I hope this is the forum section for this first post.

I'm trying to learn how to do basic body work on a 1965 Volvo. The body panels are about 18 gauge, I think, so it mostly hammer and dolly stuff with lots of elbow grease and learning. I have questions about the proper techniques to move metal with hammers and dollys and not just banging things into place. I've read the classic book " The key to metal bumping" but, being a rather old book, it was lacking in examples. I have a set of Martin tools, but using them properly is my goal.

Is this the right place to start a hammer and dolly 101 topic?

I can post pictures of before and after to show what I've done so far, if that helps.

Metal bumping is kind of like painting, and welding, here in this field. You can learn the basics in an hour or 2, and then take years to perfect the craft!
If you've read Sargent's book, you know the theory. Best thing is to pick up an old fender, and fix the dents. Make more, and fix them. Unfortunately, the videos I've seen on YouTube, the guys showing hammer and dolly, are usually quite backyard, even hack. The better ones, wind up showing you how to do it with exotic, expensive power tools (Yoder, English Wheel). There was an English guy on the HAMB, who sold a DVD that really was good with the basics of metalworking. Using just hand tools. Can't remember his name, though.

http://metalshapingzone.com

Read this Sticky Post as well: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18781

I'd never done it before, then watched a couple of youtubes, and now I'm an expert LOL It really did come out well. If I was to give any advice I'd say take your time and go slow on some practice metal. And most of all have fun.

The one web page listed above is closed down. I read the sticky post. I got some tips from it. I think one thing that made my first project tough is that the dent was rather pronounced. I think the rear bumper got bashed into the body panel below the trunk lid. The old Volvo has pretty stout steel and the take it easy and go slow method was not going to be one of those , " Release the stress on the panel by pushing out with the dolly and tap around the ridges. " types of situation. Nothing was going to pop back into shape with this dent.

I did start out with a lower front valance from a Triumph GT6 as practice. Once I thought I had a feel of how to tap and push, I started out on the back of the Volvo. I will keep trying to find some examples of how to use the dolly both on and off, and try to learn when to use each technique.

The whole time I was beating on the panel, I figured someone who knew how would have been done in a 1/10th of the time, or just cut out the section of the panel and welded a section back in. I bought a MIG welder, but haven't had a chance to learn how to use it.

Panel beating DOES take time. Nothing fast about beating metal into submission. I spent almost an hour on a Mazda Miata fender, with a minor hit, just a couple days ago. Adn that's really thin metal. I did start by using a 2 x 4 to pop out the shallow dent, before tackling the ridges. And I've fixed cars from the 40's sheet metal with the same techniques, and hammers. Much thicker steel than a Volvo.
As for cutting it out and welding it? Just wait to see what a MIG welder does to a panel when you weld it! Talk about frustrating hammer and dolly work!

I have been learning on a door for my 1968 Plymouth GTX.

Started by block sanding the existing paint to see what condition the door was really in.


You can easily see the door has bare metal showing in spots and different depths of lows based on the paint remaining.

After two days of hammer and dolly work I got it pretty close.


Blue Dykem can be used in troublesome areas and I found a shrinking disc to be invaluable.

"Just wait to see what a MIG welder does to a panel when you weld it! "

I've read that doing lots of small tack welds spaced all around the piece being welded so you avoid over heating it, is the way to go. And getting the welder set correctly for the gauge of metal, of course.

Here is a quick before and after, so far...







The hard part is the car is rather round and so the back end curves left to right and up and down. I made a small cardboard template at the far left end, which the dent didn't reach, but getting the right crown in both directions and pushed out far enough has been tough.