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Using A Stud Welder To Repair Dents...

Discussion in 'The Tool Shed' started by Admiral Cray, Feb 25, 2020.

  1. Feb 25, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    Anyone have any experience with a system like this?



    I could find Part 1...
     
  2. Feb 26, 2020
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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    I got one for free . doesn't look like its been used . well maybe once

    stud gun.JPG stud gun1.JPG
     
  3. Feb 26, 2020
    Dave Deyton

    Dave Deyton Member

    Fuquay-Varina, NC
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    I have used one like this for years.

    The key is to work out in reverse order that the dent went in.

    It works well. This is how I pulled out the edge on my old M38A1 hood.

    Then I built up those edges with Silicone Bronze.


    Dave
     
  4. Feb 26, 2020
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    The 'new environmental and healthy' Lead Sled work... I've not done that yet. Does it work as good as the old lead methods?
     
  5. Feb 26, 2020
    mullen46cj2a

    mullen46cj2a Member

    Harrisville, WV
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    Apr 11, 2006
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    71
    Mine is not quite as portable or lightweight.
    [​IMG]
    Besides spot welder, it has tips for spotwelding washers or studs to body panel then use slidehammer on dented area.
     
  6. Feb 26, 2020
    Dave Deyton

    Dave Deyton Member

    Fuquay-Varina, NC
    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2003
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    847
    The key is to go slow with the welding and the grinding, Many is the time I've cut out the patch and started over because too much heat made the metal wavy.
    Been practicing with the TIG and it works well, but the learning curve is steep. Used the Silicon Bronze with The Tig Welder and it flowed in well.
    There were a lot of pin holes on the old hood. Works great on the shows on Motor Trend. Time will tell.

    The stud welder does work well at leveling out dents so you don't need much filler.
    That hood has a lot of hours in hammer and dolly, still not finished to my satisfaction yet.

    I'm thinking that with good surface prep the Silicon Bronze it will hold paint well also. When I welded with Oxy Acetylene I've seen the flux on brazed metal pop off and cause a paint fail.

    Seen many a car they punched holes to grab an inch of filler and that cracked off quickly. Trying to metal finish to a higher lever.



    Dave
     
  7. Feb 26, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    Leading is fun, a skill, and masterful. I've done some. My two Porsches are leaded at the doors openings and my wife's Bug is leaded. All by the same master body guy. He has one a stud guns and used it to repair the Bug last incident (which we don't talk about). Straighten the door out and then did some shrinking with my torch. A true metal guy...

    Do you need my mailing address?... :D
     
  8. Feb 26, 2020
    Dave Deyton

    Dave Deyton Member

    Fuquay-Varina, NC
    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2003
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    847
    I have a hand held spot welder given to me. I have used it on easy to get to stuff, but most of the time it won't fit where I want it.

    I usually punch holes and plug weld panels back on with the mig.
    Got to work on making it look factory.

    Would be great to have a big spot welder.


    Dave
     
  9. Feb 26, 2020
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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    Nope shipping too high . you living on a Island :lol:
     
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  10. Feb 26, 2020
    Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Bainbridge...
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    There is a bridge... :steamed:
     
  11. Mar 2, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    The stud welders work pretty well. You can get things pulled back pretty close, or too much if your not careful. I've had a stud welder for about 15 years, and it has paid for itself a few times over. You can also get specialty studs to use with it, like GM windshield molding studs for the clips.
    -Donny
     
  12. Mar 3, 2020
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

    exploring the...
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    Love the stud gun clean metal is the key. You can also grab a few studs with a mo-clamp and pull them together. Used to pull quarters before hacking them off using multiple studs clamps and the frame machine.
     
  13. Apr 22, 2020
    teletech

    teletech Member

    Santa Cruz, CA
    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2016
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    236
    I love my stud gun, one key I find is to think there is no such thing as too many studs. As close together as I can get them and still pull on them if the deformation is deep or sharply defined.
    If you don't have enough studs it's easy to pull out a lump. You also want to be gentle to not tear off the stud while pulling on it since it can take a chunk of sheetmetal with it. Granted that's more of a problem with things made of thinner metal than a Jeep!
    Below is a rocker panel on a Datsun 1200, it started with some rust where the panels met and they rusted because of a long crease about 3/4" deep at it's bottom which pulled the two layer apart. The rocker panel can't be more than 4" tall and is structural with no way to get at the back, so I couldn't pound it out from behind and being a structural member wouldn't want to punch it full of holes. I cut out the rusted patch and welded a new one in but at the cut out point in the picture it's flat to under 1/16". I could have gotten it flatter by cutting off a bunch of studs and applying them at points between the pulled metal but decided a skim-coat would be fine at this point.
    I use the gun as much (more) to shrink deformed metal as to pull out dents. Push on a high spot, give it a tiny bit of current and you can just feel the metal melt away from the gun.
    There is a special tip for this application that is a larger dome than the normal stud tip.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2020
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  14. May 17, 2020
    IRQVET

    IRQVET Bubbaification Exorcist

    Tallahassee, FL.
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    Yeah those things work great, but that slide hammer seems a bit undersized. You don't want to go too large, but that thing is a toothpick. Dave Deyton is right, just work in reverse order and don't over muscle it toward the end or you can pop the dent out to far in the opposite direction. You can do this without heat BTW.
     
  15. May 18, 2020
    teletech

    teletech Member

    Santa Cruz, CA
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    The slide hammer is (unfortunately) big enough to rip the stud out along with a hunk of the sheet-metal if I'm not fairly careful.
     
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