Dent pulling welder

I was thinking of getting one of these rather than one of those pin welding tools. Anyone have one? Is this a good brand?

http://www.autotoolworld.com/product.asp?lt_c=1&itemid=134684&qv=1&#

 

got one. i like the lever with the single contact best. great for when you can't get behind easily.

 

Thanks, John.

Not sure what you mean when you say "lever with single contact" ?

I was wondering if you find the puller bar attachment useful?

http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server1.../158/RPA_7942__24681.1325016925.1280.1280.jpg

Or do you mainly use the slide hammer attachment?

 

get a stud gun... a LOT less money than that machine you posted... stud guns can be had from as little as about $100 from harbor freight, up to $5-600 from places like eastwood

 

I have a Stinger brand stud gun and I love it. Although it was a bit pricey.

 

You got me interested in the machine so I googled around a little, there's actually a pretty good series of videos of a DIY'er learding to use it on his IROC Camaro, there's a lot of attachments and the videos (at least the few I watched) are interesting. Looks like it might be a pretty versatile machine. Google "DF-505 spot weld dent puller" for the series on YouTube.

 

Depends on what you're trying to fix. Multiple, simultaneous pull points work a lot better on creases than single points. A stud gun of any description is a great tool, if you can aford to have it sit on the shelf 99.999% of the time.

 

That's a tool for when you cannot get to the backside - not often the case in an old ride.......

 

Eastwood sells a special nozzle that you put on your MIG gun. The nozzle holds a stud like a stud gun and then you use your MIG to zap it down to the metal. Their setup includes a slide hammer to pull on the pins. There is a demo on the website. Whole deal is about $89.

 

Very glad you brought this up! I have already watched the series of videos and one thing I questioned is if he should have been using the tiny point on his hammer to bring down the high spots. Would he not have been better off using a slapper? For someone who had never done bodywork before I think he did an amazing job! Anyone else have any comments on this video series which is applicable to any car?

 

I'm far from being accomplished enough to give an authoratative answer here, altho I have done some very acceptable work at times. He seems to be learning in the series, and if you're referring to the D/S wheelwell arch, yes I think maybe a different hammer would have been better there, or a dolly behind if possible, but I think his results with the pick were probably perfectly acceptable after a thin skim coat of filler. I was, impressed with the versatility of the machine, altho it's out of my price range for now. I hope to have a chance to watch the whole series in the near future. Wish he'd have edited out that dang bird tho

 

Everyone bitches about the slide hammer pin connector wearing out. Get one of these. It's usefull for other stuff too -

http://www.lasvegastool.com/Easy-Puller

You can also just buy the pins and the Easy Puller and mig weld the pins without the $89 kit -

http://www.eastwood.com/stud-welder-draw-pins-2-0mm-bag-500.html

 

"if you're referring to the D/S wheelwell arch, yes I think maybe a different hammer would have been better there, or a dolly behind if possible, but I think his results with the pick were probably perfectly acceptable after a thin skim coat of filler"

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. I question the use of a tiny pick hammer and think he would have been much better off with a slapper but I could be wrong. I'd like someone with more experience to comment.

"Wish he'd have edited out that dang bird tho"

Even worse than the bird is how his video camera screws with the sound so that continuous hammering sounds wrong. It's like an Auto-Tune for panel beating that doesn't work right. I really appreciate that he made this series of videos because the subject matter isn't very well covered by others that I know of. If you or anyone else has any really good video links on metal bumping I'd like to see them.

 

All I hear are crickets.

 

Back to the original question about the tool. I have a Dent Dog. Very similar, but doesn't have all the extra stuff. A lot cheaper than $1000 plus. It's a usefull tool when other things won't work, and I used it some when in the shop doing body work full time. Worked well for creases.
Don't think I'd buy one for home use though. I use mine only occasionally now at home. Mine welds directly to metal and welds studs also, so I can use either if I like.
Like any tool, it has it's place.

 

I have one of those type dent pullers....only it's smaller and 115 volt model. Extremely handy tool, although I don't use it as much since I don't do collision work anymore. I use it for shrinking high spots mostly. Way faster than a stud gun.
Mine does pins also.....

 

I have a simular one. It's made by ARC. I got it lightly used for 300.00 or I wouldn't have bought it. I don't use it much at all, but that's because of the type of work I do( restoration at the home shop). We have them at school, the students really like them, but I only let them use them when hammer/dolly & picks wont work. There fast and you can do pretty nice work with them, but they can leave the surface lumpy and work hardened if your not careful. A shrinking disk helps. It depends on how much work you do, and what your working on. Great in a modern body shop. I'd sell ya mine really cheap! And I never sell tools!

 

I have one. I like it alot better than a stud gun. you dont have to put a bunch of studs on then cut them off. its alot faster. good for collision work.

 

Is this dent pulling tool sold in the US? Love the fixtures it uses. This is the best dent puller I have seen so far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXRx4ZFw1U

 

that system has got to cost a TON of money

 

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X2. I bought one from Harbor Freight last year and it works well. Paid $89 with a coupon.

 

Good fixtures are never cheap.

I don't believe welding pins compares very favorably to this type of system.

 

i have a snap on dent puller for sale , only asking 800 obo, i have it listed here under dent puller.

 

this is it right here. very well taken care of

 

I have a similar one and have a stud welding gun. Havent touched the stud welder once since buying one of these. Saved my behind many times.

 

I have the Dentfix it works absolutely great. Stud guns are a waste of time, but you need to do a lot of repair to make it worth the investment or if you want to spend your time other than welding studs. Plus you can use it to shrink and you can still use studs since there is one tip for that and if you enlarge a little bit the hole you can spot weld small screws to sheet metal.

 

this is what i replaced my snap on dent puller with. its a pro spot pr2 .

 

this does shrinking and stretching too. rivets for molding ,roof rivets too, nuts, wiggle wire .and much more, i am an autobody tech full time so i use it everyday .