1968 VW Bug My left rear fender was pretty mangled from Bobby Bluecheese hitting it with his truck. (He tried to hide it from me and attempted to pull the dent out. But ended up creating some major creases in it.) So we pounded it out as much as the neighbors would allow. Then evened it out with some Bondo. I use an inch thick piece of glass for my pallet to mix the Bondo. It makes it great for clean up using a razor blade. One tip is to make sure your pallet hasn’t been in the sun getting hot. It makes the Bondo go off within seconds. So keep it cool. Also try to scrape your putty knives and pallet as clean as possible while Bondo is still soft. Because once it hardens it’s a tedious process removing it from anything. Mixing ratio/rule of thumb is 1/2″ line of hardener per about a golf ball size scoop of Bondo. And work in small batches. It helps keep waste down. And gives you a much better application. Mix it really well and as fast as possible. I use two metal putty knives to blend and scrape the Bondo. Today I used the plastic applicator to apply the Bondo. But I usually use the metal putty knives. Another tip is spread it on quickly, in thin layers and taper at the edges. Makes it easier to blend when sanding. You only have maybe one to one and a half minutes to apply it. Get it down fast, evenly, and walk away for about two minutes. Then you can take down the high spots with a razor blade, bondo cheese grater, or body file then sand paper. Definitely use a vacuum if you use an electric sander. And always finish with a hand sander or preferably a block sander. It cuts down on those swirls the electric sander leaves behind and gives you a much more even finish. Wear a respirator and gloves and use it out doors. The smell is strong. But I love the smell. Most don’t. Bondo is awesome. And if I can use it successfully, so can you.
Related Posts
