Ryoken's Guide to Rust Treatment and Bodywork 101

[ryoken]

a DA is a random orbital.. in the trueist sense..

in recent yrs, there have been quite a few palmsander style random orbitals that have come out that cloud the term... a sander that spins in conjunction with a back and forth motion is a random orbital technically...

a sander that does not turn, but vibrates, has been in recent times referred to as a random orbital... like a standard square palm sander.. in my eyes, it is not a true random orbital, like a DA..

 

[wazzabie]

it's by far a more often used method than sandblasting... 50 to 80 grit on a DA and a day of sanding will usually strip, most vehicles..

Great since I do not have a blaster this will be the method I'll use to remove the old paint from the rear quarters and rockers

 

[Chief Brody]

Ok. I guess what I'm mostly confused to now is the difference in the action of a DA vs. A random orbital. I thought a random orbital was simply a da without the lockout feature that turns it into a "grinder". That's not the case? So there is really 3 things we are talking about here then right? A da, a da with lockout and a random orbital correct?

There are more considerations too....Of the three sanders you linked to the 3rd isn't even variable speed. Variable speed is critical...for cutting down to bare metal wide open is good....for cutting filler when you are getting close to time to block it, I need the slower speed...but that's me...I'm a noob...

 

[y5mgisi]

So, in summary, just get the $119 one that looks most similar to a grinder?

 

[Chief Brody]

So, in summary, just get the $119 one that looks most similar to a grinder?

Yep. It's working great for me...like I said before...it's the best money I have spent on any of the tools I have bought...and it will be around long after the HF stuff is burned out...
now, if they just made and electric inline sander

 

[wazzabie]

How well would the DA work that have the vacuum attachment at removing paint?

For example
http://reviews.northerntool.com/039...ir-dual-action-sander-6in-reviews/reviews.htm

 

[Chief Brody]

Plan for tomorrow is to get the tailgate and fenders to the sandblaster early in the morning and get them out of my way for a few days.

Then off with the right quarter panel and the tailpan.

I cannot clearly see the welds in the floor at the rear...also I thing the spot weld bit I got makes too big of a hole for the floor back there?

 

[ryoken]

don't worry about the bit size, doesn't matter... big is good... take a grinder and lightly skim across the top, often that will show the spotwelds...

 

[Chief Brody]

Can I get away with repairing the floor in that left rear corner?

By the way, I tore that whole open with an air hammer...it's not rust...

 

[Chief Brody]

Also...I need to be able to punch a pilot hole or divet into the spot welds...I have ruined two center punches on the first tap...what can I use to to do this to center my spot weld bit that won't break when I hit it?

 

[ryoken]

just drill a 1/8 pilot hole.... next time your at your autobody place, buy a tube of double ended bits..

 

[Chief Brody]

I got a dent in the new quarter panel that I need to try to get out before I install it...how can I get this out?
Luckily the body line itself is straight...but above and below it are dents...its hard to see with the black finish, but here it is:

 

[ryoken]

might as well install it first.. gives ya a staple platform to work with..

 

[Chief Brody]

might as well install it first.. gives ya a stable platform to work with..

I can sort of get my hand in there right now, but once I install it, it will be impossible to get to both sides at once if I need to....I stuffed a blood pressure cuff in there and pumped it up but it didn't pop it out....

 

[Chief Brody]

If I could get a spoon in there on the inside would you use a hammer on the outside or something lighter?

 

[ryoken]

spoon dolly centered on the backside of the dent... than lightly work the outside edge of the dent with a body or shrinking hammer.. basically pressure on the backside of the dent and work the outer edge with a hammer..

i know, seems counter-intuitive, but that's how most dents are straightened.. most dents are high around the perimeter.. the metal needs to go somewhere.. it's either there usually and some stretching of the sheetmetal too..

 

[imiceman44]

If I could get a spoon in there on the inside would you use a hammer on the outside or something lighter?

Yeah, if you can get a spoon in there, then hit the edges of the dent with the hammer working around it till it's flat.

 

[imiceman44]

Beat me by seconds.

spoon dolly centered on the backside of the dent... than lightly work the outside edge of the dent with a body or shrinking hammer.. basically pressure on the backside of the dent and work the outer edge with a hammer..

i know, seems counter-intuitive, but that's how most dents are straightened.. most dents are high around the perimeter.. the metal needs to go somewhere.. it's either there usually and some stretching of the sheetmetal too..

 

[Chief Brody]

OK...here goes...I may need to tape the spoon to a stick

 

[ryoken]

steady pressure will work too, properly wedged 2 x 4, etc can do the trick sometimes... you really need to have the spoon held solid to the backside of the dent...