Body Filler, Who Know's?

[highwayhooligan]

I had an area on my car where I welded in a patch panel.

I bought some body filler from my local auto parts store, it's "easy" sand body filler, the brand name escapes me, but it's not Bondo.

Anyway, I laid out a 4" glob of filler on a piece of steel I had and starting at one end of the glob, I laid a bead of hardner across the glob, a little bit thinner than a pencil.

Was this too much hardner? I'm having a hell of a time sanding this filler off by hand.

Can someone enlighten me to the ways of body filler?

 

[70Duster440]

Lots of good info here:

http://www.a2zautoforums.com/showthread.php?t=936&page=1&pp=10

More good info:

http://autobodystore.com/home.shtml

 

[clhyer]

Most of the filler that I have used call for a 1" line of hardener for a glob of filler the size of a golf ball...
The best way for me is to mix it thoroughly, spread it on, and when it gets "just right" level it off with 40 grit on a sanding block. The trick is to get it "just right". That is when it can be sanded with the 40 grit without clogging it up, it is still somewhat soft, but you can sand it with the sanding block and clean the bondo off the sandpaper with a wire brush. Too soft and it sticks to the sandpaper, too hard and you have your present problem - hard to sand. I expect that you waited too long and let it set up hard. Were I in your shoes I would just DA it off and try it again.
An alternative to the sandpaper is to use a sureform file, but my technique is the same. If you wait too long the file won't take it off, too soon and it sticks to the file and you can't remove it.
Good luck!
C

 

[highwayhooligan]

Well, from the first link you gave me, it looks like maybe I waited to long to do my sanding. I waited 3 days before I even touched it. I never thought that waiting so long would do any harm.

I'm borrowing a buddy's electric orbital sander tomorrow and taking it all off. I'll just start from scratch and do it right this time.

 

[highwayhooligan]

I would just DA it off and try it again.
C

I sure wish I had an air compressor.

I've never used body filler before, all of my previous experience has been in motorcycle fenders and tanks. Everything I've ever done has been almost perfect because I can put the fender or tank on a english wheel or planishing hammer, but I can't put my car on one!

Live & learn.

 

[highwayhooligan]

Previous works:

That's all customer stuff, this is my bike: