What does the term "oil canning " mean?

[AZDAN]

I have read about metal Oil canning. What is the term describing?

[Len]

I have read about metal Oil canning. What is the term describing?

It's when the surface of the metal that you're working on pops in and out and isn't stiff enough to stay on one place. This can be caused by the metal being stretched or it can be caused by the metal being pushed in so that it pulls the surrounding metal toward the middle of the dent and when you pull it out it's either too high or pops in and is too low.

[Jayson M]

The term is used when doing a sheet metal repair where the metal is stretched and it needs to be shrunk by a torch,shrinking disk,or uni-spotter tip.Back in the day they used to have little cans with oil in them and a spout on top.You used to have to press the bottom of the can with your thumb to get the oil out,the bottom would go in and out similar to what stretched metal does.

[Len]

Actually it doesn't always need to be "shrunk", in many cases you can hammer and dolly the metal enough or drive the metal toward the center to make it stop oil canning.

[Steve g]

Interesting. I guess it's just us old farts that still remember metal oil cans where you used a thumb on the bottom to make it pop and dispense a small amount of oil and when you released it it would pop back into shape. Hence the term "oil canning".

Steve g

[Mooch]

Interesting. I guess it's just us old farts that still remember metal oil cans where you used a thumb on the bottom to make it pop and dispense a small amount of oil and when you released it it would pop back into shape. Hence the term "oil canning".

Steve g

They still make them and I still use them . Best oil cans ever made .

Mooch

[Jayson M]

That is a good point Len,to many people make the mistake of trying to shrink metal when it doesn't need it,that can get you into trouble.Back when I used to do a lot of collision repair very seldom would I have to shrink.