Topic: chrome fender repair Q? finally, an answer.

[Don R]

 I was thinking of wooden rollers in an English wheel to roll small dents and dings out of chrome fenders.  Think that has any merit? 

[seanbarney41]

I dunno enough about english wheeling...wouldn't it be stretching the metal further, just turning the dent into a larger wavy section?

I did some really nice work on some gauge cups once with a leather mallet and a large bean bag

[754]

Fender rollers are used on bicycles and motorcycles to smooth them out, quite often. .

[Kevnz]

Depends on how bad the dents are. Have the fender dechromed and then you should be able to chase the dents out with a hammer, dolly and body file. Make sure the dolly curves are tight enough to match the curve of the fender or you will just end up moving the dents around.

[Don R]

 I quit the roller idea and used a canvas bank bag filled with lead shot. I sanded and rounded the heads on an old red/green rubber head hammer, sanded an old beat up body dolly smooth, also a cheap body hammer and a small ball peen. I made a couple dents in a single cut fender totally disappear and straightened another one bent near the rear bottom. There's a scratch where the big dent was, if I had it re-chromed it would be beautiful.   
 Now I have confidence to try some nicer parts.  Thousands of tiny taps and piles of patience. I found it relaxing because I considered the part worthless when I began.

[Maltboy]

What size shot did you use? 

[Don R]

 It's a mix of #6 and #8 lead shot I believe. I used it for race car ballast in a steel box for years and mixed sizes when it was all I could get one day.  I rolled and pressed the fender into the bag and it holds that shape pretty well. I see Northern tool has a leather bag for sale, I'll buy one the next time I'm going to be close to their store but was thrilled with how this one works. I did put the shot in a plastic bag first so it doesn't trickle out the zipper end.

[ekpent]

 I've got an unopened old 25lb canvas bag of #8 shot that I have used before to work on a fender dent. Bad part is I wonder if I ever want to use it for reloading if the shots going to look like little frisbee's , kind of flat or deformed. Heck might make me a better skeet shooter !!.

[Don R]

 Hard to say, but I'd guess the odds of a flyer are somewhat increased!  I did look for the old bag that the shot came in but I must have cleaned out the bins it was in. The bank bag was the next closest thing I could lay hands on.