I doubt it you are going to have any luck with dry ice of a hair dryer......or even the Ding King!  Most of those might work on auto sheet metal that is getting thinner all the time, and it mostly works on things that are just gentle bumps that don't have any creases.  Motorcycle fuel tanks have much thicker metal than car fenders/hoods/etc., and the tank is very difficult to gently push back into shape.

There is limited access to the inside of a tank to allow you to hammer the dent out - so pulling the dent out with weld on studs is mostly used.  Using compressed air doesn't work - as you will blow up the tank before it can push out a dent - the compressed air will push on the entire tank surface equally and not just on the dented portion.  A few pounds of air pressure can exert hundreds of pounds of force on the tank seams.

Your best bet is to either buy a better tank, or find a body shop with stud pullers, fill it with bondo......or send it to people that specialize in tank repair.

The local renta-center has a stud gun & studs & slide hammer for rent.
What I dont know is, when the stud is welded on, is that hot enough to lite gas fumes? I wouldnt use them till I had drained, removed, rinsed & let the tank air dry & vent out for a coupla days. Im a real scaredycat about explosions,,
Once its ready for the studs, mount it on the bike & go to work. Youll need someone to hold the bike, because youll need to pull on the slide hammer pretty hard before you slide the hammer, Id expect, to load the bushings & put the pull on the metal & not allow the bushings to soak up the impact.
A few quick taps on the back of the slide with the hammer is better than a Big Bang. YOu can watch the metal come into place.
The part that went in last is the part to bring out first, IOW, dont go to the deepest point & start pulling. Work around the inside edges an inch or so in & get a body hammer. You can just hold a good pull on the slide hammer & , using light, quick taps, spank along the edge of the bent place & it will start coming up.
You may discover the metal has stretched. If you get to that, let me know, Ill walk ya thru shrinking it back,
& be cool pulling it, or you will have it stretched.

Haha, ya, I'm not ready to commit to any sort of explosion stuff, so I'll probably sit this one out and go with another tank when available.

Much appreciated guys!

A bigger tank? I didn't know that was possible.  Yup, definitely a newbie when it comes to this.

Agreed.  I've got the safety course this weekend.  I'm planning on doing exactly what you have suggested, although I figured if I could pull those dents out with relative ease, I'd give it a shot.

Thanks again for the tips!

Bondo and paint make it what it ain't.


--Steve

While you are gaining experience and riding ability.....keep and eye on the Marketplace, Craigslist and eBay for a tank or complete body kit.  Sometimes a good tank in the correct color will come along - and not too long ago a complete and pristine body kit was on this site.