Model Railroading > Best way to put some dents in a gondola

before attempting to put some dents in a gondola for my first try I thought I would put this question out here to see what might be the best way. Those dents would be pushing out from inside the gondola's sides. Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Many years ago I used a soldering iron, but you must be vewwy careful!

TJU

I haven’t tried it but an incandescent night light might work slowly without the problems a soldering iron could cause.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone

VERY small bulb...  You might also try different distances from the victim! (from lessons learned the hard way!)

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Practice on a piece of junk.

Thanks to all for the advice. 

Cut smallish scraps of sheet metal, such as pieces of a tin can, into assorted sizes and shapes. Place the scrap against the inside of the car body between the ribs, heat the metal with a soldering iron, and press against the metal till the side deforms. That allows more control than just heating directly with a soldering iron. I've done this and it works well, but, practice!

Jeff Johnston
www.trainvideosandparts.com

Heat up an old Exacto knife blade over a candle or other heat source and press it outward from the inside of the gondola. Exacto makes a hot knife that can be used too. You’ll get less blunt, more realistic effects than with a soldering iron.

Posted from iPhone

I've tried several methods over the years all of which failed.  The best I"ve found, and I've now done 30+ cars this way, can be found on YouTube by Dansrailroad2011
He uses a torch and a metal plate.
I modified his method by using a propane cigar lighter and two Athearn weight sheets.  Place the weights on either side of the side posts for each panel and hit it with heat for TWO seconds.  Then press the dent in with a dental pick.
The only drawback is that the floors of model gondolas are so high to hide the weight that from the outside the dents only go half way down the car side as you'll see in Dan's video

Try this method on some Tyco cars like I did and you'll be pleased with the results.

Mike Stewart
Oakley,CA

I've had good results with a heat gun, but, you have to start at a low heat setting and work your way up. I definitely ruined a car on my first attempt.  Ultimately I ended up making a small mask out of wood (approx 4" long by 1" high and maybe 1/4" thick" and cut a V into that, so that the heat gun's heat only hits about a 1/2-3/4" wide spot at the top of the gon.  (The piece of wood goes over the side of the gon before you apply heat).  Then I use my finger or a tool to make the dent, depending on how much of a gouge vs bow I'm going for.

 

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