Hey guys, I am trying my hand at some body work. I bought some of eastwoods 2 part Black epoxy primer and some evercoat rage ultra body filler. My plan is to use the 2 part epoxy, fix body work, spray another coat of epoxy, then lay a single stage down on top of it. The epoxy is a really thick type of primer and it can be sanded after 3 days or so.

I had my fenders sand blasted 2 at a time. The first 2 I was worried about them rusting so I wanted to get them in the epoxy as fast as I could. I had to take my DA with 80 grit and go over the fender to get a smoother surface as the sandblasting caused too rough a surface. I couldn't spray metal cleaner and wipe off with rage due to it being too course. Anyways, I got those 2 in primer. I wanted to go with black primer so I could see all the imperfections...and it worked lol.

Well my first thought was on the primed fenders was to sand down the places that need body work to the bare metal so the body filler can BITE. I started to try out the body filler and that sucked but I am getting a little better at it. Trying to figure out the high and low spots by running my hand over the places I've worked on.

I have the other 2 fenders still bare steel. Should I just do the body work/ filler then spray the epoxy? I'm afraid that since I sprayed the first 2 with the epoxy, then sanded the bad places down to bare metal, then did body filler, that when I go to put a new coat of epoxy on top of it that it will be wavy or something and won't look good.

Where I sanded the areas that needed body work there is bare metal exposed in between the filler and the epoxy primer. Even when I run my hand across this it feels smooth but I'm just afraid once I spray another coat of epoxy over this its gonna be wavy and look bad...but if it does, would that mean I just need to keep block sanding.

Help me out guys

Sorry for the long post and bad punctuation lol

 

This is a very broad topic and probably too much to handle in posts on this forum. That said, epoxy primers today are made to bond to bare metal and provide a suitable base for plastic fillers. Back in the day, primers could not bond well enough to metal to support the application of plastic filler on top of them...the filler would not adhere and it would eventually loose its bond. However, today's primers and fillers and made to work together; in fact, it is recommended that all filler be applied to a primered surface so as to reduce the chance of corrosion creeping in under the filler if applied to bare metal. The primer will provide plenty of "bite" for you.

Now for your venture into body work and paint...I would highly recommend that you invest some time and cash into some instructional videos. I like Kevin Tetz "Paintucation" video series but the DVDs can be a bit pricey for the DIYer so you may want to check out https://smartflix.com/store/video/17...ucation-Series and rent the videos instead. I personally learn much faster and better when I can see something being done, these videos and others like them should really give you a jumpstart on learning the correct procedures. Good luck...

 

Running 80 grit with the DA over freshly sandblasted parts was always my preferred way to prep parts before priming. They were always smooth enough after I was done to clean them with wax and grease remover and not pull lint from my rags. Perhaps you're using too course of a sand. We only used #70 silica. But it is important to be able to clean the surface before priming. As much black as always came off on the rags, I know there's a lot of dirt and contamination on parts after sandblasting that will be an opportunity for failure if not cleaned.

There are better primers to use for filling instead of the epoxy you're using. Epoxy is great for a base, but look for a good quality 2 part urethane primer that's made for filling. It'll take less than 3 days to dry and give you a better surface to block out the imperfections. It's the right product for the job. Apply the urethane primer over the entire part and then block sand the entire part to remove the small waves you're concerned with until they're all gone. You can spot prime if necessary, but be careful not to dig out the edges. It may take two or three blocking/primings to get it right, depending on your skill level. Your last prime coat before final sanding with 600 for paint should be an overall coat and be near perfect.

 

I agree with Charlie, but to just hit a couple issues if not for you, but also for others nearing similar decisions.
I'd bet the rough blasted surface was due to the blaster trying to do the job cheap or is not skilled at blasting vehicle sheetmetal, and blasted it with play sand rather than a softer media like black beauty, walnut shell, or soda. Sand is very hard but it fractures easily. Since it is harder than the body metal the shattered particles embed into the steel leaving a rough surface, basically the blasting turned it into steel backed sandpaper. Even sanding the surface afterwards does not remove all the sand particles. This can result in mysterious paint failure and difficulty getting a smooth glossy paint job without applying too much paint. NEVER use play sand for blasting on a vehicle! Not only does it ruin the surface, but it is very dangerous to one's health.

Next, using body filler:
Mix an ample amount at a time with only enough hardener that will cause it to start to "kick" (starts to look like cottage cheese when spreading) no quicker than 10 minutes after mixing. Make sure you mix it thoroughly but quickly on a large surface pallet at least 12x12 or larger keep it in a thin layer, do not pile it up or mix it in a small container. (I use a dedicated 2" plastic putty knife for mixing and clean it, the pallet, and the application squeegie spotless after each batch before it gets too hard.) Do not try to just fill a depression. apply a coat of putty as smoothly as possible about 1/4" thicker than required over the depression and at least 1/8" thick for at least 6" beyond the edges of the depression. If you are trying to smooth out waves or general surface imperfections skim the entire panel about 1/8 to 1/4" thick, making sure you go out to and completely cover the very edge. You want to apply about twice the final thickness needed. It should go on like mayonaise, if the filler starts to kick before you finish applying it, quit immediately, DO NOT try to use the hardening filler! Reduce the amount of hardener in the next batch to give additional working time. Flex the pallet and squeegie to pop of most of the hardened but still flexible putty, scrape off the remainder with a steel bladed putty knife, and wash off any trace left with plenty of lacquer thinner and paper towels. Do your cleaning outdoors and dispose of the paper towels and residue into an uncovered (for at least 8 hours) metal container (do not pack) and store away from anything flammable.
DO NOT try to smooth the putty with your DA! Use a long board hand sander first with 40 grit to knock down most of the excess then finish with 80 grit long board paper. If the surface is curved like a fender top, use a flexible foam long board with stick on paper.
The secret to getting the panel smooth is in the proper sanding technique! Hold the longboard at about a 30-45 degree angle to the length of the panel and stroke at about a 15 degree angle to the long or horizontal dimension so the long edge of the paper is leading and each stroke should be continuous from edge to edge. Overlap the strokes until you cover the entire surface then reverse the board angle and stroke direction so you are sanding in a crisscross pattern. Let the paper grit do the work apply just enough pressure to keep the paper flat against the surface, no more! Pushing hard against the panel does not make the sanding go any quicker, but can cause the putty to get warm and gum up the paper and/or push the panel in then when you release the pressure the panel pops back out leaving the surface high. NEVER use your fingers or hand to back up a pad of sandpaper, that's a sure way to get ripples or waves. If you sand thru anyplace to the primer or metal, your skim coat wasn't thick enough or you have a high spot in the metal. If the metal is high, lightly tap it back with the pick end if a body hammer against a rubber or wood dolly, then wipe the surface clean with a rag wetted with lacquer thinner, then a dry rag and apply another skim coat of putty. DO NOT apply putty over a dusty surface! The finished panel should be smooth and even or flat with the metal or primer just ghosting thru the putty, but not exposed. When you reck that point, apply a skim coat of a catylized surfacer putty like Eurosoft surfacer putty about 1/8" thick over the whole thing to fill any scratches pinholes and/or small imperfections and block again with 80 grit, and you are ready to prime with a surfacer primer, and block that with 180 grit then 320 grit.

 

Thanks for the info guys I am gonna try my best to do it right. I'm definitely gonna watch those videos and take yall's advice with this paint/prep. I once had a 94 ford ranger painted by Maaco years ago, It was a insurance job. It looked great for a year and a half....but then the paint slowly started to crack and literally fall off. When I looked at the surface that they painted over you could tell that they hadn't even sanded the old finish for the new paint to stick. I was literally embarrassed to drive the truck in the shape it was but it was my only means of transportation at the time. Needless to say I don't want that to happen with my 51 so I want to do it right.

 

Prep is 90% of the cost of a high quality paint job. Maaco paints so inexpensively because they do hardly any prep. No sanding, just a chemical pressure wash, minimal masking, peelable coating over the face of the trim, no primer.