Pick and File dent removal....what do you think?

[Zack1978]

Hi everyone,
I have been taking an auto body course at my local tech school at night to begin the restoration process on my 72 Karmann Ghia. I have a major project ahead, but "ya gotta start somewhere"........
Last night I started working on my new "used" deck lid. The deck lid is rust free, but it has a few dents. I was about to attack the dents with a hammer and dolly, but my teacher stopped me. He instructed me to use the "pick and file" method. He claims with the quality thickness of the KG metal (new meal is so thin!), the pick and file is the best.
I was basically tapping the dent from behind and then running the file over the front. It was interesting because when you first hit it with the file, the paint in the dent does not file off. As you work the dent out more and more paint is removed. I removed two dents and I don't think either dent will need filler. My teacher told me he wants little to no filler on my car....I don't know if that is reality or not however.
Does anyone else use the pick and file method? Is it a good way to go about removing dents in a KG? IS this an "old school" method?


Thanks,
Zack
_________________
1972 Coupe

[CanadianBug]

I pick and file a fair bit on the older stuff IF I can find someone willing to pay for it.
I usually use a long board and some 80 or 120 grit instead of a file throughout the process, using a actual body file only if absolutely needed.
It is old school and as such is a disappearing way of repairing dents. Not too many people are willing to pay someone who takes the time that picking and filing requires. The modern way is to rough it out with a stud gun or hammer and dolly and then a skim of filler.
Truthfully, with both methods, once it's painted, no one will ever be able to tell the difference and if it's done properly, the filler method will last a lifetime.

If you get a good handle on the "proper" way to work metal, every other method is a cake walk.

Mike

[Zack1978]

[CanadianBug]

Sandpaper doesn't remove metal like a file does. Take away too much metal, even from an oldie, and you've got problems.

[racoguy]

I recently learnt bondo free dent removal (or at least 95% bondo free)
by turning an old file into a slapper.
Hoding the dolly on the back of the dent you use the slapper on the front side and with a little pressure on the dolly you slap the metal with the slapper essentially driving the dent out.
If you make a slapper from a file the teeth also allow you to see what and where you are hitting.

Just amazing how easy it is and goes against everything I was told about dent repair techniques.
This video explains it very very well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdLDOkEPFgA
Have fun learning, I did
_________________
https://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Worx/460154187360186

[luckystiff]

you can get very similar results(little to no filler useage) with a shrinking disc in less time. i think the use of shrinking disc is part of the reason you see less pick n file method use today. that and the common smear some filler there theory...ken....
_________________
ITMC
Secret Service

[volksaddict]

What do you do to an old file to make it a body file? I thought a body file was flexible to conform to some of the body rounds. You're not just beating it with a hard old flat bastard file are you?

[Zack1978]

[Zack1978]

Hi everyone,
Well I used the sandpaper on a longboard and it worked reasonably well. I did however create one problem. In one area I assume I picked too much and I have now created a high spot.
The high spot is not noticeable by looking at it, but you can feel it with your hand. There was one spot that seemingly would not come up, so I used too much picking.
So what can I do now? How can I drop the high spot without creating a dent again? What is the best way to attack this problem? I hate screwing things up!


Thanks,
Zack
_________________
1972 Coupe

[djway3474]

watch some of the youtube vids on the shrinking disc very cool stuff on removing high spots