Body Filler Tips

[JonnyAlpha]

So I've done some body panel welding and know that once I've dressed the welds I will need to use some filler to get a smooth surface, anyone know where I can find a good guide on Body Filler, what to use and tips on applying it.

Thanks

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Sorry I was being thick, I knew I'd seen a guide somewhere:

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/body-filler.htm

 

[anjum]

For welded areas my advice would be to grind the area flat. Clean with thinners. Paint some epoxy primer on (you can use a paint brush). After it's dry give it a good key with some roughish paper (doesn't matter too much 120, 180, 220 etc) just don't go through the epoxy.

Fill on top and sand off. An orbital sander, once you've got the hang of it is a very useful tool for blending in on large surfaces.

I personally don't like putty, if I've got pin holes I'd rather use a bit of filler.

Where you go through to metal, spray some more epoxy primer on, then 2k primer.

Make some curved blocks or buy a flexible sander if req'd.

 

[vdubz]

http://www.roadsters.com/filler/

 

[rich the mechanic]

If you want a good metal fill rather than using plastic fillers you could learn to load lead and unlike plastic fillers it is water proof it's an old way of doing car seams and filling damage.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Lead-loading-filling-bodywork-information-tutorial-1/

The link is a quick show of how it's done. It is my fuel tank I did it on in the pics but the vid is a bit of scrap, I found out after that modern fuel may cause lead to oxidise and since found a pin hole leak where I couldn't get to so have cut it all out and the bottom of the tank and re-fabricated it.

 

[langy]

Don't use cheap filer, it pinholes and sinks badly, stick with a decent quality filler like Upol Fantastic, PP or Rage

 

[langy]

If you want a good metal fill rather than using plastic fillers you could learn to load lead and unlike plastic fillers it is water proof it's an old way of doing car seams and filling damage.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Lead-loading-filling-bodywork-information-tutorial-1/

The link is a quick show of how it's done. It is my fuel tank I did it on in the pics but the vid is a bit of scrap, I found out after that modern fuel may cause lead to oxidise and since found a pin hole leak where I couldn't get to so have cut it all out and the bottom of the tank and re-fabricated it.

Don't know many people using lead these days as the modern fillers are so good these days, also if you don't get it clean it will return to haunt you

 

[MG David]

The link vdubz has included recommends putting the filler straight on to bare metal. Many people here, me included, will cover the bare metal with epoxy primer first. Then once the filler has been smoothed put another coat of epoxy primer over the filler to seal it.

The reason for this difference is delay. The author of the article says he goes down to bare metal, fills, shapes then primes all in one session. Most of us live in the real world where that is not possible so we need the metal sealed.

 

[keithski122]

If you've got a big area to spread filler over an old number plate makes a good spreader.

 

[vdubz]

Don't know many people using lead these days as the modern fillers are so good these days, also if you don't get it clean it will return to haunt you

You are right, although i think it still has its place in any quality restoration, like on seams and panel edges were filler may get chipped. As you say, the most important part is cleaning the lead to remove all acid and tallow, which will cause the paint to bubble later on.

 

[norsa]

If you've got a big area to spread filler over an old number plate makes a good spreader.

top tip. I started collecting one or two years ago for that very reason. Got a huge stack now

 

[JonnyAlpha]

For welded areas my advice would be to grind the area flat. Clean with thinners. Paint some epoxy primer on (you can use a paint brush). After it's dry give it a good key with some roughish paper (doesn't matter too much 120, 180, 220 etc) just don't go through the epoxy.

Fill on top and sand off. An orbital sander, once you've got the hang of it is a very useful tool for blending in on large surfaces.

I personally don't like putty, if I've got pin holes I'd rather use a bit of filler.

Where you go through to metal, spray some more epoxy primer on, then 2k primer.

Make some curved blocks or buy a flexible sander if req'd.

OK - Low Budget Newbie - What kind of Thinners? and just did a search on Google for Epoxy Primer in North Devon and its not throwing up a lot of results?? Any help on a supplier?

 

[anjum]

Oi!! Who you calling a low budget newbie?? OK may not be a newbie but low budget I'll admit to!!

I normally use gunwash thinners, 2k thinners or panel wipe for the cleaner.
The thinners for the epoxy is too expensive to waste.

Should be able to get the lechler epoxy from the internet www.metalflake.com. Make sure they tint it, get the hardener, and some thinners. Give them a ring as their website sometimes lists things as not in stock or I saw the lechler listed as two different products with the same part number

 

[slimjim]

On the second skim, it's handy to mix in a little styrene, that's what you see them doing on American hot rod, you can then put on a thinner skim, which is handy as you get less drag, so you put less on therefore there's less to sand off.

 

[langy]

Oi!! Who you calling a low budget newbie?? OK may not be a newbie but low budget I'll admit to!!

I normally use gunwash thinners, 2k thinners or panel wipe for the cleaner.
The thinners for the epoxy is too expensive to waste.

Should be able to get the lechler epoxy from the internet www.metalflake.com. Make sure they tint it, get the hardener, and some thinners. Give them a ring as their website sometimes lists things as not in stock or I saw the lechler listed as two different products with the same part number

You shouldn't really use thinner for cleaning, panel wipe is so much better, personally I wouldn't use Metalflake due to the tinting issue, paints4u seem to be more reliable.
Using the epoxy thinner gives a better job and its only £10 a litre and you don't use much really.

 

[anjum]

Maybe I should have phrased that

gunwash or 2k thinners and then panel wipe.

Reserve the epoxy thinners for the epoxy primer.

I collected the last lot from express paints in Portsmouth, who will supply epoxy thinners in less than 5 litres and gave me the tinter separate on request.


Question for you, Langy, can I use any tinter in the epoxy or is it specific to the epoxy?

 

[langy]

Maybe I should have phrased that

gunwash or 2k thinners and then panel wipe.

Reserve the epoxy thinners for the epoxy primer.

I collected the last lot from express paints in Portsmouth, who will supply epoxy thinners in less than 5 litres and gave me the tinter separate on request.


Question for you, Langy, can I use any tinter in the epoxy or is it specific to the epoxy?

To be honest I don't know, I have always had mine tinted at the factors so have never bothered to ask.
I've always bought Lechlar thinner in 1 litre tins.

 

[ajlelectronics]

I have a tin of tint for fibreglass, so I reckon that might be compatible. Will try it for the second primer coat.

 

[JonnyAlpha]

Oi!! Who you calling a low budget newbie?? OK may not be a newbie but low budget I'll admit to!!

I normally use gunwash thinners, 2k thinners or panel wipe for the cleaner.
The thinners for the epoxy is too expensive to waste.

Should be able to get the lechler epoxy from the internet www.metalflake.com. Make sure they tint it, get the hardener, and some thinners. Give them a ring as their website sometimes lists things as not in stock or I saw the lechler listed as two different products with the same part number

Sorry I meant I was a low budget newbie!!

 

[anjum]

I know, just kidding!!!!