Can anyone tell me what the maximum depth they would apply body filler ? I'm undecided on welding a steel top in my A coupe and I'm going to have to fill around the edges to about 3/16". Guess I could find a larger insert but the contours fit really good on this one. Thanks
There is no limit. I have worked on old heaps that had filler 2" 3" thick or more and it never failed or fell out. I have seen more thin layers fail than thick ones but only if rust or water gets behind it. The SNEERS come from those who criticize BAD PRACTICE of using massive amounts of filler instead of doing the metal work. But as far as the filler failing because it is too thick there is no such thing.
Incidentally your job may be a candidate for panel adhesive rather than welding. I have no experience with panel adhesive but maybe someone will chime in who has.
Clean correctly(abrasive blast?) and use epoxy to raise the area and seal the holes, then level with regular body filler.
Years back, my brother agreed to do a repaint on a guys Porsche. It was to be a nice job, so as the current paint was being sanded off, pink filler showed up in a rear fender. He ground and ground into the filler. Turns out that at one point, the filler was a full 6+" deep/thick. You could not tell from the outside, no waviness, no cracks, no checking... Last I heard, he still had a big chunk of the filler. This happened about 20 years ago. So, as it seems, done...well (I won't use the word "correctly"), there isn't much of a thickness limit. My brother ended up replacing the fender ! Mike
The max we recommend with our fillers (Evercoat) is 1/4". It would probably be safer to use a fiberglass reinforced filler first.
If you are placing filler over the seam, I'd recommend the fiber-reinforced (Duraglass used to be the stuff I used) as well. Even if you are only 1/8" thick. It'll keep moisture from migrating through the small pinholes in the weld and starting rust under the filler. If you are not going to weld up all those holes in the original tack strip, then you REALLY NEED to use the Duraglass.
how about some brass half round trim, bent to follow the contour and original seam? then seal and paint it.
You planning to weld 100 %. I agree 3M panel adhesive may be a good idea to reduce the distortion, I was talking to a friend that was a dealer bodyman, the Dodge recommended repair on ram trucks needing a bed side, glue it on. Derust thoroughly either way. I'd recommend Evercoat metal 2 metal or USC allmetal. Compare to kitty hair. This as the first pass then a quality lightweight filler.
If you are talking about filling the area that used to hold the tack strip, don't. Find a wider donor roof. With the abrupt change between the thin metal of the roof then the 3/16 depression all the way around it, you will always see the area of that 3/16 depression under your paint, particularly on a hot or cool day. Also, water/condensation will get through all the tack holes and wet the backside of the bondo, then it will fall out. -Abone.
Thanks for all the replies. I never thought about panel adhesive, that would be a lot better than welding.
you know they still make non lead lead I know sounds dumb but eastwood sells some and you need a little more heat to get it to flow but it works out nice. I still use a resperator but I would use that with bondo too. did a 28 a roadster a few years back with it.
The panel adhesive is awesome. Just make sure its where it needs to be when you glue it on. No taking that panel back off with out ruining it after. First time I saw it used it was being used to glue door hinges on a brand new chevy truck in the body shop thst had been wrecked. I think you need a special applicator gun for it. You aint squeezing this through a tube. Its thick...
I agree. Kitty hair had been suggested, OP should compare the 2 products. Which would you recommend for this application, kitty hair (fiberglass reinforced filler) or All Metal?
By an odd coincidence there was a thread a couple of days ago that touches on this. Pics of a roof insert that had just been cut out of a Model A coupe. It had been tacked in place with bronze spots 6" apart then filled with bondo 40 years ago or more. It was holding up fine with no rust, lifting or other problems until the owner set the car on fire, welding the trunk hinges. If he had refrained from setting the car on fire it would probably have gone another 40 years. I'm not suggesting this is the way to do it. There are lots of reasons not to do crude work but "it won't last" isn't one of them.
I repaired a one-of-a-kind iron fountain fixture, with polyester filler, 17-years ago, for a customer back in New England. It has been outside ever since, 24-7-365, and is doing fine. Used about 21" of filler.
Ok folks...I have worked for 3M for over 15 years and been in the business for longer than that..our 8115 panel adhesive will hold that panel like grim death...but what you are essentially doing there is putting on a large patch panel.....and adhesives dont do patch panels well due to expansion and contraction of metal versus adhesive. Modern roof skins are different than what you have there and they are glued on daily around the world. Panel adhesives are used to join panels that have flanges I.e.. quarter panels, door skins, roof skins, and on a quarter you always weld the rear vertical for peel mode failure protection and the sail cut for the reason above....that seam will show over time...I have seen it so many times over the years. I remember telling a member here not to glue his headlight rings to his fenders in order to French them, told him It would read through....guess what it read through...ask Dave aka Chemical city coupe.... I would find one that fits better, weld it solidly, and use a fiberglass reinforced filler ( 3M short strand spreads awesome and is the best product of its kind I have ever sanded) over your weld zone, sand that down where it needs to be, after that you can start your finish work with filler, start your priming work, and refinish according to your selected paint mfg guidelines. I learned under a guy that hated doing the job twice..especially on his dime the second time...
Kitty hair has more adhesion than all metal. Actually usc has one called Pro-glas now which sticks to smc as well and spreads smoother. BUT I agree with the panel bond. Here are some popular brands: SEM Lord Fusor (most oem approvals) 3m Some local Paint supply companies rent the gun applicator out.
First choice would be to find a bigger insert, If I were locked into using that one I'd cut the perforations off, weld a strip to extend the cars metal, dolly that into shape and weld it in. Of course that's twice as much welding and why I said id get a new insert first. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Filling the depression with anything will ghost thru, especially on such a hard line.
yep on door hinges , when the hinges have to be removed on welded ones we glue them back in place we do rear doors on astro vans and burbs this way , the 3m stuff is good and so is the lord fusor ( thats what we used ) and we glued some pretty big things together ( side of a SMC panel semi trailer ) and they are experimenting on making a box trailer which the side skins are structural and gluing it together to save on riveting . they built a railway bulk hopper out of plastic and glued it together and after 5 years it had no problems till it was involved in a accident ) if you use adhesive , buy a box of nozzles you will need them .
Hmm, Never knew or heard of that, I thought it was just for panel replacement, If it will hold door hinges on that is pretty amazing.
I'm not sure I feel that glued on door hinges are safe for a side impact. glues are just a shortcut if you want something to last the lifetime of the car weld it solid! and get a different roof from a different car that's big enough. A lot of roofs fit nice. why waste your time on something that's too small. then you could do the metal work right and wouldn't have to worry about how much filler is too much because you shouldn't need a lot if you do it right.nor will it be cracked or bubbled after six months
evidently craftsmanship and pride in your work have left the building. just braze it in with a couple of tacs and smother it in bondo. it seems to no longer matter what is underneath.
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