restorationtoolsautomotive
The DA Sander and the End of Hand-Sanding
A deep dive into the dual-action sander's evolution and its impact on the meticulous world of automotive body finishing.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodyOct 10, 2026
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Mike's Auto Body Blog
Tips, seasonal advice, and shop updates from 40 years in the business
auto-restorationautomotive-historypaint-technology
Dust to Downdraft: The Evolution of the Paint Booth
The evolution of the paint booth marks the transition from hazardous outdoor spraying to the sophisticated, filtered environments of the modern era.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodyOct 8, 2026
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restorationautomotiveengineering
The Frame Machine: Straightening Steel in the Unibody Era
A deep dive into the evolution of structural repair from heavy-duty steel chassis to modern precision unibody frame straightening.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodyOct 6, 2026
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auto restorationstructural repairautomotive history
The Frame Machine: Straightening Steel in the Unibody Era
Discover the evolution of the frame machine, the mechanical heart that allowed technicians to reshape twisted steel into precision road-worthy machines.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodyOct 4, 2026
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restorationautomotivebondo
Bondo and the Postwar Boom: How Plastic Changed Bodywork
Discover how the introduction of plastic body fillers revolutionized the automotive restoration industry after World War II.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodyOct 2, 2026
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restorationautomotive historybodywork
Bondo and the Postwar Boom: How Plastic Changed Bodywork
An exploration of how the introduction of plastic body filler transformed the craft of auto restoration from lead-wiping to the age of polyester resin.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 30, 2026
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restorationbondoautobody
Bondo and the Postwar Boom: How Plastic Changed Bodywork
An exploration of how polyester resin fillers revolutionized the auto body industry, shifting repair from masterful metalwork to chemistry-based smoothing.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 28, 2026
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automotive historybodyworkrestoration
Bondo and the Postwar Boom: How Plastic Changed Bodywork
Discover how the introduction of plastic fillers revolutionized automotive body repair, shifting the craft from lead-wiping to the era of chemical body filler.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 26, 2026
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restorationautomotivehistorymetalwork
Before the Booth: How Restoration Began in Barns and Backyards
Long before climate-controlled paint booths, automotive restoration was a gritty, manual affair born in dusty backyard garages.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 25, 2026
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restorationautomotive historymetalwork
The Dent Puller: How One Tool Rewrote Collision Repair
Before the stud welder, fixing a dent meant tearing a car apart. We explore the evolution of metal manipulation in the body shop.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 23, 2026
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restorationautomotivemetalworking
Lead, Solder, and the Lost Art of Hand-Formed Bodywork
Exploring the history of lead loading in automotive restoration, from the era of molten solder to the rise of modern body fillers.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 21, 2026
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automotive-restorationpaint-technologyautomotive-history
From Nitrocellulose to Base-Coat: A Century of Automotive Paint
A technical journey through the evolution of automotive finishes, from early nitrocellulose lacquers to the sophisticated base-coat systems used today.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 19, 2026
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metalshapingenglish-wheelrestoration
The English Wheel and the Metalshapers Who Kept the Craft Alive
Discover the engineering behind the English Wheel and the legacy of metalshaping techniques that defined automotive restoration.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 17, 2026
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restorationautomotivehistory
Bondo and the Postwar Boom: How Plastic Changed Bodywork
An exploration of how synthetic plastic fillers revolutionized auto restoration and forever altered the craft of metal shaping.
Mike's Custom Paint & BodySep 15, 2026
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