Dent Removal

My old stunt plane has some dents in it. Rather than putting in filler, sanding off the clearcoat, matching the paint, and replacing the clearcoat for each dent, I would prefer that the dents go away by magic. I am hopeful that heat or, at most, heat and water could remove them. I can imagine a tiny jet of steam focused at the dent. Any advice?

Try moistening a small cloth. Place it on the area with the dent and then apply heat with an iron. If it can't get through the finish, try putting small pinpricks into the dent and try again. Let the area stabilize for a few days then touch up the finish.

LAST EDITED ON May-09-04 AT 10:13 PM (CDT)
 
>My old stunt plane has some dents in it. Rather than
>putting in filler, sanding off the clearcoat, matching the
>paint, and replacing the clearcoat for each dent, I would
>prefer that the dents go away by magic. I am hopeful that
>heat or, at most, heat and water could remove them. I can
>imagine a tiny jet of steam focused at the dent. Any
>advice?

Soak a Band-aid of appropriate size and tape it over the dent- let dry and repeat as needed. I haven't tried it on models, but it works on gunstocks- which is way lots harder (usually!) wood. You have to be patient- it may take several days.
Steam (directed carefully!) is another option.
Another thing you can do is put a cloth towel over the dent and then pour boiling water on it. It has to be carefully directed and only just enough at a time (for obvious reasons!), this usually is a last resort method tho!

JAK

Howard, I had a similar dilemma with a Rat Racer (Cat's Paw) that was painted with Aerogloss white w/ Flecto-Varathane clear.
My fix went as follows:
1) I built a 'dam' around the dent using "strip caulk", an inexpensive product from the Ace Hardware store. 1/4" strips wound three times around (2" diameter) the dent, rising to 1/2" height.
2) I poured hot (not boiling) water into the dam.
3) Let it sit for 15 minutes, then replaced water with more hot.
4) The second application brought up the 'dent'.
5) My heat gun then dried the remaining dampness and the dent was gone.
A silent 'thank you' to my Host completed the ritual.
As the 'heat barrier' was not exceeded, the paint remained supple and shiny. This is a 'low-risk' operation.

inject small amount of water into wood using hypodermic needle. Hit with a heat gun and, voila.

>inject small amount of water into wood using hypodermic
>needle. Hit with a heat gun and, voila.

The only problem with that is it pierces the finish and now you have a hole (unless you seal it) into which exhaust oil and everything else cruddy will work at some point. Yes, it does work but I'd use it only as a last resort method.

Jake

Hi Howard,
In the olden days before metal woods in golf, we used a shop towel soaked with water and a monocoat iron to remove dents from persimmon and laminated maple wood heads. The iron, on high, will steam the wood real good. With a shop towel, there is enough "wet area" to hit it, look, hit it, look, etc., until you get it out. Starting easy and patience is the key. By going like this, we usually didn't haveto mess with a refinish job , unless the customer wanted it to begin with.
I have used the method on a few models over the years.
Bill <><

I guess it depends on how much you treasure your finish, fuel proofing, how bad the dent is and how much you want to avoid refinishing. Applying steam or boiling water to the effected area will help for minor dents. I suppose the heat expands the air in the grain and to an extent allow the wood fibers to set in the new swelled position. The best by far method is to get steam or boiling water the penetrate the balsa grain and swell the fibers. It is amazing how bad a dent, even to the extent of broken fibres can be removed or nearly so with boiling water. Try the least intervention first is my advice.

I just poor boiling water over the area and prick the finish if I have to but then I'm not overly concerned with finish unless it's a new plane.

Give it to ME and Dents are gone.

Scott(best answer yet)Riese:7

It's too heavy for you. It would hurt your back.

Thanks, guys. I'll go try this stuff. I appreciate your help.

Howard, you're overthinking this.
Just put a similar dent in the same location on the other side and say it's part of the design.

--jt

Howard,

I just tried something new today. Just after I replied to you yesterday, I gave myself my daily injection of insulin. I use a very small syringe and noticed that the needle size is much less in diameter than a straight pin. I filled a syringe with water and carefully stuck it through the finish and into the wood on one of my planes. The plane has a doped finish. I couldn't inject the water but enough wicked out to do the job. I removed the needle, cleared it by pushing the plunger to eject the debris that may have clogged the needle and repeated several times. I waited a few minutes and placed a cloth over the area and touched my covering iron tip, set to a high temperature, to the area and it worked. I applied paste wax to the repair and I'm sure it is almost invisible. The only reason I can detect any disturbance at all, is I know where it is. Of course, I'm old and so are my eyes. I think, depending on local laws, a druggist my sell you some syringes. If not perhaps you have a friend that might give you a couple?

Howard,
Use a damp washcloth and place it over the dent. Use a Monokote heat Iron (set on #3) and heat the area of the dent while keeping the iron moving in circles and never allowing the iron to stop. This keeps the iron for damaging the paint. Take your time and don't try and rush it. It works like a Champ to remove dents from dope or film finishes.

Mikey

Howard,

Or you could try the really novel approach of fielding an all-new model once every four or five years. How is that new Impact coming along?

For others, being close to Canada we have no problem whatsoever in obtaining syringes. A quick trip to East Vancouver, B.C., and the socialists will give you--yes, free--all the needles you want. This program has really added to the charm of the neighborhood, as one might suspect. Only in Bangladesh can there possibly be uglier, more disease-ridden whores...

So Dan, did you require a shot of tetracycline to get yourself fixed up?

>Howard,
>
>Or you could try the really novel approach of fielding an
>all-new model once every four or five years. How is that new
>Impact coming along?
>
>
>Dan

Yes...I see the pot calling the kettle black here....Right Dan?

How is that new Impact coming along? (Sounds familiar!)

Dan ....... How come youre such an expert on the residents of my town ( east Vancouver)? And let me assure you that SOME of us aint that ugly. ( Or are we?) Keith V. ( socialist) I'd give you a kiss but you might catch a disease

>Yes...I see the pot calling the kettle black here....Right Dan?

>How is that new Impact coming along? (Sounds familiar!)

>P Walker

Hey, at least my new Impact has been flown, is being flown. That it is still a total mess will somehow be blamed on Rush.

> Dan ....... How come youre such an expert on the residents
>of my town ( east Vancouver)? And let me assure you that
>SOME of us aint that ugly. ( Or are we?) Keith V. (
>socialist) I'd give you a kiss but you might catch a disease

Kieth,

Actually, I'm not an expert on your town or even your part of it. But it is a place I once enjoyed visiting for shopping and just strolling around, 'cos it was neat, kinda old, even quaint.

If wanting to know how I really feel, read Dr. Marvin Olaskey's "The Tragedy of American Compassion." Sobering. And certain parts--not your neighborhood, obviously--of East Vancouver prove his point.

Speaking of ugly, is your new white model still turning an off shade of pink? Is it actually just a rash? If so, what was the model doing hanging around the needle give-away table and with whom was it in contact?

Very much looking forward to seeing you soon.

I have some unwanted dents on my model as well. I use 2 part auto clear.

Will these ideas above work in my case also?

>I have some unwanted dents on my model as well. I use 2
>part auto clear.
>
>Will these ideas above work in my case also?

Probably so. I have yet to see a finish that is completely impervious to moisture/heat on some level.

J.