Auto Body Tools!!!
- Thread starter bczygan
- Start date
redidbull
Well-known member
I am no body man but I have a set very close to what you have. I also have some random pieces of pipe and metal to use as dollies in weird spots that the ones in the kit wont fit behind. Jim
joshmodelskidoo
Well-known member
Check out the hot rod hippie on YouTube
ScottsGT
Well-known member
Gave up the career 29 years ago after 11 years in the business, and no regrets. Still have all of my tools. Save up for a good MIG welder made for light duty work of you’re going to be gluing sheet metal together.
A good line sander is a must as is a DA sander. I tried using the 8” Mud Hog for leveling filler, but finish work was done with the line sander and a block. Yes, hand blocks, short and long are also a must.
Sometimes sandpaper wrapped around a flat paint paddle works wonders. Not a warped or dished one. Has to be flat.
A good line sander is a must as is a DA sander. I tried using the 8” Mud Hog for leveling filler, but finish work was done with the line sander and a block. Yes, hand blocks, short and long are also a must.
Sometimes sandpaper wrapped around a flat paint paddle works wonders. Not a warped or dished one. Has to be flat.
sberry
Banned
We gonna begin the process of collecting every tool we see for this job? I painted 50 cars. I have a handfull of stuff i collect for little or nothing as i went. Wait till you have actual work before buying every tool you see.
sberry
Banned
I can see the questions already,, whats the best sander, whats the best paint gun.
sberry
Banned
I got the tools but,,, i am not a collector. Only reason I have it is I have something to do with them.
ScottsGT
Well-known member
Good question. My experience, that one you can use the best! Over the years I went through a few that just didn’t work well for me while others loved them.
Ummmmm....YEAH!
Or just enough to work on my vans.
I need to do some bump, fill and paint (Dents of various sizes and locations) plus some patch panels and some forming (One rusted area is at wheel well, one at the rear hatch handle and one at the drivers step).
I also got some applicators (Filler spreaders) at HF today. Already have one of their spray guns.
Need some sanding blocks and sand paper, dewaxer and lightweight filler.
Most of the work is hand work. Don't need a DA or other big fancy pants power tools.
Have HF grinders and a buffer. Have dust masks, Nitrile gloves, safety glasses, MIG welder etc. Need some primer, color coat and clear.
No hurry, as we have to get through winter first.
Bill
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Lookin4'67Galaxieconv
Well-known member
Bill, I love your enthusiasm! 
sevt_chevelle
Well-known member
Do you plan on doing this for a living? I
Good ideas I will do. Thanks!
Just something to cut the boredom. Actually, since I worked in an office all my life, I am really enjoying working with my hands and brain in different ways. And I want to try everything before I die.Bill, I love your enthusiasm!
Hell NO! Gainful employment is against my religon. I just want to have fun.
See above.
Have some Roloc stuff, but will look for more.
Bill
Hammers and dollies for bodywork is something you do not cheap out on. I would be getting a good brand of those like Martin. HF, or Eastwood I would take back. I’ve been doing body work for awhile now, ever since I graduated high school.
sberry
Banned
Is there something sophisticated about a hammer and dollie? Especially for a guy with one or 2 cars.
As for fixing rusted common cars,,,,,, I know a couple jerked off body guys that do it when they are desparate, they are real pros and are shotgun fast. I don't do it. I paint some but if I gotta fix much rust it's runna them till death to us part and scrap.
This is a good case of a guy will try one or 2 and find out how hard it is and how short rust repair lasts in this climate and will get past the wide eyed fantasy of turning the old boat in to a dream sled in a hurry.
I do some touch up with sandpaper and a spray can and really think it thru before I invest in real repair. No point in 500$ in materials evev on the cheapb end plus the work to a car won't be able to tell the difference in a year or 2 and is worth 400$. Been there, done that.
Bill is a guy likes to shop,,, the real deal here is to find a car better than the one you have and shop your way up. Fixxing all this **** is wayyyyy toooo much work, costs too much.
I got a couple now, run good, not going to fix the rust. One I painted a dozen years ago, it was a faded peeling job and had a couple dents I didn't even hammer out, used filler and outlast the truck.
Body shops, most of them to not paint common cars over 10 years old anymore.
As for fixing rusted common cars,,,,,, I know a couple jerked off body guys that do it when they are desparate, they are real pros and are shotgun fast. I don't do it. I paint some but if I gotta fix much rust it's runna them till death to us part and scrap.
This is a good case of a guy will try one or 2 and find out how hard it is and how short rust repair lasts in this climate and will get past the wide eyed fantasy of turning the old boat in to a dream sled in a hurry.
I do some touch up with sandpaper and a spray can and really think it thru before I invest in real repair. No point in 500$ in materials evev on the cheapb end plus the work to a car won't be able to tell the difference in a year or 2 and is worth 400$. Been there, done that.
Bill is a guy likes to shop,,, the real deal here is to find a car better than the one you have and shop your way up. Fixxing all this **** is wayyyyy toooo much work, costs too much.
I got a couple now, run good, not going to fix the rust. One I painted a dozen years ago, it was a faded peeling job and had a couple dents I didn't even hammer out, used filler and outlast the truck.
Body shops, most of them to not paint common cars over 10 years old anymore.
A orbital sander is a must for bodywork you really need it to feather out paint edges. Some of the better ones have a built in dust collector bag that saves a lot of clean up. When you buy sandpaper buy the good stuff zirconium I think. It cost twice as much but lasts 4 times as long. You will need some sanding blocks both hard and flexible and short and long really long for a van. Also for a van a HF stud welder might be a good investment shoot some studs in the dent pull with the slide hammer and tap the edges down and fill and sand. You should learn all this in your bodywork class.
sberry
Banned
One of the reasons for a guy to do his own work is convenience and cost. When I was 20 and started out thought I had to rebuild everything, if did one side had to do both, had to put all the ujoints in etc and found out I sold or junked a lot of old cars with a lot of new parts on them.
I really know I am preaching to someone ain't past this yet but for others,,, the point of driving cheap old junk isn't to see how much you can park in it or find "what's the best" at every turn but when a problem arises give it attn so it doesn't wreck more ****.
For a car needs a brake pad or brake line I don't start off before I even got it apart researching every part I can find, if I can make it service worth till the next interval that's what i do, I don't replace rotors, pack wheel bearings, change shocks "just in case". Don't toss 400 at it when 25 will do for pads and be done before lunch.
I do it different with equipment that may have a lot by service life ahead, that may need work soon anyway but not on old pos cars.
I really know I am preaching to someone ain't past this yet but for others,,, the point of driving cheap old junk isn't to see how much you can park in it or find "what's the best" at every turn but when a problem arises give it attn so it doesn't wreck more ****.
For a car needs a brake pad or brake line I don't start off before I even got it apart researching every part I can find, if I can make it service worth till the next interval that's what i do, I don't replace rotors, pack wheel bearings, change shocks "just in case". Don't toss 400 at it when 25 will do for pads and be done before lunch.
I do it different with equipment that may have a lot by service life ahead, that may need work soon anyway but not on old pos cars.
speed bump
Well-known member
The good hammers and dollies tend to have better profiles, be polished from the factory, and sometimes are just plain easier to control. It probably doesn't matter much if you're just doing cave and pave work but I have found as I have collected some better body hammers it is a lot easier to get the results I want. It might also be that I **** at body work so I like having the tools that make my life easier.
Exactly. Better tools have more consistent profiles from one end of the tool to the other, they are better balanced, they aren’t all dinged up (which avoids transferring dings to the metal you are trying to repair), etc. Do you need the brand new latest greatest ****? No. But, given that you are taking a class, you clearly have some interest in this area of work. Buy good quality tools. A hand tool equivalent might be buying SK, Proto, etc. I wouldn’t buy cheap Chinese ****, but I wouldn’t buy Snap-On to start, either.
I will have to take a look at those high end ones to see the difference. Meanwhile, the HF kit is what they have at school. Can the HF ones be polished? And as sberry and others say below, how good must they be for a guy like me with 2 vans?
sberry has my number. None of what I do makes common or financial sense. I just like to play around with things.
Good advice here gorilla. Any tools I buy will be HF or equiv. I know that makes the work a little more difficult, but I'm not going to be a pro. Same with consumables. Middle of the road is fine. School is already getting us hands on. This week I have my own brand new fender. Instructor is going to dent it and we get to fix it up. This semester is bump. In the summer will be 2 painting classes.
sberry, I have done exactly as you indicate here. Scrapped out cars I just put brakes on, complete with rotor, calipers, drums, pads, shoes etc. But my OCD just won't let me do just one ball joint.
I do like to have the best parts, but tools, I make do with servicable.
Bill
sberry
Banned
4# hammer is the first tool.
Here is the thing about parts today and the parts stores know this, similar to tool warranty. The originals last so long that most parts,,, especially to the diy backyard gang are going on cars that are on the downhill slide. My environment is so brutal there is the occasional replacement of a replacement pad but I can't recall but for 1 time I ever replace a replacement part. That being a moog in a truck I own a long time and use a lot.
Whoops,,, also fuel pump but that wasn't eco either and the eco has now lasted. The **** doesn't need to last forever, I often re use a grease seal today, it's just got to outlast the rest of the car.
I love econ auto parts, way easier and big incentive to replace some marginal or faulty item.
I needed a carrier drive shaft brg for old truck a while back. My Dad says,, see if the junk has one. I price it, 17$ from store. Ha. Had a bud stop by, wants to clean old rotor he got a deal on 30 used, asked if he priced,, no, 23 new.
Here is the thing about parts today and the parts stores know this, similar to tool warranty. The originals last so long that most parts,,, especially to the diy backyard gang are going on cars that are on the downhill slide. My environment is so brutal there is the occasional replacement of a replacement pad but I can't recall but for 1 time I ever replace a replacement part. That being a moog in a truck I own a long time and use a lot.
Whoops,,, also fuel pump but that wasn't eco either and the eco has now lasted. The **** doesn't need to last forever, I often re use a grease seal today, it's just got to outlast the rest of the car.
I love econ auto parts, way easier and big incentive to replace some marginal or faulty item.
I needed a carrier drive shaft brg for old truck a while back. My Dad says,, see if the junk has one. I price it, 17$ from store. Ha. Had a bud stop by, wants to clean old rotor he got a deal on 30 used, asked if he priced,, no, 23 new.
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d.mcfarland
Well-known member
Honestly, I think the HF set would be perfect for someone who is learning.
Once you do it for a while you may decide you want certain hammers or dollies that you don't have. But, the set you got Bill was very solid for the price.
Once you do it for a while you may decide you want certain hammers or dollies that you don't have. But, the set you got Bill was very solid for the price.
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Jazz1
Well-known member
I bought the $20 Eastwood set, I only needed a heel dolly but for $20 they are pretty decent once you spend a few hours smoothing the surfaces of every piece in the kit on belt sander. The hammers in the kit are a bit small but have come into play when working in tighter area.
My other hammers are of various brands I've picked up at second hand stores. I have seen the HF set, same deal, they will need some love on the belt sander.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with low buck Eastwood set, I spent many hour removing dings and creases in this old girl. Not every tool needs High Dollar brand name.
My other hammers are of various brands I've picked up at second hand stores. I have seen the HF set, same deal, they will need some love on the belt sander.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with low buck Eastwood set, I spent many hour removing dings and creases in this old girl. Not every tool needs High Dollar brand name.
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sevt_chevelle
Well-known member
Am not overly impressed with those hf hammers. Not as balanced, need major dressing and they are soft, they ding up easily.
One imo, would be better served getting a hammer and several dollies from dagger tools. The Fairmount brand from Eastwood is also superior, you can pick up those for sometimes 10-12 bucks.
One imo, would be better served getting a hammer and several dollies from dagger tools. The Fairmount brand from Eastwood is also superior, you can pick up those for sometimes 10-12 bucks.
Jazz1
Well-known member
The only reason I did not buy HF set was my preference for wooden handles. Those HF will get the job done and good value getting all the dollies
ZRX61
Well-known member
The cheaper HF dollies are hollowed out on the back & don't have enough weight to them. The heavier ones have enough weight, but the finish can be a bit ****.
On the upside it doesn't take much effort to refinish them... but there's a couple of heavy ones they sell that aren't worth that effort.
On the upside it doesn't take much effort to refinish them... but there's a couple of heavy ones they sell that aren't worth that effort.
speed bump
Well-known member
This thread had been all about body hammers and dollies so far but thinking about it I don't spend that much time with a hammer in my hand all things considered.
Some tools I do use a lot.
A couple of DAs one for stripping and one for sanding.
Grinders air and electric
Die grinders
Air hammers.
A collection of sanding blocks, in particular a bunch of round shapes and random profiles I have cut over the years.
Vise grips
Aviation snips.
Punches and chisels
Half face mask with P100 filters (seriously one of the best things you can own, you will also need a different filter setup for painting).
Lots of light
Less used but important:
Lots of hooks and turnbuckles for pulling.
Stud gun and pulling tools
Some way to cut out spot welds.
Two part caulking gun.
Jigsaw
Lots of consumables. Between sandpaper, masking materials, tape, cleaning supplies, and PPE I probably have more money than I should admit to in my cabinet.
Some tools I do use a lot.
A couple of DAs one for stripping and one for sanding.
Grinders air and electric
Die grinders
Air hammers.
A collection of sanding blocks, in particular a bunch of round shapes and random profiles I have cut over the years.
Vise grips
Aviation snips.
Punches and chisels
Half face mask with P100 filters (seriously one of the best things you can own, you will also need a different filter setup for painting).
Lots of light
Less used but important:
Lots of hooks and turnbuckles for pulling.
Stud gun and pulling tools
Some way to cut out spot welds.
Two part caulking gun.
Jigsaw
Lots of consumables. Between sandpaper, masking materials, tape, cleaning supplies, and PPE I probably have more money than I should admit to in my cabinet.
toomanytoyzz
Well-known member
I would say you will be fine with the dolly/hammer kit you have. After you feel that this is something you may want to take to the next level invest in good products such as Martin or Fairmont. Like others have said they are far more superior than the kit you purchased. There is also a big debate over fiberglass handles over wood when talking body hammers. I prefer wood since I was taught with wood and have never purchased a fiberglass handled hammer. I've used them many of times, but definitely prefer a wooden handle.
Consumables are the big expenditure when doing bodywork. Good sandpaper is a must. So is good paint and primer. You don't have to always use the best, but don't buy **** either. I've been stung with this in the past. I've bought cheap 1K primer to save some $$$ only to cause my filler to shrink displaying all the scratch marks in the repair. It ***** and it was 100% avoidable if I used the proper primer.
My main advice is to see if you like it before you start really bucking up for tools/products. Grab a used door or fender and put a dent in it and start to repair it. That's how my dad taught me. He gave me an old chevelle fender, smacked it with a mini sledge and told me to fix it. I'd do my best and he would smack it again and tell me to fix that dent. When I first started doing it I felt overwhelmed since it took so long to get it to look remotely normal (even though the repair probably looked like dog ****), but after a few months it just clicked and it became much easier for me.
Consumables are the big expenditure when doing bodywork. Good sandpaper is a must. So is good paint and primer. You don't have to always use the best, but don't buy **** either. I've been stung with this in the past. I've bought cheap 1K primer to save some $$$ only to cause my filler to shrink displaying all the scratch marks in the repair. It ***** and it was 100% avoidable if I used the proper primer.
My main advice is to see if you like it before you start really bucking up for tools/products. Grab a used door or fender and put a dent in it and start to repair it. That's how my dad taught me. He gave me an old chevelle fender, smacked it with a mini sledge and told me to fix it. I'd do my best and he would smack it again and tell me to fix that dent. When I first started doing it I felt overwhelmed since it took so long to get it to look remotely normal (even though the repair probably looked like dog ****), but after a few months it just clicked and it became much easier for me.
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d.mcfarland
Well-known member
I picked up the Harbor Freight assortment the other day. $30 and it will give me something to toy with for the rest of winter. Not that I don't have enough to do, but hey something else to pass the time. Going to have to go find some damaged fenders at the junkyard.
I have other hammers (Blue Point, Martin, Fairmont, and Proto) and one Martin dolly to compare these to. These HF items are all perfectly useable. They aren't perfect or the same quality as the USA made hammers, but they are quality well beyond the price they sell for.
Buying these and fenders are way cheaper for the lady friend and I than going on a fancy Valentines Day date! Going to have to email Eric Schmidt and thank him.
I have other hammers (Blue Point, Martin, Fairmont, and Proto) and one Martin dolly to compare these to. These HF items are all perfectly useable. They aren't perfect or the same quality as the USA made hammers, but they are quality well beyond the price they sell for.
Buying these and fenders are way cheaper for the lady friend and I than going on a fancy Valentines Day date! Going to have to email Eric Schmidt and thank him.
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Jazz1
Well-known member
I picked up the Harbor Freight assortment the other day. $30 and it will give me something to toy with for the rest of winter. Not that I don't have enough to do, but hey something else to pass the time. Going to have to go find some damaged fenders at the junkyard.
I have other hammers (Blue Point, Martin, Fairmont, and Proto) and one Martin dolly to compare these to. These HF items are all perfectly useable. They aren't perfect or the same quality as the USA made hammers, but they are quality well beyond the price they sell for.
Buying these and fenders are way cheaper for the lady friend and I than going on a fancy Valentines Day date! Going to have to email Eric Schmidt and thank him.
Those look decent from here...the Eastwood set is obvious,,smaller hammers which at first seemed redundant but have come into play in tight spaces. I actually spent a couple hours dressing the Eastwood dollies and hammers but for $20 its a bargain, I only really needed a heel dolly
My first 2 frame off restorations I got by with one body hammer and obscure pieces of steel for dollies
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
If you watch a bunch of YouTube video, you will find that most experts only use a couple of different hammers and their favorite dolly is hand made/modified.