Replies

1. 
   JsHerbel | Jul 14, 2003 06:32pm | #1

   Remove any finish on and around the dent. Moisten the area with a damp towel and heat up the area with a blow dryer or heat gun. This will often completely remove the dent, depending on if wood fibers were actually severed or not. The area will then need to be sanded as the grain will raise (sometimes the area will swell to higher than original)

2. 
   DaveHeinlein | Jul 16, 2003 12:48am | #2

   I've had the best luck using a steam iron and a wet cloth. Put the cloth over the dent, appy the iron right over the cloth. this really forces the steam into the fibers farther, and at a very specific point. It even works pretty good for broken grain fibers on softer woods. You may need to do it more than once.

1. 
   creekwood | Jul 16, 2003 05:06am | #4

   Thanks, Dave. I knew I read something about steaming it. I'll try it.

3. 
   Kevin | Jul 16, 2003 03:01am | #3

   Well... just about any formula that includes water and heat will work to some degree. Exactly which approach is best is perhaps debatable. With a really soft wood, water alone on a warm day will swell out a dent at least partially... or completely if the dent is really shallow. In either case what happens is the water permeates the flattened wood pores and opens them up as it swells up. It's exactly the same principle as when you buy one of those new sponges... the kind used in cleaning kitchens and bathrooms. When the sponge swells up with water it increases in size quite a bit. The water is doing the same thing in wood. The problem is that wood is a lot less pliable than a sponge is and it doesn't swell up nearly as easily. So heat is used to force the water from a liquid into a gas (Steam). When that happens the water expands very rapidly and applies enough outward force to force the dented wood pores open.

   Like Dave, I've had good luck using a common clothing iron and a moist/wet cloth (Cotton seems to work best). However, the way I first learned how to "sweat out" dents was in a commercial furniture factory that produced Alder and Oak bedroom and dining room furniture back in the early 80s. For the deepest dents and with dents on harder woods I like to use some variation on their approach, as I think it works best in those situations.

   What they did was to dip a finger in a can of clean water and dab it onto the dent. Let it soak into the dented wood pores for a minute and then hit it with an iron. They had some really cool custom irons specifically made for that task. But, I dunno where to get 'em at. A clothing iron works just as well, though. Anyway... the point being that if you let the water soak in a bit, you are able to get the swelling action further inside the wood. On a deep dent this is necessary to swell out as much of the dent as possible. I also think it works best to use as much heat as possible without scorching the wood. When I sweat out with an iron, I can feel the water explosively transforming into steam. You can really feel it thru the iron as well as hear it popping and sizzling. I also will typically use a moistened cloth in addition to having dabbed water on the dent because in my experience the moistened cloth helps prevent any scorching of the wood. But, I sometimes omit the moistened cloth too. It works either way. With something as hard as Maple, that's what I would recommend.

   Regards,

   Kevin

1. 
   creekwood | Jul 16, 2003 05:10am | #5

   Thank you, Kevin. As I told Dave, I read once about it, but had forgotten just how to do it. I guess I won't forget after I do it. It is pretty deep, on a new molding for a '32 Ford Woody re-creation. When I get farther along, I'll post some pics. It's a real learning experience.

   Again, thanks.