'm about to paint my CJ5 project!
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46 CJ2a rockcrawler
46 CJ2a - 26819 46 Bantam T3c "4366" 47 Bantam T3C - 11800 68-ish CJ5 |
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WKWillys
Member Joined: 23 Jan. 2018 Location: State College Status: Offline Points: 210 |
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Interested, absolutely!
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'48 CJ2a "Snakeskin"
'50 M38 "Thunder from Heaven" '52 M38a1 "Patina" '47 T3c '48 T3c '52 M100 |
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willyt
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 31 July 2018 Location: Seneca,SC Status: Offline Points: 517 |
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Yes sir! I would be interested in learning very basic body repair. How about how to finish body putty without wavy lines? Basic tools and technique.
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1952 CJ3A (Lil'Green)
early M38A1(Ole Green) 1970 Jeepster Commando |
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dasvis
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 07 Sep. 2019 Location: Salem, Oregon Status: Offline Points: 1550 |
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IN.
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1947 CJ2A #88659 "Rat Patrol"
1953 CJ3A #453-GB1 11266 "Black Beauty" 1964 Thunderbird convertible ..... & one of them moves under it's own power!! |
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Buckeye
Member Joined: 03 Dec. 2009 Location: MN/OH/MI Status: Offline Points: 496 |
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+1
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1946 CJ2A #21766
1946 CJ2A #31484 Retired US Army Chief Warrant Officer |
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drm101
Member Joined: 12 Dec. 2012 Location: Clarkston, MI Status: Offline Points: 1471 |
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+1 here!
I painted mine, and it turned out ok but I have a lot to learn, including patience. I spent a bunch of time at the body shop down my street watching them straighten out my Nova and then paint it. I learned mainly that body work is an art, processes are critical, and getting a car straight enough to paint is time consuming.
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Dean
'47 CJ2A "Ron" '66 CJ5 "Buckie" The less the Power the More the Force |
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otto
Member Joined: 26 Feb. 2012 Location: Orygun Status: Offline Points: 2267 |
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OK then, I will put some stuff together and post it up. Hopefully it will be helpful.
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47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A 64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle! |
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otto
Member Joined: 26 Feb. 2012 Location: Orygun Status: Offline Points: 2267 |
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It might be good to start with a discussion of the “tools of the trade” and a tour through my toolbox, feel free to chime in. Let’s start with these. Most people have two already and are the most valuable tools you can get. In addition to obviously handling tools, hands can help “see” a panel by detecting where the highs and lows are. Use the whole hand on the panel flat; don’t just feel with your fingers. Some struggle with this but it can be learned, some folks find it easier using a rag between the panel and their hand or maybe gloves. You can confirm what you’re feeling by using a file or guide coat until you master this. Hammers- my collection: a mix of Proto and Snap-On hammers, from left to right: SO BF 617, SO BF 608, Proto 1427, Proto 1426, SO BF 611 and a 3 lb sledge. Proto hammers aren’t made anymore which is a shame; they’re excellent, Snap-On hammers are very good also. Both have an octagonal shaped handle and superb balance; important for accuracy or if you’re swinging one for hours. I have tried other brands of hammers but found these to be the best for my use. The SO BF 617 is marketed as a “shrinking” hammer which I think is a gimmick, it really doesn’t shrink anything, it may be more of an anti- stretching hammer because of the waffle face. I don’t really reach for it much and don’t use it for shrinking metal. The two that I use the most are the SO BF 608 and the Proto 1427 followed by the SO BF 611. The Proto 1426 has its uses, mostly for door skins and because of its longer head you can reach inside panels better. I broke the handle on this one right after I got it and it wore tape around the handle for years. A genuine Proto handle is hard to find nowadays so a few years ago I modified another handle to fit. Snap-On handles are still available and could be modified for a Proto. I did break the handle on the BF 608 trying to use it like a claw hammer (stupid!) and broke its handle, so I just shortened it. All these hammers have a crown or curvature on their faces, none of these have a flat face which will create dents (smiles) if the hammer is not swung perfectly. I don’t recommend flat faced hammers at all- if you have one, grind or sand the face to put a crown into it. |
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47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A 64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle! |
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otto
Member Joined: 26 Feb. 2012 Location: Orygun Status: Offline Points: 2267 |
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Dollies: just two. There are many sizes and shapes of dollies out there, but I got by with these two. I remember buying them but don’t even remember what brand these were, they may be both Stream Lines. I also have a steel block that has 90 degree corners, it’s useful for flat things and corners/flanges. |
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47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A 64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle! |
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mullen46cj2a
Member Sponsor Member x 2 Joined: 19 July 2005 Location: Harrisville, WV Status: Offline Points: 1185 |
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Looking forward to the next installment.
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Bruce Mullen Harrisville, WV
46 CJ2A column shift SOLD 07-15 48 CJ2A with Newgren lift 55 CJ5 |
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otto
Member Joined: 26 Feb. 2012 Location: Orygun Status: Offline Points: 2267 |
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(left) Body File: used for doing real metal work, known as metal finishing (working the metal to remove dents without filler) or pick & filing. This file is flat & straight although there are curved and adjustable versions. Jeeps have thick enough metal to perform metal finishing so if you can successfully do this, you can consider yourself a true craftsman. The instructors I had in trade school were older guys in their 60s back in the early 1980s and were old school metal men who taught us this black art and it took a while to get the hang of it. But it paid off later when I would get new panels that had shipping dents in them and it was faster to fix them this way than using filler. (center) This is a slapping file; it has a knurled surface much like a file and will “grab” metal when striking a panel. The file surface also acts like the shrinking hammer’s face in that it is less likely to stretch the metal when struck. It works best with a dolly, and it’s broader surface spreads the impact out over a larger area. The file is useful for ironing out folded up metal quickly, but not generally used for finish work. (right) A “spoon” is similar to a slapping file but is smooth and is struck with a hammer. It is useful for spreading out the impact of the hammer blows without leaving marks from the hammer- think a roof where someone sat or stood on it and it left a ridge. You can work the ridges down quite nicely and minimize the amount of work to straighten the panel. No discussion of body shop tools would be complete without talking about pneumatic tools, so here are some common body shop ones. Starting with one of my favorites; the panel cutter or air chisel. This is Snap-on’s long barrel model and it kicks ass! When replacing panels in a flat-rate situation, we would cut off as much metal as possible as fast as possible-this tool got it done. It does other things too, like cause tinnitus. Let’s talk sanders. (left) Air board or straight-line sander: self explanatory; used for flat panels or panels curved on one axis. Keep this tool moving or it will plug up the sandpaper and/or dig a ditch (like sanding hardwood floors). (left center) 8” gear driven sander, sometimes called a “mud hog”; works in an oscillating fashion in one direction only. Works awesome for knocking down large areas of filler; does not work in a dual action manner. This is a National Detroit model 900, made in the USA- super high quality.
(right) Next are DAs (dual action); both National Detroits also- the red one is a DAQ (for quiet) and the other is the old-school DA model. DAs are feather edging tools and not sanders! The collar on the tool’s shaft is machined so there is a not-quite 90 degree relationship between the pad and the air motor’s shaft. The pad wobbles while it turns on a bearing in either direction, hence the name “dual action”. Sanders will have the pad at 90 degrees to the tools shaft. Using a DA as a sander will result in less than stellar results. Be careful how much you oil air tools when doing body work; just a few drops so they don’t spray oil all over your project. |
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47 CJ2A w/fuel injected boat engine
48 CJ2A 64 Ford Econoline Travelwagon If you can't get there in a Jeep, get a motorcycle! |
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