Bondo Filler Talk

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, been using a low priced house brand light body filler on my rear fenders, it's not too bad, but is a little on the course side, it is definately no Evercoat Rage Gold/or Extreme.

Today I ran out of the blue hardener that comes with this product, so I had a new bondo brand cream hardener, used it, man it made this filler finer, easier to spread, and nicer to work with, not sure why, any opinions?

I am wondering what you guys are using, when working with fillers, I have yet to try the newer style s 2 part putty/glaze. I did order a gallon of a new 2 step filler today, supposed to be like rage extreme, can be used to primer stage with no glaze/putties, we shall see...............Fred

[Plymouthy Adams]

only thing I can think of Fred is that the original hardner may have started to seperate.

[steveplym]

I'm an Evercoat fan too. Really nice product. I use Evercoat Liteweight filler and then use a putty cote filler to fill any small pinholes or low spots. I've heard that Easy Sand is really good to put over the filler as a final glaze too.

Makes it come out really smooth and like the product says it's easy to sand.

[55 Fargo]

I am fairly green to the use of fillers and such, but I can already tell the cheaper fillers do a few things, they have more pin holes, sand easy but clog sandpaper a little more.

Tim what is meant by the cream hardener seperating, does it come out liquidy when this happens. I have noticed the cream hardeners I have, are a little liquidy, don't think they should be this way, maybe there a little old or something...........Fred

[Plymouthy Adams]

as they age or lay about not used..they tend to seperate the liquid from the paste..the paste then becomes grainy..this is the cause for a lot of poor blends and as such extra bit of pin holes as the mix is actually unhardened pits of unmixed bondo snatched out by clogged sandpaper..not your best long life bondo patch..

[oldmopar]

Since we are having a class on body work I have a question.

What is the difference or maybe a better question is what is better for a small repair a body filler like you guys have been discussing or this metal filler item that easwood has see link.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=417&itemType=PRODUCT

[55 Fargo]

Since we are having a class on body work I have a question.

What is the difference or maybe a better question is what is better for a small repair a body filler like you guys have been discussing or this metal filler item that easwood has see link.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=417&itemType=PRODUCT

This depends on what kind of a "small repair" are we talking about.

The metal fillers are great, don't know about Eastwodds, but I use Evercoats Metal 2 Metal filler, this product is waterproof, you can fill small holes etc ,as you would with fibreglass fillers. It is also very good on aluminum repairs, over welds, etc, a base on a patch before applying regular body fillers.

On a small repair, is it a dent, or rust hole?

If it is a rust hole, cut out rust, either weld in new metal, fibreglass cloth and resin, or what I have done a few times. I clean the area, where there was a rust hole, treat with phosphoric acid, use metal filler, or fibreglass filler, on the area, cut small sheet metal patch beforehand, attach metal patch to fresh filler, then let set, you now have a metal patch that is on tight and bonded with the metal or fibreglass filler. Then apply regular filler, sand shape, and work to perfection, primer, block sand 220, primer again block with 500 to 600, then paint, if all went well.

How does that sound..........

[oldmopar]

Fred what you describe sounds like it would be a great repair. The way they make the product sound is you could make the repair with their product sand it and paint it. As I have learned long there is no short cuts that work well. I am looking at some bubble rust on the bottom of a door. It looks small but I know it will always be larger once its cleaned out. It will be a while until I actually get to it but when I saw this thread I figured it would be a good time to ask about the product.

Ed

[55 Fargo]

Fred what you describe sounds like it would be a great repair. The way they make the product sound is you could make the repair with their product sand it and paint it. As I have learned long there is no short cuts that work well. I am looking at some bubble rust on the bottom of a door. It looks small but I know it will always be larger once its cleaned out. It will be a while until I actually get to it but when I saw this thread I figured it would be a good time to ask about the product.

Ed

Don't know if I would call it a great repair, but certainly a heck of a lot better than just smearing on long strand fibreglass filler in the rust hole and calling it a day..............

[Plymouthy Adams]

you got a rust hole..cut it out, weld in new metal, full perimeter weld to ensure there are no holes for the bondo to suck in moisture/condensation during the heat/cool cyles the body will experience. To fill without backing will only delay the fact the patch will fail..as no one really can estimate the exact time due to condition out of individual control..your patch may last a long long time..maybe not..I have seen some fail in as little as 3 month and other hold out 16-20 years..storage and use is the ultimate controllers here.Due to current situations on this forum, my personal disclaimer is this info is based solely upon what I know to be true and observe with my own eyes...not to be construed as a scare tactic

[Norm's Coupe]

If you are using old hardener with the Bondo, it may have separated. It is also possible this will happen if stored in a cold area. I always work the tube of hardener and stir the resin prior to use.

If the hardener still doesn't mix like it was originally, try heating it. Not with fire. Heat a pan of water to about 180 degrees and either stand the tube in water or hold it in the water for about 15 or 20 minutes (remove the lid). Keep the water temperature at about 180 degrees all the time. Then pull the tube out of the water and work it again using your fingers to knead the tube (leave the lid on tight). This will sometimes reactivate the chemicals in the hardener and allow them to be remixed and blend again, making your mixed hardener and resin work like new.

Bondo should be stored at room temperature and used at room temperature for best results. If stored and used in a cold garage during winter, you'll have problems.

[grey beard]

Howdy Gents,

When I was a teenager, I spent several years as an auto body apprentice back when lead was still used, and remember well seeing my first application of Bondo. For any novice who wishes to learn, there is no better resource than this web site: <autobody101.com>

The material there is divided into several headings - paint, welding, primers/sealers, etc. Each of these subject indexes has a forum just like this one, on which one can lurk and read the questions and answers from others.

Unlike this forum, where questions are answered free-lance by anyone who may or may not know what they are talking about, the auto body forum has professional moderators whe are qualified in their own area of expertise.. It is very informative and quite interesting. I recommend it.

Having said all this, I have learned that - while it cannot HURT to weld patches in as someone described and I used to do myself, there are now better ways to accomplish repair work. In this day of chemical body panel welding - using glue to install quarter panels, etc., there is a secret ingredient I have begun using that has never failed me in many years' time.

I am speaking of Duraglass. This is fiberglass in a can. Comes with hardner, just like Bodo and other body fillers, and mixes and applies just the same.

But there is where the simalarity ends. This stuff is like cement to sand down. Don't even try to work it to a finish. It's NASTY. BUTTTTT, it's waterproof. When I need to fill holes or waterproof a patch, I always use thi stuff. Where I can, I put it on both sides.

My Pilothouse truck had over 100 drilled holes in the doors, tailgate, cab roof and all over the place. I filed every one of these with Duraglass after countersinking the surface and roughing it with a grinder. This stuff will never come out. When it is dry, I just grind it down below the finished surface, and then use normal body filler of your choice over top. The product was developed for the marine industry and pioneered in the auto industry with Corvette bodiy work. It is totally waterproof, and I have never seen it to fail.

Check it out. JMHO

[Joe Flanagan]

Yes. Duraglass. It's great stuff. I've used it all over the welded seams in my car and it is tough as nails. Easy to work with, too. There's also a product by the same company called Ultraglass, which is also very good.

[steveplym]

Duraglass is good stuff. I always use it over sections I've welded. Like holes or patch panels.