I swore by the old way to fix a dent until last month

For years, I'd heat and pull a deep door dent, then slap on way too much filler to smooth it out. Last month, a buddy in the next bay bet me a case of soda I couldn't fix a similar dent on a '14 F-150 with less than half the filler I normally used. He showed me his trick: after pulling, he used a shrinking disc on the low spots I always missed. I tried it, working the metal back up slowly for about an hour. The panel was so much straighter that I only needed a skim coat, maybe an eighth of an inch thick. The job was faster in the end and the repair felt way more solid. I guess I was just being lazy before, covering up my bad metal work. Anyone else switch to a shrinking disc and have it change how you prep?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_wells871mo ago

Seriously? That sounds like a huge waste of time for a simple dent.

the_jana1mo ago

I get what you're saying @claire_wells87 but honestly that old school way is way more durable in the long run, even if it takes a bit longer.

oliver21mo ago

My uncle still uses the old way and his repairs always crack in the cold.