Fix on Metal or Primer
Admom
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 9,414
Likes: 201
From: Silver Springs
Fix on Metal or Primer
We have a 1941 Ford Truck we're restoring. Steve gets all the motor & chassis work and I want to try all of the body, interior & cosmetic work myself. "Think it will be more fun to RIDE IN if I help with the restoration." "Don't think hubby'll let me drive once it's done."
The truck's completely apart and I've got the fender's sand blasted and the dents beat out. I've had four different friends "Bodymen" tell me what order to put the repair on.
2 say to put bondo or equiv. on the metal then primer.
2 say to put on the epoxy primer and then bondo or equiv.
Lots of help-several don't think I should be attempting this project at all.
Which is the best way to go and why?
Is it better to use "bondo" or "Icing" or something else? I don't see anything that is going to be a deeper fix than the 1/8" the Icing mentions. What is the best product to get? Do I need to do anything special to keep the fix from bleeding through to to paint?
I am using Osfo then PPG products for the wash, epoxy and buildup primers & for the base/clear.
Any help is appreciated.
Carlene
The truck's completely apart and I've got the fender's sand blasted and the dents beat out. I've had four different friends "Bodymen" tell me what order to put the repair on.
2 say to put bondo or equiv. on the metal then primer.
2 say to put on the epoxy primer and then bondo or equiv.
Lots of help-several don't think I should be attempting this project at all.
Which is the best way to go and why?
Is it better to use "bondo" or "Icing" or something else? I don't see anything that is going to be a deeper fix than the 1/8" the Icing mentions. What is the best product to get? Do I need to do anything special to keep the fix from bleeding through to to paint?
I am using Osfo then PPG products for the wash, epoxy and buildup primers & for the base/clear.
Any help is appreciated.
Carlene
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,281
Likes: 18
From: Northern California
Fix on Metal or Primer
I hope it doesn't matter, because I did the bondo first. I used a rest prep for some rust spots, the bondo over dents, the PPG epoxy primer last. The epoxy primer seems to have an inhibitor in it and should do well against clean bare metal.
I have heard that Bondo will retain moisture and so I let mine dry for a few weeks.
Keep in mind that a clean surface is by far the most important thing, and let the bondo completely dry. I sat one fender next to my furnace for a few days to insure it was completely dry and stored everything indoors.
Don't forget the bondo needs a rough surface to attach to, I took a sharp scrapper and made a cross hatching to insure a good holding surface, do not apply bondo to a smooth surface, it'll just bounce off or crack and bondo should be thin.
I have heard that Bondo will retain moisture and so I let mine dry for a few weeks.
Keep in mind that a clean surface is by far the most important thing, and let the bondo completely dry. I sat one fender next to my furnace for a few days to insure it was completely dry and stored everything indoors.
Don't forget the bondo needs a rough surface to attach to, I took a sharp scrapper and made a cross hatching to insure a good holding surface, do not apply bondo to a smooth surface, it'll just bounce off or crack and bondo should be thin.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Fix on Metal or Primer
Carlene, fellow 40's owner, always put the bondo on before the primer if you prime it first the bondo will fail. It will pop and flake off destroying your paint!!!I would use the Bondo and then to fill sanding scratches use your icing and sand that with finer grit sand paper. You can prime it after that to fill the fine sanding scratches then I would use a euro primer over the entire panel block sand wet with somewhere around 600 and then apply the paint. Not only do I own a 40 but I went to school for auto body. LOL John
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Fix on Metal or Primer
They are both right, in some way.
The best logic I've seen or read says to prime with epoxy as soon as you sandblast so that corrosion can not begin at all.
When you are ready to start mudding, grind off the epoxy primer so you mud to bare metal.
The bondo will gather moisture from the air, from wet sanding, or from the backside if there are any holes. I weld all panels solid so there's no holes. Primer the mud to protect it from moisture after it has cured.
I was in the Navy, in Cuba, in July. 110 degrees and 100% humidity. A guy spent the day grinding the paint off the deck so he could paint on a rough No-Skid walkway paint. After a full day of grinding in the hot sun, he quit and would paint the next day. The next day, the deck was completely rust covered. He spent Day 2 grinding half the deck and painting, and Day 3 he did the other half.
The best logic I've seen or read says to prime with epoxy as soon as you sandblast so that corrosion can not begin at all.
When you are ready to start mudding, grind off the epoxy primer so you mud to bare metal.
The bondo will gather moisture from the air, from wet sanding, or from the backside if there are any holes. I weld all panels solid so there's no holes. Primer the mud to protect it from moisture after it has cured.
I was in the Navy, in Cuba, in July. 110 degrees and 100% humidity. A guy spent the day grinding the paint off the deck so he could paint on a rough No-Skid walkway paint. After a full day of grinding in the hot sun, he quit and would paint the next day. The next day, the deck was completely rust covered. He spent Day 2 grinding half the deck and painting, and Day 3 he did the other half.
