[R-390] Dent removal 101

[John Lawson]

On Sun, 3 Jul 2005, Tim Shoppa wrote:

> Any tricks to getting it back and flat?  Hammering it would seem to
> me to just make it thinner.  I think I can get all the screw-holes
> back to where they're supposed to be but I'd prefer to get the metal
> back to the point where, I guess, the back of the radio that nobody
> sees looks nice too :-).

    A judicious application of a very hot propane torch ( or better: MAPP) 
is called for here. you evenly heat just the 'stretched' areas, being 
careful not to actually melt the aluminum....  the surface will change to 
a grey-ish 'grainy' appearance.  If this is done carefully, you will 
observe the metal to shrink back quite a bit. Then go after the dent again 
- being careful not to re-stretch the aluminum again.

    Many times the 'hammer' and 'heat' routines must be repeated.  I am not 
a professional metal worker - but I was shown this technique by one of the 
best vintage auto restorers in the business, and I've gotten it to work 
pretty well.

   The key is "less is more"...

>
> Maybe the next thing I'll try is sandwiching it between some steel
> plate and seeing if I can hammer them into flattening out the aluminum
> sides.
>

   Get a small cloth bag - or large discarded sock - fill with fine sand - 
use that as a backing and 'dead-blow' absorber.  A cheap body-and-fender 
hammer, perhaps a hand-held sheet metal "dolly" will make the job go 
better.  Harbor Frieght has this kind of gear for cheap bux.
Also - I like to do radio-restoration type metalwork using an up-ended 2X4 
or 6X6 as an "anvil".

Cheers

John  KB6SCO