I have a set of valve covers that are pretty unique, they are stamped metal and one has a nickel sized ding in it on a rounded corner. What tools do I need to get that out?
If you use a hammer and dolly easily around the area ,that might work? I have a body hammer, that has a point at the end it works pretty well the stuff like that it might be hard though it the tight space you will have to work in, i dont think that you can put any mud on it eitheir because of how hot it gets? Not exactly sure though. Nate
I've seen those white, cone shaped, plastic hammers. If Billy Lane can use one to form a tank with, why not a valvecover?
I think you probably could do it by blocking it into a sandbag like they do when they make the tanks??
you might find a piece of hardwood such as a handle on a metal file and use the rounded end in the backside of the dent and tap with a hammer, slowwwly of course
[ QUOTE ] you might find a piece of hardwood such as a handle on a metal file and use the rounded end in the backside of the dent and tap with a hammer, slowwwly of course [/ QUOTE ] That sounds like the best idea...if you hit it directly with the hammer I would think it would be pretty difficult to get the radius of the compound curve just right.
I had the same problem. I bought a nylon block, (can get those from any GOOD hardware store) and ground a radius that matched the inside corner of the valve cover. Then I set the valve cover down on a larger nylon block and tapped it out. Took a long**** time, but it came out ok.
put a ball peen hammer head in your vice and work the corner over the ball end. take your good valve cover and pour molten aluminum in the end to create a male buck. saw the end off GF's broom handle and work it against a sand bag.
clamp a body dolly in a vise and use a brass drift, one with a mushroomed end. you should be able to get it pretty nice if you take it EASY..... LUKESTER
[ QUOTE ] clamp a body dolly in a vise and use a brass drift, one with a mushroomed end. you should be able to get it pretty nice if you take it EASY..... LUKESTER [/ QUOTE ] Don't mean to sound like an idiot, but what's a brass drift?
It's brass, about the size of a railroad spike... I need to go over to Northern Tool anyway...been a while.
Seal the carburettor hole, bung a wooden plug in your dip stick hole, and pump 150psi of shop air into your motor. The valve cover dent will pop right out. Done it a thousand times. - - - - - - Naaaah, I'm just joking, but you knew that, right?
I would put pressure from behind with maybe a rounded broomstick or a ballpeen hammer rounded side upright in a vice. Place valve cover over end. Then lightly tap the high spot around the dent from the top. Hitting from behind might stretch it or distort it.
I would make sure the inside was nice and clean , mix up a fist full of bondo,mud,body filler stir it with a little extra hardner and pour it into the good end to make a mold, pretty cheap if their rare..then I would either make ,find a friend with a wood lathe and make a hardwood dolly,or buck and work it just slowly and try not to let it get hot...while I'm beatin on it...I have no tecnical/scientific evidence to support this..it's just what I would do cause their rare ,and I'm cheap and sounds like it would work....fatchuk
I just did this on my 348 covers. I started on the dents using our leather shotbag and a smallhead bodyhammer to get into the corner. I then moved to a couple home-made post dollies in the vise. After this I graduated to a Bullseye pick to ding out the tiny imperfections. I used Layout dye and a Vixen file towards then end to really see the low spots. I got them nice enough to powdercoat.
Ball peen hammer head, 20 oz. claw hammer that split my thumb open last year when I was changing U-joints, carpeting on concrete, Success Rice baby. That dark spot is actually shiny now.
[ QUOTE ] Seal the carburettor hole, bung a wooden plug in your dip stick hole, and pump 150psi of shop air into your motor. The valve cover dent will pop right out. Done it a thousand times. - - - - - - Naaaah, I'm just joking, but you knew that, right? [/ QUOTE ] for*****s sake, that will never work! that is, if you don't heat the engine block to cherry red and throw water on it first. duuuuh.
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