Changed my mind on using a heat gun vs. a torch for pulling dents

I always thought a small torch was the best way to go for shrinking metal on a dent pull... faster heat, more control, or so I thought. Last month I was working on a quarter panel for a 2012 Civic and I grabbed my old torch out of habit. I ended up putting a tiny hot spot in the metal that took me an extra hour to work out. My buddy loaned me his variable temp heat gun, the Milwaukee M18 one, and told me to just try it. The slower, wider heat from the gun let the metal relax without shocking it. I did the other side of the panel in half the time with way less filler needed. Has anyone else made that switch and found it better for newer, thinner sheet metal?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.elizabeth22d agoMost Upvoted

Stop treating it like a life-changing epiphany. It's a heat gun, not a therapist. @jessicac28, I get it, my torch and I have had plenty of arguments too, usually when I'm trying to fix a rusty Ford fender and it just keeps making the problem worse. Honestly, for a 2012 Civic's thin metal, maybe the gun is the right call, but it's not like you're rebuilding the space shuttle. You're just pulling a dent.

jessicac281mo ago

My torch and I had a similar falling out... it's just too eager to make a mess. The heat gun is slower, but that's the whole point for thin metal. I'm basically learning patience the hard way.

gibson.elizabeth1mo agoMost Upvoted

Ever think the mess is part of the torch's charm for thicker pieces? It forces you to work fast and commit, which can be good practice. Maybe each tool just has its own kind of lesson.