Hello, my name is Nick. This is my new auto blog. Have you ever wondered about how you can improve the look and functioning of your auto? If so you are in the right place. I live in a large house in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and my house has as many garage parking spots as it does rooms. And believe me, it has a lot of rooms. I like to collect classic cars and then work on them to restore them to their former glory. In doing this, I have learnt lots of cool tricks. I would like to share some of these tricks with you here.
Panel beating is a complex process which allows damaged auto bodywork to be repaired without replacement of the distorted parts. It is therefore an economical and expedient repair process after road accidents since it eliminates the purchase of new panels. You can also choose to engage a panel beating technician for a restoration project aimed at refurbishing old but usable vehicles such as buses.
The bus panel beating work is labor-intensive and different techniques will be required to reinstate the natural body contours. The choice of methods will depend on the current state of your bus and will affect the cumulative service charges. It is important for you to understand the processes so that you can determine whether this type of repair is right for your vehicle. Here are the main techniques used in restoring bus body panels.
Shrinking and Stretching
The shrinking and stretching process is aimed at removing dents which may have been sustained during vehicle accidents. The basic technique involves heating the damaged areas to make the metal more malleable and it is necessary for considerably bad distortions. A special hammer is then used reshape the panel to the general original state. The results are not perfect so further work is required to smooth out the material.
Planishing
Planishing is a metalworking procedure which is used to refine the panels after shrinking and stretching. In this process, the panels are pushed against a dolly or stake; this is a shaping tool which matches the contours of your vehicles panels. Basically, planishing will level the smaller distortions and restore the structural shape.
Filling
If the damage is relatively severe for simple reshaping of the panels to reinstate the contours, the filling process is essential. Basically, putty filler is formed and applied on the vehicle surface to cover the dent. This paste is shaped appropriately before it hardens so that it will blend with the panel. When it dries, it is leveled by sanding to perfect the surface of the vehicle.
Welding
Welding is utilised when there is a physical break or an area of significant structural weakness in the auto body. The welding heat is applied on the affected area to join the pieces of metal or to reinforce the fragile section. The type of join used will depend on the type and shape of body work and even the desired outcome. The weld will be evident after this process so the surface will be reshaped by sanding.
Share1 June 2015
