When repairing dents, the first task is to stretch the deformed surface in order to bring it to the level of the original. It makes no sense to try to achieve a 100% match with the original - it is still impossible due to the violation of the internal structure of the panel metal upon impact. It is optimal to bring the level of the indented surface to a level approximately 3 mm below the surface of the surrounding undamaged area of the body panel. If the dent is very shallow, pulling it out does not make sense at all.
1. In the case when the concave area can be reached from the back of the panel, you should try to straighten the dent from the inside with blows from a soft-faced hammer.
2. When tapping a dent, press a wooden mallet firmly against the face of the dent to dampen the momentum of the blow to avoid excessive buckling of the deformed panel metal.
If the indentation occurs in the two-ply section of the panel, or if it cannot be accessed from the back for any other reason, a different pulling technique must be used.
1. Drill a few small holes into the concave section of the panel, making sure that they are in the deepest areas of the dent.
2. Then screw long self-tapping screws into the holes, leaving their heads sticking out just enough to grab onto with tongs.
3. Now start pulling out the dent with tongs behind the screws.
4. In the next stage of treatment, the dents should be removed from the damaged surface and in an area approximately 3 cm wide around it. This work is best done with a wire nozzle or a sanding disc installed in an electric drill chuck, but manual sanding is no less effective.
5. The final step in preparing for puttying is to scratch the exposed metal of the dent with a screwdriver or a piece of file, or drill small holes in it to ensure maximum adhesion of the putty to the metal surface.
6. Next, you can proceed to the implementation of the procedures of puttying and painting (see Puttying and painting).
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