The goal of doing great body work is to be able to look down the panel or vehicle after it’s all done and not see any ripples or waves in the panel. This isn’t always an easy thing to achieve, especially when the panel or section of a vehicle you’re trying to get straight is big, like a truck bed side, or a Lincoln Continental. Using the correct sanding blocks helps, but it’s impossible to feel or know if there is a slight ripple or ‘hallow’ (low area) spread out in a section that’s 8 or 10 feet long. So how do you know? Even something very subtle will show up through the paint.
- There has to be a guide. Something accurate that can show what the proper shape of the panel/section is supposed to be as you are doing body work.
- Lengths of aluminum flat stock or c-channel should be used as this guide. What needs to be used depends on how flexible it needs to be; that part will be up to your discretion. It should take just a small amount of tension to make the aluminum follow the panel.
- Continuously be checking while you are doing body work.
❌❌ This is a very very important/helpful tip‼️