Hot Rods Question on applying Bondo

X2 on the Rage Gold. The price has increased significantly over the past few years but, it's still the best filler that I've ever used.

 

Use a long speedboard and don't press down so hard, use barely any pressure. When the paper stops cutting get new paper. Don't bear down on it, you will create ripples. You want to cut off the top surface, anything that sticks up, that's all.

And don't keep sanding looking for smoothness. Get the shape right with cheese grater, long board file and 40 grit then to to finer paper for smoothness.

There is a knack to it, everybody takes off too much filler at first. You have to be a kind of sculptor creating a shape even if the shape is flat.

 

A very light guide coat of puff can lacquer works good to help show any defects.

 

At minimum, Evercoat Rage or preferably Rage Gold. 3M, if you have the coin.

 

Wow, Thanks for all the very good tips. Just a habit of mine but at shows I always look down the sides of the cars for straightness. I'm impressed with straightness and great body work Gene

 

I often close my eyes when feeling for the highs and lows.
---- Make sure your hand is flat and do not use your finger tips.---
Have a pencil handy and mark imperfections. I put an X on the highs and circle the lows.

 

I use these...
http://adjustablesander.com/products.html
-they are adjustable and will help you get the surface 'straight and flat'
-cross hatch pattern-take your time-trust your hands
-I used them on this and I am an amature working in my home garage

 

Basically the best way i've seen pros do it is to bondo the car from end to end, over door and hood gaps and everything, make everything perfectly smooth then saw all the door openings back out and carefully gap them with a plastic shim. No I'm not joking, this really is how some big dollar guys do it.

But in all honesty for normal people, bondo it way past the dent, smooth it, primer, sand the primer, skim coat if needed, a few coats of block sanded primer can make a lot of difference. Also if you can feel, see, or taste a flaw in the surface it will appear in paint

Btw I also go rage