Subject: Time:2:12 PM
OFFICE MEMO Bondo Tricks Date:8/22/91
Of course, we all eschew the excessive use of Bondo, but sometimes we can't
get away without it, right? My next-door neighbor is a body man, and he just
gave me a couple of useful tricks....
* Often, after the first layer of filler is applied, you will discover on
or more "high spots" in the metal, that will define the ultimate thickness of
your bondo. Wanting to make your filler as thin as possible, here's what you
do: Take a center punch or a sharp drift, and lightly tap the high spots down.
The sharp punch will create dimples that will lock the metal down. Then apply
the next layer of bondo. If you were to simply tap the high spots down with a
hammer, they would be all too ready to pop up again.
*** One common trouble with bondo is the formation of pinholes that show
through the paint. To avoid pinholes, mix up a batch of bondo with some
liquid fiberglass resin. The resulting filler will be a viscous slurry that
will "flow" nicely. Spread this thinly over the work with a wide spreader.
Poof! No pinholes!
- Jerry
p.s. No, my neighbor doesn't know how to shrink aluminum. But he is going to
ask his co-workers.
p.p.s. For some strange reason, the body-work business is very very slow right
now, at least in the SF Bay Area. So if anybody wants to get a good deal on
some body work, now is probably the time to try for it....
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