Maybe I'm late to the party on this, but I finally had to buy new pack of sanding disks - the pre-gummed kind. I needed something small to mix a spot of body putty on and found those throw-away covers work really well. Whatever they are made of, the hardened putty just peels away from leaving a nice clean surface to use again and again.

 

Is this the kind with vinly pad that you use the self stick rolled paper on?
If so you could even make a handle to use on the 5/16 threads sticking out.
Rich

 

Mix it on a large Cool Whip lid - when it hardens just bend the lid and the old putty just pops off. Actually any of the plastic lids will work - the ones that feel "slick" to the touch.

 

coffee can lids

 

Guess I'm lazy - I use scrap cardboard. I cut whatever size I need and when I'm done, just toss it. Still have to clean the spreader though.

 

This is the slick white backing from Mirka (?) brand 6" orbital disk pads. I had been cutting up my beer cartons but this works better and my beer doesn't roll around in the fridge any more.

 

Very good point.

 

Dont use carboard ... its porus, which means that the cardboard is going to absorb parts of the putty, this can cause problems with the mix ratio ... use the lids or I have a old drywall mixing platform that I use, when the bondo builds up, grind it off, start over..

 

Fiberglass Evercoat makes bondo boards that cost a whopping $2.50 and are flexible, so when the bondo dries you can bend it and the stuff will pop right off. Its also got a little hole so you can hold it like a painters easel. As for the bondo having the right ratio on cardboard, when the directions say "1/4 inch by 1/2 inch bead of hardener per golfball sized amount of bondo" I don't think the cardboard absorbing the .002 ounces of hardener will make a difference.

 

For anything that requires mixing, I use a piece of foot square 3/8" safety glass. I don't recall where I got it, but nothing really sticks to it. Body filler, putty, structural marine filler, nothing.

Easy to clean too... wipe it off and all that, and scrape off the one or two little pieces that stick with a one-sided razor blade.