Popping a dent from a car takes skill as well as a set of special tools made especially for the task. Auto body technicians have a tool for all the various sizes and locations of dents, and they use them depending on the type of dent in need of repair. A knowledgeable technician will employ a tool that will pop the dent out in the least amount of time and using the least manpower necessary.
Body Hammer and Dolly
A hammer and a dolly are the basic set of auto body tools that a technician will use when popping dents. Placing the dolly over the indent, the tech will then lightly hammer the metal back into shape. Care is taken while performing this so the metal does not stretch. A quality body hammer will have a slight contour to the wider of the two heads, while the other head will taper to a narrow point.
Slide Hammer and Pull Tab
Also known as a stud welder and a puller, the slide hammer and pull tab are typically used on restoration and heavy repair projects. Pull tabs are welded to bare metal in the dent, then the slide hammer is slipped over the stud where it grips tight. On the hammer is a slider, which is pulled toward the technician with enough force to pull the dent. The welded studs are then cut off with wire cutters, and a grinder grinds them down to be covered with a layer of plastic filler before painting.
Bumping Spoon and Beater
Straddling the ridge of a dent with the bumping spoon, the technician will then strike the spoon with a beater. This action causes force to spread across the dent, effectively causing the metal to pop back into place. With the right amount of force, this technique requires little to no painting if done properly. However, too much force applied to the spoon may cause metal stretching. Bumping spoons are curved pieces of metal with polished ends, while a beater is any hammer with a flat surface head.
Frame Machine
Used to straighten out the inner frame of a car, frame machines are relied on in most collision cases to reshape the frame to the original form. Using hydraulics, torque and leverage to pull the metal, frame machines, within which your car is strapped, perform the task most human technicians cannot do. After the vehicle is driven onto a platform, straps are applied to static positions on the frame. Next the vehicle is bolted down to the machine and chains are attached. Hydraulics put tension on the car frame, which pulls the dented and twisted metal back into shape.
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