A dolly is the name given to a category of tools used in shaping sheet metal. In general, a dolly is a solid piece of metal, small enough to hold in one hand, with a curved or shaped face. Generally a dolly will have more than one surface, each with its own radius of curvature (much like a three-dimensional

French curve A French curve is a template usually made from metal, wood or plastic composed of many different segments of the Euler spiral (aka the clothoid curve). It is used in manual drafting and in fashion design to draw smooth curves of varying radii. ...

), allowing the craftsman more flexibility in using the tool.

Common types

Most common types are called heel, toe, wedge or comma, general or track, and egg dollies. Egg dollies are often not included in hammer and dolly sets, but due to their unique shape they are very handy. * Heel dolly: Has a long radius on one side and a flat on the other, hence they look like the heel of a shoe. One face is domed and that other is flat. * Toe dolly: Has a short radius on one side and is twice as long as the heel. Similarly it has a domed and flat side also. * Wedge dolly or "''Comma''": It looks just like a comma, the narrow side makes it ideal for tight contours. * General purpose dolly or "''Track''": Has many different surfaces and contours, easy to hold while dealing with substantial blows. * Egg dolly: Rounded all over in different contours but on one side it does have straight edges and angle

A dolly can be used either as a

hammer A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as w ...

, shaping the metal to match the curve of the dolly, or as small

anvil An anvil is a metalworking tool consisting of a large block of metal (usually forged or cast steel), with a flattened top surface, upon which another object is struck (or "worked"). Anvils are as massive as practical, because the higher th ...

to provide a curved surface over which to dome or dish metal. They are commonly used to shape sheet metal in auto repair, especially in locations where it is difficult to swing a hammer. They can also be used as backers for

upsetting Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces. The blows are delivered with a hammer (often a power hammer) or a die. Forging is often classified according to the temperature at which it ...

metal. When used as a portable anvil, a dolly can be used to hold a

rivet A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the ''tail''. On installation, the rivet is placed in a punched ...

in position while it is being clenched with a " snapper". Such dollies are commonly cylindrical in shape, and rely on

mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

to work. The act of using it is known as holding up or holding on. Dollies can also be used in

boat building Boat building is the design and construction of boats and their systems. This includes at a minimum a hull, with propulsion, mechanical, navigation, safety and other systems as a craft requires. Construction materials and methods Wood W ...

, when clenching nails. See

clinker (boat building) Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other. Where necessary in larger craft, shorter planks can be joined end to end, creating a longer strake or hull plank. The techni ...

References

Metalworking tools {{Tool-stub