Body hammers and dollies

[signcrafter]

I'm slowly sticking my toes into some body work. I've got a truck with some dents and I ended up borrowing a stud gun from a friend. But thinking I should get a set of body hammers and dollies to use in the areas I can get behind and also in some youtube videos I have been watching they use a body hammer along with a stud gun so you're not just pulling the dent out. They use it to give some taps around the dent as you're pulling on the pins.

This adventure into body work can get real expensive real quick with all the sand paper and primer and filler and other tools so I'm going to have to be selective on what I buy.

With that said is a body hammer a body hammer? I mean will the HF set work as long as the faces are ground decent? Or will the better quality ones work better for some reason? I understand Martin or others would be better and if I used them everyday would be worth it but I don't and won't and if I end up using them a lot I can always upgrade. And let's face it, I think this is one area where the lack of skilled user is going to be the main factor over which hammer the user is using! The HF set is 30 bucks so 24 after coupon. Fits my price range and seems like a decent kit and gets good reviews. Looks like the same kit is sold under all sorts of names also. Anyone have the HF kit? Is there something else in this price range I should be looking at? Or is this a tool where I should spend the extra money? Maybe buy one or two martin hammers instead of the HF kit? Any suggestions?

 

[nine4gmc]

I have the HF set and have had no issues with it. I used it for a few auto repairs and lots of metal box/cabinet repairs. Professional hammers may be better but I am not up to that skill level so I get by with my cheapo hammers. If I did it for a living, I would take it more serious and buy the better tools. jmo.

 

[signcrafter]

I have the HF set and have had no issues with it. I used it for a few auto repairs and lots of metal box/cabinet repairs. Professional hammers may be better but I am not up to that skill level so I get by with my cheapo hammers. If I did it for a living, I would take it more serious and buy the better tools. jmo.

That is pretty much my thoughts. I didn't think a 100 dollar hammer would do any better job then the HF 5 dollar hammer since my skills will be lacking no matter what hammer I have in hand. Glad to hear.

 

[ZRX61]

This adventure into body work can get real expensive real quick with all the sand paper and primer and filler and other tools so I'm going to have to be selective on what I buy.

The better you get, the less filer you use

 

[Jere]

The better hammers are a good deal harder and better made but for an odd job the cheapies aren't bad. You can check ebay there are a lot of deals on hammers and dollies both china stuff and old top quality stuff. You could put together a decent set for the cost of the new HF stuff.

 

[signcrafter]

The better hammers are a good deal harder and better made but for an odd job the cheapies aren't bad. You can check ebay there are a lot of deals on hammers and dollies both china stuff and old top quality stuff. You could put together a decent set for the cost of the new HF stuff.

If you were going to piece a set together what hammers and dollies are most used? What brands are good to look for used?

 

[NC-Fordguy]

If you were going to piece a set together what hammers and dollies are most used? What brands are good to look for used?

I've done/do quite a bit of restoration work...

Martin is tops in my book but the HF, Performance tool, etc brands will do you just fine

 

[HMCFab9]

I got some of my hammers & dollies off the snap on truck, they are very well balanced, etc.
Martin is supposed to be good too.
The real cheap ones aren't the greatest, even for a very occasional user.
I have 1 or 2 cheapo's & they never get out of the tool box.

 

[illmatyk]

Try looking around for used. I was about to order the HF set when I checked a local forum and found a set of hammers and dollies for $10. Messaged the guy and drove to pic it up from his house.

I don't do too much body work as I used to so this set will do the job for me. Later if I feel like upgrading then I'll upgrade.

 

[stratman977]

I would buy a decent pick hammer cause you will use it alot. The rest you can collect as you go. You can grab something like a fairmount or an old proto for around $25 on ebay. The cheap ones are softer and make up for that by adding extra steel. Just make sure you are getting a usa fairmount and not one of the new eastwood knockoff fairmount ones.

The martin hammers are ok but they aren't as well balanced as a snap on or the old proto ones. The old proto hammers with the green octagon handle are the cats meow in my opinion.

 

[signcrafter]

So a pick hammer is the most used one? I see they make a shrinking hammer also. What other types are there and what are they used for?

 

[Midman914]

Most will say stay away from the shrinking hammer. It will fatigue and scar the metal. More of a gimmick. I have one and tried it out and found out that it did what most said. If I were you and wanted to get started right away, I would buy the HF kit and get to know it and how the hammers work and then keep and eye out on CL, garage sales, swap meets and ebay for deals on the good stuff. That is what I did and have some nice hammers and dollies for really good prices. For example I got a Snapon set from CL for $50. It looked crummy from the pic that the seller posted, but when I got to the guys house they were all new unused tools. It sat on CL for over a month. I can't believe even I waited so long to respond to it. From that purchase I got a SO BF611 hammer, SO spoon, 2 SO dollies, 2 SO picks and an SO body file all unused and in new condition. For $50!!! Another time at a swap I got a SO fiberglass handle BF632a and Martin 162fg, both for $25 in new condition unused, as well as a Herbrand hammer at a garage sale for $2 in good condition with original octagon handle. I still kick myself for not getting the matching dolly for a $1 more, but was out of cash. Should have offered to bundle, but I was young and stupid. Point is, the deals on good stuff are out there, you just have to do some digging. On the plus side it is fun, like a treasure hunt. One more thing, a lot of body guys seem to really like the SO BF608. Looks to be a really useful hammer. I haven't got one yet due to price, but I will get one someday for a good price.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Any name brand old hammer will be better than a cheap Chinese one, we all can agree on that. So, it depends on how serious you are going to get with them and how much you want to own nice tools.

 

[Hammer1963]

The most common dolly will be a Rail dolly or Heel dolly. The 2 most versatile hammers will be a Cross pein and mid length Pick hammer. When you find yourself getting into more intricate work, you will understand why there are so many types/shapes/styles of hammers and dollies as the goal is to straighten the material as much as possible therefor needing less filler.

Body tools are no different than any other tool that is put under stress. The better the design and material, the better performing they will be. Balance and harmonics play a huge role in metal straightening. Hence, you get what you pay for, unless you are a patient careful buyer

Tell me what you want and I can supply you with most any older forged body tool. Hammers, dollies, spoons etc. I train apprentice Collision techs and have many extra tools on hand

 

[pepi]

The big problem as I see it with the lower grade is the face gets dinged and that ding transfers to the sheet metal you are working.