I've seen some videos of this. Does it really work? Any tips or limitations? My Miata has a couple large shopping cart related dents that I'd like to get rid of. I'm not trying to win any car shows (it doesn't have to be perfect) but it's currently very unsightly.
The theory is the same as it would be using a shrinking disc. That is to say that it assumes the dent is composed of a stretched area of metal that, if shrunk, would allow the panel to return to its pre-dent shape. I use a shrinking disc a fair bit and will vouch that it works.
The one time I tried the hot air/cold air trick, the dent did come out, but then returned when the panel returned to room temperature.
I tried something similar on the licence plate holder dents on the nose.
No luck.
Heat gun plus upside down can of compressed air, nada.
Though, that's plastic, can't say for metal.
The physics behind it are real, but I've never had much luck getting this to work...
I use a plumbers torch and a wet sponge.
I've done it, but only on a foam core fiberglass wing.
It's worth a try if you're OK with the possibility of spiderwebbing the paint. It's a great fix when it works.
I might end up doing this to pull hail dents out of my starlet. It needs new paint anyway so any scorching or whatever isn't a big deal.
ive done it, on a door that had been opened into a post. theres an element of balls to it i think, as in how much balls you have and how long youre gonna keep the heat on before you back off incase you damage the paint. it took us about 5 or 6 attempts, but the vast majority of the dent came out, there was only a slight ripple there afterwards which you really had to look for. i can imagine it would only work on fairly shallow dents on flat/smooth areas. any sharp creases or anything will be impossible without massaging/beating the panel from behind i think.
its almost free though, so definitely worth a shot.
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