Old body guy showed me a trick with a fender roller that changed how I think about pulling dents

He said 'stop fighting the metal and let the curve tell you where to push' while we were working a rear quarter on a 98 Civic in his shop over on 14th street, and after 22 years in this trade I finally got why my hammer work was always just a little off.

2 comments

2 Comments

william_jackson651d ago

...and that's the thing, right? That "let the curve tell you where to push" bit, that applies to way more than just body work. I was trying to hang a picture frame last weekend and getting all frustrated because the level kept showing it was off. Then I just stopped and looked at the wall, the whole wall, not just the spot for the nail. Saw the ceiling had a slight sag in one corner from an old water stain. Soon as I didn't fight the wall's own curve and just centered the frame against it, it looked right. Same with trying to get a stubborn drawer slide back on track in the kitchen. You can force it and scratch the wood, or you can just follow where the track wants to go and it clicks right in. Life's like that a lot I think, you gotta read the room first.

elliot451d ago

Hold up @william_jackson65, you're telling me a slightly crooked ceiling is the same as some deep life philosophy? That feels like a stretch honestly. Sometimes a wall is just old and a drawer is just cheap. You can overthink hanging a picture and make it a whole metaphor when really you just needed a longer screw or a drywall anchor. Not everything has to be some zen moment about "reading the room." Sometimes you just fix the thing and move on with your day without it meaning anything bigger than that.