Paintless Dent Removal... Dry Ice?

[RNbuilt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwT5r323QF0&feature=related

who in here has done it or knows somebody who has done it?

i have some dings on my rear passenger panel that im looking to try it on. i plan on getting the panel repainted anyway, so if it doesnt go well them im only out a few $.

what you guys think? any idea how aluminum will react?

 

[tom4416]

Let us know how it works (or doesn't) on aluminum. I've never seen anyone do it successfully on steel so should be interesting.

 

[David]

I pulled some dents (out of an Eclipse, for a stripper) that way a few weeks ago.

 

[RNbuilt]

david... how did it work? the dent just miraculously popped out with the ice? did you heat up the panel also?

 

[David]

I used a heat gun to warm it up, then hit it with a can of air (like you would use to clean a computer keyboard) held upside down so that the gas came out liquid and changed state on the surface, cooling it rapidly.

I have also used a rag with dish of water and ice. Both worked fine. How much of the dent you get out varies. Sometimes it looks perfect, sometimes not. The Eclipse had a pretty big dent (fortunately with no creases) and I was able to get it 90-95% back to normal.

This is really just a variation of a metal-shaping technique that has been around for a long time. I can remember getting the high spots out of muscle car panels when I was a kid by heating them with a spinning disk on a buffer, then putting an icy rag on them. All you are doing is shrinking the metal.

 

[drtruong]

I used a heat gun to warm it up, then hit it with a can of air (like you would use to clean a computer keyboard) held upside down so that the gas came out liquid and changed state on the surface, cooling it rapidly.

I have also used a rag with dish of water and ice. Both worked fine. How much of the dent you get out varies. Sometimes it looks perfect, sometimes not. The Eclipse had a pretty big dent (fortunately with no creases) and I was able to get it 90-95% back to normal.

This is really just a variation of a metal-shaping technique that has been around for a long time. I can remember getting the high spots out of muscle car panels when I was a kid by heating them with a spinning disk on a buffer, then putting an icy rag on them. All you are doing is shrinking the metal.

After I read your thread, I tried on my Toyota Highlander which has a door dent from another door parked next to it. Instead of using heat gun, I used hairblower at high speed to warm up the surface, I then used a can of air, and also water with ice rag. It does not reduce the visible dent at all. Should I be using heat gun instead and what would happen to the paint if I use the heat gun?

 

[David]

After I read your thread, I tried on my Toyota Highlander . . . .It does not reduce the visible dent at all.

I don't think a hair dryer will get it hot enough. I use a heat gun on a medium setting. High may damage the paint, but I honestly don't know what the threshold is. Also, heat it for a while, as it can take a minute or so to get it hot enough, since the sheet metal dissipate the heat fairly quickly.

I have also found that it does not work nearly as well on vehicles with thicker sheet metal. The Eclipse felt like it was made out of an old Coors Light can. If you see no change at all after a couple of tries, its not going to work.

 

[RNbuilt]

i think ill will try this on a sunny day with dry ice...

 

[Malibu Rapper]

I can't help but think the heat gun and dry ice method is a recipe for cracking paint. A paint job will cost you a lot more than a good paintless dent removal service.

 

[m3456y]

i think ill will try this on a sunny day with dry ice...

I had a coconut drop on my Mini Cooper. It made a small dimple - like hail damage. After leaving it in the 90+ heat of the Florida sun I tried the dry ice. After many repeated tries - I believe the dimple was reduced, slightly. Called the paintless dent guy and it was gone.

 

[RNbuilt]

just got back from trying the dry ice method. i cant tell if it decreased the dent at all... if it did, its minimal.

no damage to the paint. paintless dent removal, here i come.

 

[David]

. paintless dent removal, here i come.

While I have figured out how to make it work, I don't understand why anyone with a job would do anything other than take it to a dent-popper type place. I only use the heat gun when my deadbeat friends (or lazy stripper girlfriends) need help.

Real people take dents to professionals.

 

[RNbuilt]

i just had to try it. really had nothing to lose haha

 

[WaltL]

Not about to try this on my X, but I was intrigued by the concept and the YouTube video. Since I have easy access to dry ice and a '97 SE Maxima with a lot of hail dents, I thought I'd give it a try. In short, it doesn't work.

Ambient temp was about 85F and I did not use a heat gun.
I had a 50lb block of dry ice. My buddy and I used ~2 lb chunks and applied to several small dents, as per the video. When to metal is cold, it appears that the dent has been removed or at least reduced. However, once it's back to air temp., you see that the dent is still there. After a couple of trys and a few drinks, we sat the whole block on a dent on the hood for about 20 min, removed and let warm up... no change. Tried to video it but my battery was dead. :frown:

 

[ANYTIME]

Leave the dry ice/heat experiments to the youtube crowd. This should not be tried on an NSX. I personally would not like to see a horror story thread started about this not working and the aftermath.

As some of you may or may not know, I own a Paintless Dent Removal company. I can offer some advice to all that are interested. If you're going to have someone look at your car to possibly fix it, then look for someone that can offer you referrals of dealers and or private individuals they have worked for. And have confidence that it can be fixed, no question. Doubts on whether they can fix it? Find someone else.

Find out how long they have been doing this and how many cars they've worked on. (Part timers have accumulated time but not cars) I have worked on aluminum cars before and it's no problem if the dent is not too big. Usually a dent the size of a baseball and smaller are fixable to 100%. Creases can be fixed as long as it's not to close to an edge. (taillight , the end of the door or fender) Whoever you decide to use, please focus on the quality not the price. Usually you get what you pay for as I run across that constantly. No two ways about it, quality costs money.

People calling for the low price aren't always concerned about quality. You should do the same. Don't go for the guy that is low balling you or overly anxious to fix your car. The best in the business are busy and not waiting around for someone to call them. Kinda like going to a restaurant with no one there, why aren't they busy? Bad service? Food? You get the idea.

Focus on quality, and a 100% guarantee(you don't pay unless you are 100% satisfied),and someone who works on the car like it's his own car,as I do and everyone should.

Take care,
John

 

[EuroBoutique]

Leave the dry ice/heat experiments to the youtube crowd. This should not be tried on an NSX. I personally would not like to see a horror story thread started about this not working and the aftermath.

As some of you may or may not know, I own a Paintless Dent Removal company. I can offer some advice to all that are interested. If you're going to have someone look at your car to possibly fix it, then look for someone that can offer you referrals of dealers and or private individuals they have worked for. And have confidence that it can be fixed, no question. Doubts on whether they can fix it? Find someone else.

Find out how long they have been doing this and how many cars they've worked on. (Part timers have accumulated time but not cars) I have worked on aluminum cars before and it's no problem if the dent is not too big. Usually a dent the size of a baseball and smaller are fixable to 100%. Creases can be fixed as long as it's not to close to an edge. (taillight , the end of the door or fender) Whoever you decide to use, please focus on the quality not the price. Usually you get what you pay for as I run across that constantly. No two ways about it, quality costs money.

People calling for the low price aren't always concerned about quality. You should do the same. Don't go for the guy that is low balling you or overly anxious to fix your car. The best in the business are busy and not waiting around for someone to call them. Kinda like going to a restaurant with no one there, why aren't they busy? Bad service? Food? You get the idea.

Focus on quality, and a 100% guarantee(you don't pay unless you are 100% satisfied),and someone who works on the car like it's his own car,as I do and everyone should.

Take care,
John

Sounds like you know what you are talking about, thanks for the tips! I'm actually trying to organize a dent day for our s2000 fellas and myself. Too bad you are in socal - do you know any reputable guys in norcal?


rk