Ironing out dents..UPDATE....

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Joe M

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Seems like I remember reading posts about ironing out minor dents by using a wet cloth and a clothes iron. Can anyone give me steps on how to do this? Thanks.
 

doogie

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What works good is.

An electric solder iron. You take a piece of paper towel, soak it in water, place the wet towel over the dent and then touch the hot soldering iron to it.

Just do it for short intervals and keep the paper towel wet. You may have to do it over and over again.

It will not affect the surrounding finish if you keep it wet and steaming.
 

markophonic

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Doogie's right

I've used this technique several times with best results happening on my Martin acoustic...had a small dent in the top near the edge and binding.

I carefully "steamed" it out with the soldering iron and damp towel.
 

Showman

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As a finish carpenter i have seen this done to perhaps remove a hammerding or a small dent in a cabinet door.The problem with doing this is you are putting moisture into the wood which swells the fibers or grain.This is a temperary fix.The wood eventually dries back out again and shrinks.Your dent comes back.Thats my experience with it.Just my 2 cents
 

Joe M

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mark and doogie.....

is Showman right; did your dents come back? I don't want to go to the trouble and have the dents return.
 

Rob DiStefano

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FWIW ... in most cases, I've not had the dent return. I think this is because the wood is well sealed from the outside (the polymer finish), and it's the crushed fibers beneath that are "rejeuvenated" as the heated internal moisture content swells those fibers and they dry out in the swollen state. In some instances the dent would not fully swell up - probably because the fibers were extremely crushed and/or cut. Since lacquer dosn't provide a permanent moisture barrier, nitro dents may decide to return to the crushed condition. YMMV.
 

Joe M

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Hey Rob,

Since the guitar in question is a AV 62 RI with a supposed nitro finish, what do you think my chances are?
 

Rob DiStefano

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Re: Hey Rob,

Joe M said:
Since the guitar in question is a AV 62 RI with a supposed nitro finish, what do you think my chances are?

Welp, give it a try - you don't have too much to lose.

I'd use a folded up piece of white 100% cotton T-shirt instead of paper towel. You want 3 or 4 layers folded over, get it wet, squeeze out the water drops (but you do want it moist, not just damp), have at it with a soldering iron (I use 40 watts, if that helps).

Target the dent with the side of the tip of the iron. Press lightly. Check your progress between presses. Keep the rag moist and cool - rewet with cool water as needed.

You may also find that the lacquer will "blush" and/or dull up - that should come back with either a good grade of polish and/or a rubbing compound like FinesseIt-II or Meguir's. Polymer finishes rarely blush or dull.
 
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mojito

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I have used a steam iron and a towel before on gun stocks also. It works well and I never had any recur. However, i have found that with some clear overcoat finishes that the effectiveness of this repair is greatly diminished.
 

Kevin

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I get a few dings in bodies when I'm cutting them. In fact, I dropped the body of my favorite tele in the driveway while brushing some sanding dust off -- got a nice ding in it.

I steam them out with a damp dishrag and a 40-watt soldering iron. I've never had any come back. The steam is returning the fibers to where they should be -- not swelling them past where they should be.
 

Teletwang

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I too use the steam method on "white wood " but am
not so sure about it's results on finished wood.
Like Rob said...ya got nothin' to lose. Yea, the finish
may haze but thats an easy fix.
 

Showman

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I dont know about these little dents you all are talking about,but i do know like i said as a carpenter if you miss a finish nail as i do once in a while,you leave what we call a cereal bowl(spell check) and i dont care how much steam you use that puppy is coming back.Maybe if you sealed it directly afterwards you stand a better chance.I;m not saying anyone is wrong here,i'm just going from my past experience with a softwood.But i do know all wood expands and contracts as moisture levels change.As far as gunstocks go,i have a collection of them full of dings.I call them character marks.hehe
Also i have seen superglue used for leveling dings in the finish.
 

Showman

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mojito said:
I have used a steam iron and a towel before on gun stocks also. It works well and I never had any recur. However, i have found that with some clear overcoat finishes that the effectiveness of this repair is greatly diminished.

Not to change the subject,i just bought a model 1894 32 w.s. half octagon barrel made in 1900 and the forestock had a notch for every kill(i assume deer)The damn thing has 83 notches in it.No repair for that one.
 

5965

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The element that makes the likelihood of success vary unpredictably with guitars (other than the specific piece of wood and damage to it) is the type and thickness of finish and undercoating used. If the moisture can't get through, the trick can't work.
 

Joe M

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That's what I was thinking...

I can see the trick working on unfinished wood; but like a couple of you suggested, I don't have anything to lose by giving it a try.

Thanks again for all the responses.....
 

Rob DiStefano

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All wood has some internal moisture content - that's what yer heating up and using to your advantage to expand the wood cells. If that wasn't true, I'd never be able to steam out dents in my polyU finished guitars. PolyU is waterproof, lacquer isn't. YMMV.
 

Joe M

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Who wodda thunk....

that's the way it was, Rob. It made more sense to me that a finish of any kind would prevent moisture from reaching into the wood. I never stopped to think about the moisture that is ALREADY in the wood. So the wet cloth is just to keep the wood from burning, not to introduce moisture into the wood?

I'm going to fire up the soldering iron tonight; stay tuned for an update.....
 

Rob DiStefano

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Re: Who wodda thunk....

Joe M said:
that's the way it was, Rob. It made more sense to me that a finish of any kind would prevent moisture from reaching into the wood. I never stopped to think about the moisture that is ALREADY in the wood. So the wet cloth is just to keep the wood from burning, not to introduce moisture into the wood?

Totally.

I'm going to fire up the soldering iron tonight; stay tuned for an update.....
 
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