Understanding filler,putty and bondo

[_Lee_]

Thought it would be a good start to get some information for newbies (including myself) on best ways of filling.

Ive recently been using Bonda DECOR Fill but im having problems with the thickness of it. It just doesnt spread easily and i spend more time trying to evenly spread it. Can i use normal linseed oil window putty as a filler?

Thanks chaps

 

[Sean]

Subscribed!
been thinking on this subject allot lately. especially the spot putty's. iv'e been using Bondo glazing and spot putty. I find It to be a pain to use. any one ever use icing? and i have seen were there are three different grade's of filler putty as far as hardness goes and ease of sanding. don't know what they are but I saw it used in a car and body show.


I hope this thread gets a bunch of informative feed back because I sure could use the info...

This is the icing i'm referring to.

 

[Shataan]

I work in a Custom Body shop. And for my props, I use a Filler called... UBER-Plast. A plastic based filler. It works well for me because I use a plastic material called InterCell, to sculpt with. It`s a 2 part... UBER and hardener additive. Mixes easy and fast, and spreads really easy as well. Sands very nicely.

 

[kurtyboy]

I'm boring and use Isopon P38 easy sand from Halfords for everything!

 

[benjit]

I'm boring and use Isopon P38 easy sand from Halfords for everything!

I used to use this, gave UPOL flyweight a go and think its a lot better. It also works out cheaper, around £20 for 3 litres on ebay.

 

[kurtyboy]

I think I'll try that next, thanks!

 

[zorg]

This is where i get mine.......

 

[robn1]

This is where i get mine.......

That's a lot :eek I can't even finish a quart can before it dries out.

 

[RogueTrooper]

Thought it would be a good start to get some information for newbies (including myself) on best ways of filling.

Ive recently been using Bonda DECOR Fill but im having problems with the thickness of it. It just doesnt spread easily and i spend more time trying to evenly spread it. Can i use normal linseed oil window putty as a filler?

For big spaces that need filling, bondo (two part filler) is the way to go. UPol is a very good brand of bondo.

If you have a space to fill and it's not very deep use spot putty/blade putty, it's single pack filler.

The best fillers as above are usually the automotive types.

If you filler is too hard to spread, it could be because you've added too much hardener and it's setting before you get a chance to apply it correctly.

 

[EEvansHilton]

New to the game as well. Just finished my first two prop guns. Used Bondo All-Purpose putty for the first time. I liked it and was surprised at how easy it was to sand and how hard it dried. What really struck me was how fast it dried. Almost too fast. I may be using too much hardener. I went with the all purpose stuff having never used it before. Has anyone used the Bondo Glass or Bondo Automotive? What are they like? What are the differences? Great thread by the way!

 

[Duncanator]

I think we should mention the difference between "drying" fillers and "curing" fillers.

Drying Fillers: Glazing putty (like 3M makes) have a solvent in them that has to evaporate in order dry. I feel these are better suited for filling pinholes and small scratches. They don't work well to fill large voids and tend to shrink slightly as the solvents evaporate.

Curing Fillers: Bondo (auto body fillers) are a 2 part curing plastic that hardens by a chemical reaction after mixing. These are better for filling large gaps and holes, as well as creating contours. It doesn't need to evaporate so it can be used to fill deep voids. Bondo type fillers tend to be more coarse than glazing putty so don't always works as well for tiny pinholes.

Both types can be found in different hardness and smoothness.