I bought this pile from a friend for fifty bucks... Most are new, with slight surface rust..... They're made by Martin (never heard of them, unless it's the same as the firearm manufacturer).... They seem decent to my mostly untrained eye.... I'm fairly certain he gave me a good deal.... Now I just need to learn how to use them.... Anyway, are these good tools..???
Those ones aren't worth $5 but cuz I'm such a nice guy I might find it in my heart to offer you tree. fiddy but you have to pay for shipping, Ok? .
As far as a deal ...hell ya.. and there good ...real good tools I own a few martins but I like snappy hammers ,just a personal thing balance oh I dont know oh I name all mine after x wives......... is one of those a shrinkin hammer
Martin body tools are as good as it gets. They will outlast you if you keep them lightly oiled and don't loan them to anyone. You need a little red book sold by Speedway, Eastwood and others called "The Key to Metal Bumping". It was origionally published by Martin long before Bondo was invented and teaches you step by step how to fix body damage. Lots of pictures and tips. Less than $10.
I'd have ripped my pocket clear off to get the wallet out to hand him 50 for that set. Take care of them as you don't find any better than that.
One suggestion, take one of the picks and round off the end, this will make tapping out larger dents a lot easier.
man you got a steal. i think i have about $700 in my set of body hammers and dollies. you did good my friend.
Hey, I'd suggest you learn to raise metal without the use of the pick end of any of those hammers! When a low area is struck with the pick end of a hammer that area is raised sharpley, and can become very thin if filed or ground in the metalfinishing process. The corner of a dolly or the dolly-on method is much better for raising lows, especially on old, thin fenders. Plastic filler was invented in 1948 in Schewsbury Mass. The Martin Tool company has picked up a number of the old Fairmount body hammer & dolly patterns, but they aren't as hard from a drop forged standard as the Fairmounts. The Martins' still are a hard value to beat for body tools. " Meanwhyle, back aboard The Tainted Pork "
I think I can speak for many on here when I say "You suck!" Martin gets close to $50 apiece for a couple of those dollies. I've got one Martin hammer, and like it a lot. The other five or six I've got are Snap-on, only because that's what I started with and got used to. I've got a small assortment of crappy dollies... I'd LOVE to have those Martin dollies you got. -Brad
Thanks, guys... I checked out that link... Yeah, I think my friend gave me a Hell of a deal...!!!! None of the hammers are 'shrinking hammers'... Do I need one...??? Maybe I'll try to work out a trade with someone local for one.... That Boeshield stuff sounds like a good idea... Do I need the "T-9" and the 'Rust-Free", or just the first one..??? Also, is that stuff available in any of the major hardware stores or do I need to order it...??? Unless I get a "hell no" from anybody, I was thinking that a ScotchBrite pad would be good to remove the surface rust..... Opinions...??? Thank you... -Jim
You my friend are dubbed El-Bandito, what a friggin deal. Martin stuff is top drawer. Congrats ~sololobo~
No NO NO NO!!! He said take the $50 dollars and send the Dolly's to me!! Honest Doc. (Hell yeah thats a good buy. We used scotchbrite and cutting compound to polish ours up. Then oil and they will never rust again.)
I agree...you suck! lol Ive been lookin around for a deal similar to that for quite some time, consider also that over here (italy) you dont just walk in a shop and ask for srinkin hammers and/or dollies, its a rather difficult ordeal.... if you ever get bored and wanna get rid of them feel free to pm me.
Hey, Don't waste a dime or the time to clean those! "pretty tools'' won't straighten bent sheetmetal any better or faster than rusty ones! Oil them, and wipe them with a shop rag, and devote your energy to learning how to use them. You don't need any ''shrinking hammer". That pick hammer , the one with the large round face, to the far left of the picture will serve jus fine. That one and the "toe'' or "heel'' dolly will handle most of the shrinking on semi & low crowned panels you'll encounter. For shrinking on high crowned panels the ''egg'' shaped dolly will work well. "generally'' you wanna pick a dolly who's shape closely matches the panels' shape you're tring to restore. Work out on some junk fenders from some old vehicles, ones with high crowns & semi-crowns, and get a feel for what happens to the panel as its' worked. Next, over stretch some areas, and try your hand at hot shrinking the stretched areas. Hot shrinking isn't hard to master "IF" you ''read'' the damage correctly to begin with & understand what's going on. Just guessing @ it, and throwing shrinks ''wherever'' will create box cars of work & trouble. Good luck- '' Do not reach greedily for the Kool-Aid ''
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