hannah_fisher58•15d agoProlific Poster

Vent: I fixed a tricky quarter panel dent with a heat gun and dry ice

Had a 2018 Civic with a deep crease right on the body line, and pulling it was just making it worse. Out of ideas, I remembered an old timer talking about metal memory. I heated the area with a heat gun for about 30 seconds, then quickly ran a block of dry ice over it. The metal actually snapped back about 80% of the way, saving me hours of filler work. Has anyone else used temperature tricks on modern sheet metal?

3 comments

3 Comments

reed.jana15d ago

That dry ice trick is wild, I've only seen it done with compressed air cans turned upside down. My buddy works at a body shop and they keep a few cans around just for small door dings. He says the key is to heat the metal just enough that you can't hold your hand on it, then hit it with the cold spray in a tight pattern. It works way better on aluminum panels than steel, something about how the molecules contract.

miller.thomas15d ago

So @reed.jana, does that cold spray trick work on older steel too?

the_charlie15d ago

Yeah, that "heat the metal just enough" part is key. I used to think you had to get it really hot, like with a torch, but that just warps everything. A heat gun on high for maybe 30 seconds is the sweet spot, then the quick cold shock pops it right out. Works on older steel fenders too, just takes a couple more tries sometimes.