So im gonna tackle the body work on my pickup myself. Never done it...gonna give it a shot. Everthing is is pretty good condition but theres some minor dents here and there, and have to replace some rotted areas. Im thinking about buying this body hammer set from harbor freight.: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=31277 Ive heard bad thinks about cast hammers and dollys, but this set is all forged steel. Think its a good buy for the occasional user? Thanks
I don't see anything wrong with buying an affordable set of hammers and dollies to try something new. When you get better or if you really get into it then go and buy yourself something better. I'm no expert but it's all in the weight and how they're balanced. I have some cheaper hammers and some great ones and there is a difference on how they work but they all get the job done. But I don't see any big difference in the dollies, Keep them clean with a scotch brite pad , free of scratches and paint marks!! Same with the hammers!! Ian
there's a thread floating around here with a good tutorial on youtube. just search "i hope you're better than this guy"
I just bougth that same set, only a different color, at advanced. It should do the trick. I really wanted the Snap on set, at $450.00 I will wait. Good luck on your project.
$29.99 for all that. that's what one real body hammer costs. get a couple videos or books. technique is more important than the tools. a good metal mover could do the job with a ball peen hammer and assorted heavy chunks of steel if he had to. a person could spend $500.00 on tools but it won't do any good if you don't know how to work the metal and understand the process of putting it back straight
Be aware they edges maybe sharp, prone to chip I'm trying to remember if anyone has done a tutorial on proper polishing of the faces. I did this years ago for planishing hammer dies, basically the same treatment, http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/communityalbums.cgi?action=openalbum&albumid=9980173377185 I use an expander wheel with different grits you can use a DA sander or an angle grinder. You will want one flat, and another convex, with radiusing the edges being your main goal, better the finish on your hammer, the less transfer to the metal. Joe McGlynn coined a phrase a few years ago " It's not how hard you hit it, it's how you hit it hard" You will be the biggest varible, you can learn what smooths and what stretches, you have to experience it to learn it. People learn in different ways so if your having trouble books maybe a good way, or videos, or taking a class, Just don't give up! Take care!
#1. If you're going to use it a lot, buy better ones. #2 If you're going to use them hard, buy good ones #3 If it's possible you might use them again, on another car, might want to buy good ones. I find that beginners have a bit of an easier time learning using good tools, and better equipment. I think there was a post on buying cheap welders here a few weeks back that adressed this issue. The better tools work better, hammers are balanced better, the dollies are weighted, polished better. I'd recommend going to a flea market or pawn shop and buying GOOD brand used body tools before buying offshore crap. Or buy one or 2 good new tools, beginners dont usually need full sets, until they are more proficient and experienced.
Get yourself a copy of The Key to Metal Bumping- should be able to find it in a few places (got mine from Eastwood). It's a quick/easy read that explains how to assess and repair damage and will be incredibly helpful to you.
Yep and spend a little more and get the Martin starter set... It'll last a lifetime... I've seen them cheaper than Eastwood at shows. But well worth it.
A hammer&dolly is a hammer&dolly is a hammer&dolly. That HF set will last a lifetime. Paying big bucks for tools when less expensive are available is a waste of beer money.
Your ignorance of decent tools knows no end. The HF crap will not last a lifetime. I've watched 2 different sets of body hammers from them get thrown away within the last 4 or 5 months.
Shame. Throw them my way, nothing can go wrong with a hammer that I, a mechanic, can't fix. Among us mechanics we all know that it ain't the hammer, it's the skill of the operator
One good body hammer or slapper and one or two good dollies would be far better than a cheap set, especially if you want to smooth the metal properly, not just bang it out and fill. Most of the cheap sets have too much compound shape in them to be very useful. I show a little about hammer and dolly selection that might help you in part one of my youtube videos below. Parts 9-12 show them in use metal-finishing. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Presuming the source of a tool reflects it's quality, is ignorant. As for skill and knowledge, I have no judgement of yours. But, I'll assert, from knowledge and experience, it is rare indeed where a skilled mechanic can’t do the job with the most primitive tools. Also, I don't blame the tool when I fuck up.
i'm a huge proponent of buying good quality tools that are gonna last, buying "cheap" tools only leads to buying good tools later on down the road anyway. but like any tool in the box, there only as good as the person using them.
I have no idea what alloy they were but trying to weld a hammer head back together wasn't happening. Don't have that problem with the Martin's. Yeah it's the skill but subpar tools suck, and they don;t work near as well. Keep supporting China. Neither do I, but I also want my customers to get a decent deal and working with shitty tools makes everything take longer. Get a clue. I also don't like having to run to the store because another shitty wrench or socket isn't up to the task.
I teach auto collision repair. We have a required tool list. The HF crap is not allowed in the shop. It's garbage. You might as well use a rock and a stick. If it's not worth spending a few bucks for one good hammer and dolly, and maybe a slapper, then you should think about another hobby. But what do I know, I only teach basic metal bumping to 30 or more kids each school year.
i picked up a martin starter 12pc set a few years ago, it came with the metal bumping book and i have learned so much since then. good quality tools. i have never had any regrets
I have a cheap set and I have one good Martin hammer and dollie. I use the Martin stuff 99% of the time. You will probably spend 2-3 hours dressing the cheap set to even make it useable so that it doesn't leave marks in the metal everytime you use them. Even then they are not great. Save a little more and buy a good hammer and dollie to start and then build from there as you gain more experience.
With the money you save on hammers, you can go to the dollar store and buy a cressent wrench and a screwdriver. Then you can be a mechanic too!
I still use some of the tools my grandmother gave me when my grandfather passed away. A lot of these were bought in the 30's and 40's and still come back for more after over half a century of use. In the meantime I've replaced a lot of "good stuff" I've bought in the last 20 years. Anyone that argues there is no difference in quality I've got the title to that bridge in Brooklyn they talk about and it IS for sale.............really.............and cheap to. Frank
I think MOST of us will agree that you are better off buying one (or two) good hammers and one (or maybe two) good dollys, rather than a whole set from Harbor Freight. I use one dolly 99.9% of the time, and one hammer. The rest of the stuff just hangs on the wall taking up space. (And I liked the ball peen hammer comment: I am no expert but I used a small ball peen hammer to do most of the forming on my grille opening.)
And you contribute what exactly to this topic? You called ME an idiot not long ago? I don't think I can comment to this reply any better than you have yourself. WTF....
gonna dodge the pissing contest and give some advice based on my own experience. being a tool collector I have a drawer full of hammers and dollies and other assorted tools both purchased and home made to fix bent sheetmetal. that drawer must weigh 100 lbs. google sunchaser tools and look in the hammer and dollie section. I use the Martin "utility pick hammer" # H125 almost exclusively. comma dolly # D120, heel dolly # D115 and General purpose dolly # D100 get used quite a bit. if I were on a budget I'd leave out the comma dolly. the metal bumping book is a good one, that was originally published in the 40's (?) you have to read it a few times for all the info to sink in. the sunchaser shrinking disc video has a lot of good info in it, even if you don't buy the disc. I'm sure there are other videos out there that might be better but that is the only one I have seen for myself. again... proper technique is probably more important than the tools, but I say do yourself a favor and get some good ones. if nothing else they hold thier value should you need to sell them should body work not be appealing to you after all.
ive got that set of HF hammers, i picked it up for 12 bucks one day on one of there side walk sales. I use them as "throw aways" sort of, when i have a rough spot to get to or something real high crown, ill just shape one of my trusty HF hammers to fit what im trying to do and keep it as a "special tool" They definatly dont work as well as other hammers, I was given a full set of snap on hammer heads that needed handles from a retired body man, and wow, there is a huge difference. They are lighter than HF hammers, and the steel is a higher grade so it doesnt nick or mar, as the HF hammers do
The Harbor Freight stuff works, but not as well. For me, I was in a financial bind, as always, so I bought a smaller set. They are heavier than the ones you pointed out, but far from good. But, personally I thought they were of a slightly better quality. Now if you can get your paws on a set of good hammers for an agreeable price. DO IT! But, you can do a lot of basic stuff using the hf stuff, but don't expect a great product, and the second you grab a hold of a good set, you WILL know the difference. I recently bough some football shaped one from harbor Freight hoping it would help on a panel, and it was a total piece of junk. A complete waste of my money. So be very mindful on what you are shelling out money for. A bad tool can make a job much harder than it needs to be. Kind like using an adjustable wrench for changing sparkplugs. Might work sometimes, but god damn wouldn't a socket set have been nice?
As an amateur bodyman myself, 2 pieces of advice #1 What you spend on literature and instructional vids, you will save on bondo and sandpaper. #2 Forget all the beautiful metalwork you see here on the HAMB. The quality level is not realistic for the beginner metalworker. I did some serious hackery when starting and it's displayed remarkable durability. Do your best, learn as you go, but realize that part of a job well done is FINISHING. And by finishing I don't mean bumping metal to the nth degree, I mean actually getting the job done by knowing when to move on to the next step instead of chasing perfection at every step. There will be flaws, but most of your car's admirers will not see them. They'll see the whole job and not the sum of it's parts. good luck!
Thanks for all of the replies. The only thing that kinda sold me on this item was the fact that it has a Lifetime Warranty. I can see a lot of mixed opinions...not exactly what I hoped for, but i might give it a shot. Cant beat the price, and most likely if im not satisfied I can return it...(Harbor Freight will return almost anything..haha) Thanks for the advice guys!!
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