Hi everyone . I am getting ready to start on my 52. Looking for advise on which body hammers I should buy as well as dollys. Theres alot of off shore stuff out there for cheap cheap. I know a good balanced hammer is important but do you have to spend $100 for a snap on dolly? Thanks

 

I could not tell you. I just have the cheap stuff as far as hammers and dollies. I have a sander, grinder, shrinking disk, and a lot of other items gathered up. We will see how it works in the spring.

 

I used the cheap stuff from one of the traveling tent shows. They worked just fine for my 'hobby' use. When you get into applying and working the filler, this sander is worth every cent if you have enough air to run it:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=280

 

Years ago...the very first set I purchased was from Harbor Freight because
I had NO experience in hand-hammering but had a friend of my dad's who was an old-schooler at it was willing to show me the ropes...

He restored his '64-1/2 Mustang with original sheetmetal this way!

Anyway...I probably gonna catch some crap for the HF-thing...but as far as starting out goes it worked for me.

Here is a link, I think the kit is about $29.95:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=46779

ONE THING THOUGH...If you have access to a buffing wheel give all these suckers a real good polishing to make sure the surfaces are SMOOTH!!!

By the way...I still got 'em...

 

Hey Brian...how do you like that shrinking disk???

 

I have the same sander and hammer set as above from HF and they work fine. Also buy yourself an orbital sander, and a good set of filler blades to put the filler on with and your pretty much set. And maybe some warmer weather.

 

Shrinking disks work GREAT! You don't have to buy the fancy one with the grooves in it, the smooth ones work just as well.
Here's my advice on body tools: You want at least one "good" hammer for most of the work. For that one get a pick hammer with a 1 - 1 1/4" round slightly crowned face and a longish bullet shaped slender pick face. It should have a slender handle with an octagon cross section for control. It does not have to be heavy since you only grip and tap LIGHTLY with it. You are not driving nails or beating the panel into submission!!! You will use this hammer most any time you need to hammer on or off dolly. The second hammer you want to buy or make is a slap hammer. You can do almost any body work with these two hammers.
As far as dollies, you can never have too many dollies. You want to start with a toe dolly, a heel dolly, a spoon dolly, and a double ended or railroad dolly. As you go along you may find the need for other shapes and sizes that you can buy, make, or modify from others.
Do you need to spend a lot for these tools? Not if you aren't in a rush. Used ones come up all the time on ebay where you can buy high quality tools at or less than the import junk aimed at hobbyists and know nothings. Much of the time they may need refinishing, but so will most new ones before they are ready to use, so don't let surface rust concern you. Dollies do not need to be hardened steel.
I would highly recommend a set of HMW plastic torpedo mallets for knocking out dents and shaping panels and patches.
A few other useful items is a couple hockey pucks from the sporting goods store and an old wooden baseball bat or two along with several short to long length 1/2" carriage bolts and a couple threaded couplers to match and a medium sized ball peen hammer from the hardware store. You'll also want to make yourself a shot or sandbag.
Do a search on my user name, I have made quite a few previous posts addressing body tools and their proper use. Also feel free to ask questions.

 

As long as we are back on the subject of body tools....

Can someone tell me about a slapping file? Are they worth it? how to use it? etc

I'm new to bodywork myself and right now I am using the basic HF cheapo set...so far so good. I'm stumbling through

Another few things I've kept around in the past for bending metal around (or back into a quasi shape) especially for major dents...a cars jack, both the horizontal style (that has the action like the old upright bumper jacks) and regular screw type jacks or scissor jacks. Wedge them into a tight spot and start pushing.....

Bobby

 

A slapping hammer is good. Slapping file just makes the surface look like hamburger.

 

here's a good starter set ebay #180193644715

worth 125-150. if I were bidding.

Here's another: Martin is a good brand and the BIN price is right:
ebay #200174880046

 

Forgive my ignorance, is a slapping hammer the same as a slapping spoon?

I can't access ebay from here at work, I'll have to check the item # when I get home this evening.

Thanks
Bobby

 

i started out in this hobby buying expensive tools - always snap on, craftsman, etc. however, i believe i have matured since then. harbor freight is my favorite tool store now for simple tools. they even started offering lifetime warranties on all of their hand tools. tools are tools, and unless they have a ton of moving mechanical parts, you can be safe buying less expensive stuff. also, slapping files are great ways for seeing high spots, u definitely need one if you are doing a lot of metal work. i'd also recommend a vixen file; it's the one with the bracket that can be adjusted to make a concave or convex curve.
matt

 

Just did a quick search on hammers on ebay. Quite a number of Fairmont, Mac, Proto, and snap-on hammers on there at low prices. Also some dollies of various shapes.

 

Yes. slapping hammer commonly has a shallow angled handle on a flatish plate, slapping spoon often is double ended bent in a shallow Z shape. A slapping spoon is sometimes used as a spoon dolly as well to get behind braces and in tight places. You can make your own from pieces of spring leafs. I like the vixen file to find high spots over the slapping file.

 

I often advise people that if you refinish more than 1 vehicle or get into the refinishing hobby for less than a few cars---then buy the cheapo tools. You may never use them again,and you have a small investment. If you have a shop/garage and plan on painting or any sort of body work---it is nice to have a set of tools to last. I do not like to lend tools out---and when you do----you generallly need to head to the tool store. It is nice to be self-sufficient and have the tools at your disposal. Not many people need the specialized tools---but it is nice---when you have them!!! Bill