A car dent, a toilet plunger, and Zeno's paradox

Getting started
@TheHorse (238370)
Walnut Creek, California
November 5, 2015 12:18pm CST
There's a small dent in the hood of my SUV. It occurred two years ago on the Nevada/Utah border while I slept at a motel. A group of drunken ruffians shot out one of my side mirrors and rolled around on the hood of my vehicle, leaving a dent. I heard it as I was drifting off but didn't wake up to investigate. Yesterday, I decided to see if I could fix the dent. I know that there's such a thing as "metal memory" (metal likes to return to its original shape), and I knew that I could use a plunger and water to create a vacuum and maybe pull the dent out. I also read on the internet that alternating hot and cold can pull a dent out. I don't understand the physics of it, but it supposedly works. After dozens of pulls, some with cool water, and some with hot, the dent is reduced. But I think I've reached the "Zeno's paradox" point, where each new "session" makes the dent half as noticeable as it was before. I'll never be able to make it go away completely, but I've definitely reduced it. I'll provide an update, as I'm sure I'll keep at it. It's not entirely unlike trying to reduce deep scratches on the walnut wood surfaces I like to restore. Note: In the picture I've attached, the dent is to the right of the tupperware container, near the edge of the top of the hood.
5 people like this
2 responses
@LadyDuck (502812)
• Italy
6 Nov 15
The dent on hubby car is so small that I do not believe this method would work. I have seen strange suggestions on YouTube, using an hair dryer and a can of compressed air. I should make a test on an old car first... I need to look around.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238370)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Nov 15
The plunge method has worked a bit, but I think I've hit the point of diminishing returns.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Nov 15
I've heard of using a plunger before to remove dents but not the hot and cold water bit. Glad it's improved the dent a bit.
@TheHorse (238370)
• Walnut Creek, California
6 Nov 15
So far so good. But the Zeno's Paradox thing frustrates me. I can't completely eliminate it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Nov 15
@TheHorse I've never heard of Zeno's Paradox so I've learnt something new today.
@TheHorse (238370)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 Nov 15
@JudyEv That's true--I'd never thought of that!
1 person likes this