I've been interested for a long time in auto body work and painting but
never had a clunker to play with. Since buying my Ford Ranger, my F-350
will be going up for sale, I hope to sell it within maybe 6 months or so,
maybe the 4wd will sell good around snow time. The F-350 I have isn't a
show truck but has a good engine and drive train so it's an opportunity for
me to try some body work and touch up.

I need to know what kind of sheet metal to get to patch some holes, it needs
to be formable, weldable, and close to the thickness of auto body steel. I
wouldn't mind having a little extra, I'd like to try forming with hammers,
sand bags, and perhaps make an English Wheel.

Also, years back some were claiming to have real good results with the
Harbor Freight HVLP paint guns, they liked them better than some of the name
brand guns IIRC. Any recommended model of HF paint gun?

Any other good tool recommendations that would be useful in auto body?
Power sanders/ power wet sander? I have a Porter-Cable random orbit sander
for wood, I guess it would work for auto body. Will probably get a slide
hammer type puller.

Any recommendations on paint? I went to Napa and they want $98.XX for a
quart of Oxford White, no metallic, no pearl, no clear, just plain white
paint. That's OK if that is what it should cost, just want a reasonable
competitive price.

So maybe I get to play with making my old truck look better, learning some
skills along the way, and it will hopefully help the truck sell better and
give the buyer a nicer looking truck. I'm sure I'll spend more than it will
help the value but I get to learn something and keep the tools.

RogerN