Paintless Dent Repair the Begining

by PAUL FOUNTAIN

If you��ve had hail storms in your area you already know what PDR is and how insurers prefer this process over conventional repairs. Major insurance businesses have PDR capable PDR technicians and use special software to determine the damage and to get repairs done. They even have a multitude of PDR companies that follow insurers�� disaster divisions across the country to perform the service.

So why sublet this out when your company could easily benefit from it your shop?

The PDR idea being able to damage has been in our industry since the beginning. The twist, of course, is that there��s no grinding of filling allowed. Many say this idea came to the United States 50 years ago; some say 20 years ago. But it wasn��t until the early to mid-80��s that the craze started hitting the trade show routes. A few of us watched with the disbelief and then amazement as instructors demonstrated the methods and equipment of the trade. But few of us took them seriously because, ��Why worry, several of us have copious amount to do.��

Many ��one man�� companies sprung to specialize in PDR at dealerships and used car lots, and billboards began to surface to market directly to individuals. But several of us were still too busy to care. Now, many multi-line service companies and franchises have solidified their positions in the marketplace. And they can provide these services to new car lots, body shops, insurers and individuals as quickly and as conveniently as any of us can.

To give us a better understanding of PDR, several of us first should dispel some of the misunderstanding surrounding the service:

The first misunderstanding is the key is the special hand equipment you purchase. The fact is it takes not only the correct equipment, but the knowledge of the proper methods, patience and a great amount of repetition to be productive.

While the equipment are a vital part of the system, many body technicians don��t possess the patience and/or finesse necessary to master PDR methods, and the equipment can��t compensate for that. But for those who do have the patience and finesse the equipment go hand in hand with them.

The special PDR hand equipment is an evolutionary product of the body picks our industry used many years ago. Many young technicians wouldn��t even be aware of this ancient equipment unless they asked someone what they were because, today, most of them are being used improperly as pry bars or drift chisels.

So what makes this equipment so special? PDR tool sets have defined application built into them. They have unique shapes diameters and lengths, and the Paintless Dent Repair tool sets are generally color coded to assist the technician in identifying the correct tool for the application. Besides basic sets for normal usage, there are special sets of plastic-tipped equipment that allow for added force to be applied (larger surface area) while lessening the risk of breaking the paint and causing a ��tool mark.�� This plastic tipped equipment also prevents the scratching of the protective E-Coat on the back of the panel. And this equipment is only the beginning. Special sets for special usage are available to do what most though impossible. But all quality PDR equipment are made of high strength hardened steels with special handles for ease of use.

Paul Fountain is a certified Paintless Dent Technician and a web advisor for PDQTools.com. ? PDQ Tools.com 2007

To learn more about Paintless Dent Repair Tools please visit > http://PDQTools.com.