Collision Repair

A welding rod coating creates a shielding slag for the weld puddle, providing protection for the weld against porosity. When the rod coating absorbs moisture, it will have adverse effects on the...

Buffing compound builds up on buffing wheels and interferes with the wheels' ability to provide a smooth and consistent surface. Cleaning the wheel is the most cost-effective and quick option, as...

A plasma cutter creates plasma by sending electricity through compressed air. The plasma arc is concentrated in the nozzle of the plasma torch, then directed toward a sheet of metal to perform the...

Filling body trim holes in thin gauged steel auto body panels requires the use of a MIG welder. To prepare the body panel for welding, clear the body trim hole and the area around the hole of...

It can happen to all of us--we come too close to an immovable object or someone else comes a little to close to you and off comes the mirror on your Grand Prix. The good news is that replacing a...

Miller plasma cutters use a combination of electricity and air pressure to create a stream of plasma that can cut through metal. There are two different categories of Miller plasma cutters: those...

The perfect MIG weld should not only look good, but it should also have good penetration into the base material to be structurally sound. Making a perfect MIG weld requires that all the elements...

Flux Cored Arc Welding uses a self-shielding continuous wire that can be coated or filled with flux. The flux melts and forms a protective barrier around the molten weld puddle, eliminating...

Orange peel is a condition in a paint job caused by additional coats of paint being applied on top of paint that is not cured. As the droplets of new paint hit the soft uncured paint, a small dent...

Painting plastic outside mirrors presents some special problems. The type of plastic used by most manufacturers is high in solvent and oil contents that prevent paint adhesion. That, along with...

Welding with flux-cored wire is different than MIG welding because there is no gas used in the process. Instead, there is a protective flux in the middle of the metal wire. When the wire is...

The paint number is a code identifying the paint color originally painted on the body of an auto at the factory. If the car needs a new coat of paint, either for touch-ups or to finish off...

An automobile accident can be a traumatic and ultimately costly experience. Even if the accident is not your fault and the other driver has insurance, the loss of value on a collision-repaired...

A jigsaw is a versatile tool that easily cuts metal when you use the proper blade. You need to use a fine-tooth blade that has 21 to 24 teeth-per-inch (TPI). The higher the TPI, the finer the cut...

Properly closing down welding equipment at the end of a workday will extend the life of the equipment. Leaving the welder running overnight causes the internal components to wear rapidly, and if...

Shielding gas used for welding runs through a regulator and an outlet flow gauge before traveling to the welder through gas hoses. A flow meter replaces the outlet flow gauge. A flow meter is an...

Airbags help save countless lives every year. The cost of this technology is well worth the value they bring to any car, but the price of replacement airbags does significantly add to the repair...

MIG welding feels a lot different to the operator than stick welding does, so it is good to be prepared. As with any endeavor, practice will always improve your skills, but going into your first...

That parked car came out of nowhere and you didn't have time to stop. I know. It happens. Luckily it was a 1971 Mercury Montego with a solid steel bumper and it didn't get damaged at ALL. Your...

Large pop rivets take a toll on your hand during a day of work. Pneumatic rivet guns automate the process, removing the strain of setting rivets and increasing productivity. There is a minimal...

Welding with a wire welder, known as a MIG welder, results in spatter. Spatter is the remnants of the wire electrode that do not fuse with the weld puddle and splatter on the surface surrounding...

A fillet weld rests between two perpendicular pieces of metal. The fillet weld should be the size of the thinnest metal thickness coming to the weld joint. Before measuring the fillet weld, you...

Tungsten is an electrode used in tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. Grinding tungsten improperly will result in poor weld quality, as the current will not flow from the tungsten to the weld joint...

Easily remove paint and rust from metal with a wire wheel---a collection of wire strands fastened to a base, which then attaches to different types of power tools. A wire wheel attached to a drill...

It never fails that just after you’ve spent all day washing and waxing your new car, someone comes along and scrapes their key down the side of it, ruining both your mood and your car’s paint job....

There are several different ways to repair the inevitable scratches and dings that happen to our cars and trucks. When paint is impacted or scratched, the surrounding paint, though it may look...

Oxy-acetylene torches are a common tool on jobs that require modification to steel. Torches are used to cut, notch, and braze thick steel beams and heavy metal plate. Unlike other methods of...

Wire feed welding or MIG welding is a common welding process. The welding electrode and filler wire are combined in a spool of wire that is continually fed through the MIG gun and into the welding...

Had a car accident? Need car repairs? Filling a car insurance claim? Don't trust the insurance companies or the auto repair shops to treat you right. Here's how to keep them honest.

Touch-up paint can be a valuable tool when trying to cover small scratches and chips that inevitably strike the surface of your car's doors over time. However, these paints often do not match the...

Slide hammers are the most popular and effective tool used in removing dents from vehicles. Body shops and collisions centers use them on large and small dents. You can purchase a slide hammer at...

TIG welding is one of the most common types of professional welding used today. It is especially useful when welding thin sheets of metal or certain types of metals such as aluminum and other...

Our vision is a blessing, and most of us would be lost without it. That is why it is important to always use protective eyewear when engaging in activities that could be dangerous to the eyes. In...

Body damage is an unfortunate inevitability of owning a car. Whether from minor door dings to more serious collisions, body damage can diminish the car's value and, if left unrepaired, can lead to...

The MIG welding process is efficient due to its ability to feed welding wire through the electrode. This allows for longer weld times and increased productivity. Unlike other welding machines that...

When you notice a scratch, scuff or paint chip on your bumper, you generally have three choices: you can leave it alone and wait for it to get worse (and it will), you can take it to a body shop...

Flux-cored wire is held on a wire spool and used with a Metal Inert Gas welder. The same welding procedures are used for both solid wire and flux-cored wire. Flux-cored wire does not rely on a...

Metal Inert Gas welding uses a spool of wire to allow you to perform long continuous weld. This propelled MIG welding into the lead as the most commonly used welding process. Speed comes at a cost...

Tungsten inert gas (TIG) and metal inert gas (MIG) require an inert gas to shield the weld from contamination from reactive gases found in the atmosphere. Plasma arc welding (PAW) uses both an...

Perfect conditions would allow a welder to weld every project in a flat position. However, imperfect conditions arise and welders need to adapt to those conditions. Field welding and welding on...

Fiberglass fenders can be an expensive fix if you have to order a brand new one. An easier route is to do the repair yourself. Almost all fiberglass fractures or even holes can be repaired in a...

Dents can be repaired in multiple ways, but the only sure way to repair any dent, no matter the depth or size, is to use a slide hammer. A slide hammer is also called a dent puller and is used by...

Paintless dent removal is the easiest and most expensive way to repair dents. No heavy equipment or special dent pulling tools are needed. Repairing a dent without having to sand, primer and paint...

High spots that occur when doing body work are from the metal surface of the car sticking out too far. This can happen from being dented or from repair work going wrong. High spots in body work...

One of the most popular auto customizations is aftermarket grille replacement. The Ford Ranger has a simple grille design that makes removing the old grille and installing a new one very easy even...

For the best results, completing body and paint repairs on a vehicle should be left to trained, experienced professionals. If you are inexperienced and looking for a decent paint finish, you can...

Dents on the side of your car can make even a new car look bad. Old or new, the cost of dent repair can be expensive, especially if the dents are extensive. Collision repair shops charge by the...

Hail can cause severe damage to your car. It most often damages the roof, hood and trunk areas. A collision center charges for material and time, so the bill can get very expensive very quickly...

Scratches in car paint can make a nice paint job look bad. Scratches can also cause damage to the body of the car by allowing moisture to reach the bare metal under the paint. This eventually...

Body side molding on a Nissan Xterra comes in a variety of colors. It comes in rolls with a sticky backing that quickly cures when the protective tape is removed and it comes in contact with the...