Read an Excerpt
The Complete Guide Towards Starting Your Own Paintless Dent Removal Business
By Randall Kellogg AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2010 Randall Kellogg
All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4520-0032-9
Chapter One
Overview
A successful Paintless Dent Removal business person endeavors to master all the aspects of the trade. These aspects include:
Technical Theory - The process of removing dents without damaging the paint.
Technical Tools - The tools, innovations and other equipment that work best to maximize profits.
Business Theory - How to profit from services performed.
Technical Techniques - How do you use the tools effectively and efficiently?
Business Process and Plan - From how do you land a customer, to how you should price your work and how you present a business plan to get financing.
The book addresses several of the above aspects, although not always in this order. Many times issues are addressed more than once and from different angles and at the same time, as they are all interrelated.
It is as properly an art as painting, navigation, or architecture. If a man would become a painter, navigator, or architect, it is not enough that he is advised to be one, that he is convinced by the arguments of his advisor that it would be for his advantage to be one, and that he resolves to be one; but he must also be taught the principles of the art, be shewn all the methods of working, and how to acquire the habits of using properly all the instruments. And thus regularly and gradually he arrives by practice at some perfection in the art. Ben Franklin "Art of Virtue"
Paintless Dent Repair Basics
There are many tools available from numerous suppliers to perform Paintless Dent Removal. The visual process to accomplish it is the same for all PDR technicians. For instance some PDR techs use a two bulb system, while others use only one. Other technicians may seldom use lights at all only reflection boards. None the less the technician is using the reflected light as a point of reference. Below note the beam of light going across a hood.
The hood with no dent shows the reflected bulb as a straight line. The hood with a dent shows the beam of light skewed to the shape of the dent. The process is simple enough which is to bring the reflected light with the shape of dent back to the natural shape of the light of a reflected light as a straight line across a hood with no dents or imperfections. Note the tap down or pecker and the panel remover tool in the picture. I keep these two tools with me at all times using the rear of the tool to tap the pecker and to help remove liners and head liners.
New lights and reflection boards show more of the shadows of the light allowing the technician to see the highs and lows of an entire dent which provides for an even more precise dent removal.
The first step in learning to do paintless dent repair work is to be able to know where the tip of your tool underneath the panel is at all times.
The most common learning method is to place a car or truck hood on a hood stand to allow the apprentice technician to practice observing his PDR tool each time it pushes against the metal hood from the underside of the hood. (Placing a golf ball or two in a sock and slamming it on the hood is a good way to place a practice dent on vehicle hood or door.) Hoods can then be placed on a hood rack and tied down with bungee cords as shown in Figure A. (Most body shops will give you or loan you a slightly damaged hood to use for practice upon request.) There are several different options when setting up a hood stand or hood rack. A hood rack is an essential for a new technician, especially if you will be immediately involved with hail damage removal.
If you do not want to purchase a hood rack immediately but would like to practice at home it is very easy to construct one using 2x4 constructions. It is important that the four corners of your rack be about 3'5". Depending upon the size of the practice hood you will want to measure the width and length of the hood rack to fit your specification. Typically they will be from 3 to 3 1/2 ft with one to two boards per side. Remember to leave at least a six inch gap from the top of your 3'5" posts and the connecting boards. Connect with either nails or screws.
The Visual Process
This visual process is used for all hand tools, wire tools, and extended rods while the process of removing a dent varies from company to company and from individual to individual. Most technicians develop their own unique methods of massaging a dent in a vehicle. A typical approach to dent removal is to start from the middle with the tool behind or underneath the panel where the dent is located and gently massage in a clockwise or counter clockwise manner using concentric circles from center to outside as in the "bull's eye" type shape below.
Many technicians eventually take a much more random approach to a dent concentrating on highs and lows but are not too concerned with the circular motion. It is important to note that the deeper the dent the more often it must be pushed up and tapped back down. Ideally in the magnified example of a very deep dent a technician would follow the paths of the blue dots, then the red dots and then the orange dots when pushing, pressing and massaging a very deep dent. The technician's pressure on the metal slightly weakens the metal but does not stretch it as the dent is completely massaged out to perfection. Pushing underneath a panel in this method assures uniformity and that the dent will be removed from all lines of sight. Tapping down the highs of a dent between each path requires using a knock-down tool commonly referred to as a "pecker". When working on a deep dent a new technician should step back often and observe to make sure the dent is advancing properly. Tapping down the highs allows the light to again be reflected to better observe the remaining lows in the dent. I briefly describe the process for removing a common slightly deep dent, but it must be practiced by a new technician to eventually be performed to perfection. Below is a picture of some "knockdowns" and "peckers" and interchangeable tips.
Lighting
One of the most important aspects to removing a dent from a car body is lighting. There are too many types of lights and reflective devices to mention them all in this book. I will give you a description of some of the most common lights and reflective devices for removing dents. It is common for technicians to experiment and modify devices to get the best possible views of a dent. The objective in viewing a dent is to completely remove a dent so it cannot be detected from any angle and the body panel will look as if it is in perfect condition. The technician needs to be able to see the bottom of a dent to insure that they are removing the center and deepest part of the dent. Moving a light higher above or away from the panel is many times the solution to seeing deeper into the dent. This is one of the first and most difficult tasks for a new technician to learn. Shadow devices like those on the Shadow Master Light or reflective boards many times help the technician to see the areas that are low more clearly.
Many technicians make modifications to their lighting devices to meet their personal preferences. For instance using black lights or colored lights may provide better lighting for lighter colored vehicles. Reflective boards and shadow board covers can be purchased, made from most computers or made with colored tape to attain the most perfect fit for your personal preferences. Sometimes as a technician you might find it necessary to take out a dent in direct sunlight. (This should be especially avoided for top panels.) This may require special lighting such as black lights or different colored reflective boards. It is always necessary to be able to see the dent completely and know where your tool is behind the dent at all times! Most beginners will occasionally not know where their tool is behind the dent. To avoid making costly mistakes technicians must practice and refine the art before soliciting their services to car dealers and retail customers. This is why having a good practice hood with stand is a necessity to understand how to leverage your tool or use a tool between braces and gain confidence at seeing the tip of the tool underneath the panel. Most new technicians need to be accompanied by an experienced technician for several months or practice for one to six months in order to be confident and skilled enough to work on retail vehicles.
More About Lighting
There are numerous lights now available from a variety of Paintless Dent Removal tool suppliers. They are constantly bringing out new and innovative lighting ideas that help to improve the ease of removing minor dents, dings, creases or hail damage from motor vehicles.
Pictured are four basic types of light reflecting devices with different uses for the PDR business. It is easy to find many variations of these same lights and if you are like me you will eventually accumulate quite a selection.
Figure D -A- This is a standard or Anson four foot light which is especially useful for hail damage. It can be set up over the top of a vehicle which allows the dent craftsmen to work well over half of a panel without having to move the light as often while working a dent.
Many experienced technicians started with a light like this one which can also be adjusted to use for side panel work. This particular Anson light has been modified many times primarily because the light mechanisms eventually become inoperable or need repairs. I supplement this light with different backgrounds and tape that can be placed between the bulb and the back of the light mechanism. The changes in backgrounds can provide a better line of site, shadow effects or just a variety of views.
Figure D -B- Note this light with a suction cup and powered with a car cigarette lighter/ power adapter. This particular light has a DT Lineboard to allow the reflected dent to be more easily viewed and repaired. Some lights now come with battery packs and have no wires or adapters or extension cords to get in the way. There are also a number of adaptions like this DT Lineboard that allow the user to use the fade lines and colors with their light to better focus on the dent being removed.
Figure D -C- This is a common Dentcraft reflector board with suction cup. Many technicians use these boards exclusively for most repairs. Reflector boards now come in a variety of colors. Magnetic holders instead of suction cups are also available although they are more problematic because metal particles may get attached and possibly scratch a vehicle. These suction cup or magnetic base lights are very handy when a technician is in a hurry and does not want to set up a lot of equipment. It is a good idea to place a cloth between the panel and a magnetic base. There are a number of colors and sizes of reflector boards available.
Figure D -D- This fourth light is called a Blehm LT36 come in different shades to allow the user to see deeper into the dent with less effort. The LT36 light also has the ability to be adjusted easily to almost any angle high or low. This PDR light weighs only 26 pounds with the floor stand which makes it much easier to move than a ShadowMaster or Anson light with bulkier bases. The newer box style base with 3 inch casters allows the light to be easily maneuvered around the tires of any vehicle.
These are just four lights of the many variations and available lights. Most technicians become more proficient and can use a lot of light options to see a dent clearly. New technicians are fortunate that they can quickly obtain lights and boards that make the visual process easier to learn.
It is a good idea to purchase your first lights and the most up to date lights like a Shadow Master light or LT36 light. It can be equipped with a battery pack to eliminate extension cords. I have used an older Shadow Master light quite often. The shadow boards attach to this light and are very good for new technicians as they provide a large area of shadow and reflection. These boards can also come in different shades to allow the user to see deeper into the dent with less effort. The light can be adjusted to most any angle. These are a few examples of available lighting. (see Figure E) as these lights do provide more flexibility, maneuverability, and visibility. I have built many lights, primarily because they are easily broken and parts do need repair. Pictured is a light of which the lighting mechanism came from a department store closeout. I purchased more than ten of these lights for a few dollars each. The base of this light is from a camera supply store. Years ago PDR companies like I originally worked with made or modified many of their own lights and tools since they were not as readily available at PDR tool supply wholesalers.
The lighting process is constantly changing. Jerry Blehm's LT 36 Shadow light is the one I currently use most often, especially for Hail Damage. The unique background and fluorescent bulb provide a more visible "Map of Shadows" that allows the technician to level a Hail dent by being able to see "highs and lows" more clearly.
Many of my lights which are pictured throughout this section of the book have been slightly reworked to make them sturdier and more productive. This four foot Anson light has been customized to allow me to view the dent more clearly by changing colors of reflections and using many different lines to provide more clarity when needed. Many times hobby shops and hardware stores will have these types of items that may not be found at a Paintless Dent Repair supplier.
Tools
The number of tools a technician can use can be in the hundreds, although most Paintless Dent Removal Technicians have a few favorite tools which they use for most of the work. Getting a tool to the underside of a panel where a dent is located is many times the most difficult part of getting a dent out. Sometimes a hole may need to be drilled, but this should always be explained to the customer and should be in a location that can be plugged, painted and sealed inconspicuously. Some technicians, dent companies and body shops may prefer to take off door panels, drop liners or remove accessories than drill holes. Personally I recommend first seeking every method possible to get to a dent without drilling or removing panels. That is why technicians who have accumulated a large number of tools for many unique situations are many times faster, more profitable and more professional. I constantly keep an eye out for more tools to reach more dents that my tools can't reach efficiently or at all. Then I try to purchase or design the tools, which most major PDR dent suppliers can produce on demand or have in stock.
New technicians should not put too much emphasis in getting more and more tools. It is a good idea to become proficient with fewer tools and then add more tools as needed. Keep in mind that many companies like DentCraft Tools, A-1 Tool, Blehm Tool and many others offer starter systems and complete systems at reasonable prices that give a new technician a good number of tools that will work for most Paintless Dent needs. If you are fortunate enough to be employed with a car dealer or body shop that is paying for your tools then getting a large set from a major supplier like A1 tools or Dentcraft Tools makes a lot of sense. There is a substantial savings per tool in buying a large PDR tool set.
Getting the Right Tools
There are a number of specialized tools that are essential for performing PDR work more quickly and accurately. It is often necessary to go between the glass of windows and the outer panels of doors. There are specialized tools such as; window guards, flat tools even bendable tools for this which will also help prevent costly mistakes. When working on top panels it may be necessary to remove liners, get between braces, drop sun roofs or use other methods to gain access to the underside of panels. There are tools and procedures for accomplishing those tasks. Sometimes the most cost effective method of repair would be to pull the dents via glue pullers rather than working the dent from the underside of the panel with a tool. Most PDR tools have few crossover uses for other types of automotive repair work. If you do not have a tool, but need it immediately it may mean not being able to complete a dent you could otherwise remove. In the course of my tenure as a PDR technician, I have learned a number of tricks, homemade tools and useful techniques which are necessary when tools that you do not have are needed immediately but tools suppliers cannot provide for a day or two. Photographs and descriptions are provided for a number of additional tools from manufacturers and home made options when vendor-made tools are unavailable.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Complete Guide Towards Starting Your Own Paintless Dent Removal Business by Randall Kellogg Copyright © 2010 by Randall Kellogg. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
