[b]bodyfiller?[/b]

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by 70buick455, Dec 4, 2004.

  1. 70buick455

    70buick455 Well-Known Member

    Hey guys... I have been restoring my 70 skylark, got most of the body work done... I'm not completely satisfied with my bondo work.. I know the best way is with replacement steel, but I'm on a budget, and Will someday do it right... For now, It looks pretty good. Meshed in and bodoed large holes in quarter pannels and above tires.. Above tires was the hardest... getting the curve just right when sanding bondo.... Fiberglass fill is awsomee.....

    Please post some before pics as well as some after repair pix... the afters don't have to be repainted either.. just like to see how the filler lookes blended into exhisting metal....
    thanks...
    This was my first experience with body work....
     
  2. 462CID

    462CID Buick newbie since '89

    Well...that's not so easy, a pic of just filler on metal. It looks like nothing. What you want is the smoothest transition from filler to metal possible. If there's any doubt in your mind that it isn't good enough, then it just simply isn't.

    What you do, is you get it about right, and then you put on a light color coat of primer. This is called a guide coat. then you put on a darker color primer, and sand. The darker coat will get sanded through on high spots, and will stay the darker color on low spots. then you do it all over again. When you get a uniform effect as you sand (a lot of guys count their sanding strokes in any given area, it's a good idea), then you know it's right

    I don't have any just 'filler over metal' pics, but I can appreciate the rear quarter wheel arch work
     

    Attached Files:

  3. wkillgs

    wkillgs Gold Level Contributor

    yes, a guide coat!

    Cover the repair with primer. Let it dry. Spray on a misty 'guide' coat of a contrasting color primer. Let it dry. Lightly sand with a block....the high spots will quickly sand thru the 'guide coat' leaving the contrasting color primer in the low spots. If you get resulting hi spots and lo spots, you will need more filler. Some modern primers are designed to do some minor filling. If you need to apply a thicker filler, there are 'bondo's ' which will go on very thin. Another trick is to wet the surface to give it a glossy look. Then inspect for wavyness. But with this method, the water will hide some minor defects.

    For autobody/paint issues, I highly recommend the message board at:
    http://www.autobodystore.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?index
    Just come back here and report what you found out!
     

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