Body filler options….what do you use?

[eldubb440]

So, in this photo, you are matching the door and fender?

yes, after welding a small patch in both..... I also sliced the fender vertically (and welded) to open up the gap a little

if my filler gets hard, I knock off the high stuff with a grinder and either sand or put another coat over it

I don't have the time or energy to be sanding mountains of filler

 

[Canadian1968]

The difference in a quality and cheap filler comes down to how well its spreads and sands. Once a filler is CURED it not going to shrink any more. Failures are usually 95% due to application , that's how well it was mixed , how thick , allowed to fully cure before the next step , and prep under it. I've used napa brand fillers, 3m , evercoat. None of them fail but there sure as hell is a difference in how easy they are to work with

Can't really blame filler for any rusting problems. When activated with hardner, the chemical reaction creates heat , when applied to BARE metal. Now you have a hot and cold situation which causes condensation . Many things effect the severity of this, but this is why you can chip away filler on a job and see rust forming . But at the end of the day they can be labeled as DTM, because they did their job and adhered to the metal. Doesn't mean it's bullet proof.

This is the purpose of epoxy. When applied correctly it creates a moisture barrier between the metal and filler . Regular urethane primers can still absorb moisture as well.

There is a reason why there are different steps taken for a high end restoration and a collision job . The repair on the collision job is more than likely going to out live the age of your daily driving car. A classic that might be kept for several decades , that's a different story.

 

[Super-Abeille]

I was technician at a collision shop for 10+ years. We had a contract with 3M, so we really only used 3Ms light weight filler. Never had any issues with it, but like any filler, it needs to be applied properly.

A few times our supplier ran out and we would get some Evercoat Rage Gold which is a really nice filler. In trade school, we would use Evercoats bottom-of-the-line light weight filler. Sanded as bad as it would spread. We would mix a bunch of glaze in when the instructor wasn't looking so we could sand the damn stuff.

I've never used USC or Upol fillers, but I'm sure they would be fine. Their economy fillers just might not sand or spread as nice.

If you have a good relationship with a body shop, they'll sell you some cans of filler at their cost. I've never paid anywhere close to $120 for a can of Rage, even up here in Canada.

 

[Bighouse]

any of you guys use a cheese grater? I do 95% of my filler work with one........... followed with 36 on a board or a block, followed up with 100-ish and a skim coat of glaze....... very little sanding.

If I walked in on someone making a huge cloud of dust with some sort of air sander, I would fire them........ notice the fresh mozzarella

Not so much a grater- but I do try to get my first 36 longboard passes in between sticky and hard, while it’s still just a tad soft.

 

[TT from NH]

any of you guys use a cheese grater? I do 95% of my filler work with one........... followed with 36 on a board or a block, followed up with 100-ish and a skim coat of glaze....... very little sanding.

If I walked in on someone making a huge cloud of dust with some sort of air sander, I would fire them........ notice the fresh mozzarella

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Eldubb440, first an answer: Yes, I bought a cheese grater and used it once. It scared the hell out of me with the amount of stuff it was cutting out. Maybe I'm not putting enough filler on.....

Now, three questions, sensei: 1) do you put glaze on everything (metal and filler) or just filler? 2) do you sand the glaze (I'm thinking you have to but just want to check)? 3) I know you're a SPI epozy primer guy; do you ever spray the primer and then go back and fill spots? Asking for a friend....

 

[Kern Dog]

Tell your friend to ask. Why does he need you to do it?

 

[eldubb440]

Eldubb440, first an answer: Yes, I bought a cheese grater and used it once. It scared the hell out of me with the amount of stuff it was cutting out. Maybe I'm not putting enough filler on.....

Now, three questions, sensei: 1) do you put glaze on everything (metal and filler) or just filler? 2) do you sand the glaze (I'm thinking you have to but just want to check)? 3) I know you're a SPI epozy primer guy; do you ever spray the primer and then go back and fill spots? Asking for a friend....

the grater eliminates all the "high" filler quickly, without the cloud of dust; it's also straight like a board, so keep it flat to the work........ I never pile the filler on, but I use enough "build"

after 40 years, the grater has become an extension of my hands; I suppose mastering the grater takes a little practice.......

1) the glazed area is always bigger than the filler area....... everything I use works over metal or EP. The glaze is applied over filler, primer, and metal; so I don't really worry about breaking through the primer while doing my "rough in" body work

2) sand the glaze, I open it up and knock off any highs with 120, then move to 180/220

3) I often "open up" (not remove) and area of epoxy; work on top and sometimes through it if necessary........ and seal it back up with epoxy, kinda like surgery

I'll use a DA around the edges to get rid of 36 grit scratches in the primer, but everything else I do to this point is done by hand....... I find running an air tool over filler work to be very counter productive.

these techniques work for ME, and they have become habitual; others may have learned a different way, and it works for them....... some of you would be shocked to see how fast I get through my filler work

1/4 skins on a pretty rough car......

 

[icetech]

the grater eliminates all the "high" filler quickly, without the cloud of dust; it's also straight like a board, so keep it flat to the work........ I never pile the filler on, but I use enough "build"

after 40 years, the grater has become an extension of my hands; I suppose mastering the grater takes a little practice.......

1) the glazed area is always bigger than the filler area....... everything I use works over metal or EP. The glaze is applied over filler, primer, and metal; so I don't really worry about breaking through the primer while doing my "rough in" body work

2) sand the glaze, I open it up and knock off any highs with 120, then move to 180/220

3) I often "open up" (not remove) and area of epoxy; work on top and sometimes through it if necessary........ and seal it back up with epoxy, kinda like surgery

I'll use a DA around the edges to get rid of 36 grit scratches in the primer, but everything else I do to this point is done by hand....... I find running an air tool over filler work to be very counter productive.

these techniques work for ME, and they have become habitual; others may have learned a different way, and it works for them....... some of you would be shocked to see how fast I get through my filler work

1/4 skins on a pretty rough car......

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Wish you were local... would like to just hand my car to someone else to paint If i ever do more bodywork i'm gonna have to get a grater to try out

 

[icetech]

Wanted to repaint my lower quarters/valence today.. but it's non stop rain and gloom out another day

 

[Kern Dog]

That is unfortunate. Summer rain is rare here.

Our green grass dries out and turns to looking like straw. I could flood the yard with the sprinklers but then I risk trouble with the water control "karens".

 

[icetech]

That is unfortunate. Summer rain is rare here.

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Our green grass dries out and turns to looking like straw. I could flood the yard with the sprinklers but then I risk trouble with the water control "karens".

You are lucky.. the rain has been crazy here this year... i went out and cut grass between downpours today.. started taping up the car a bit then said screw it... humidity sucks

 

[icetech]

And i don't mind dry grass.... i have to cut mine 2-3 times a week right now and i HATEcutting grass...

 

[T2R9]

any of you guys use a cheese grater? I do 95% of my filler work with one........... followed with 36 on a board or a block, followed up with 100-ish and a skim coat of glaze....... very little sanding.

If I walked in on someone making a huge cloud of dust with some sort of air sander, I would fire them........ notice the fresh mozzarella

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Yes. My wife showed me years ago that once the filler was set you shape it with the grater. It serves two purposes, shape and save time, and remove the outside that gums up your paper.

Yes my wife taught me how to do body work and paint...

 

[eldubb440]

Yes. My wife showed me years ago that once the filler was set you shape it with the grater. It serves two purposes, shape and save time, and remove the outside that gums up your paper.

Yes my wife taught me how to do body work and paint...

now THAT"S a wife!

 

[eldubb440]

also, the next coat of filler locks into the grooves left by the cheese grater on the previous coat.......... this eliminates a distinct line between the layers when finishing it up with sandpaper

 

[TT from NH]

Okay, time for a status update and thanks to all those who provided advice (with a special shout out to eldubb440).

1) I bought a POS on purpose (68 Coronet 500 - my high school car) so I could learn how to weld, fabricate, do body work, and paint. I started with the rear:

2) I replaced the rear driver's side frame rail because it was rotted:

3) I fabricated a sleeve and bolted and then welded it for strength (I wasn't confident in my welding yet, and yes, I ground down the bolt heads so they're barely noticeable):

4) Meanwhile, I removed the tail and the rotted trunk:

5) and since I had access and it needed it, I cut and replace the whole rear window and deck with a donor from Arizona:

6) Since I was now more confident with welding (and grinding), I replaced the driver's side speaker hole on the donor with the original 6x9":

7) And since we're here, we might as well mini-tub the wheel wells:

8) Which meant that I had to fabricate some new trunk hinge brackets:

See the next post to continue....

 

[TT from NH]

Continuing....
9) Because of the mini-tubbing, I had to tweak the trunk floor (from AMD). And you can see my new cross panel and dutchman panel as well:

10) I drilled and spot welded the trunk floor and drops to the frame/wheel wells/quarter panels using the trunk lid as my continuous guide:

11) Meanwhile, the tail panel needed a LOT of fabrication (I think I cut and welded in 12 new pieces):

12) Once the tail panel was fixed up, I welded it onto the car (again using the trunk lid to guide me):

13) I had no idea what the bottom of the end pieces were supposed to look like so I fabricated something that looked like it would work:

14) Using the trunk lid as my guide, I did some final adjustments (I had to raise the middle of the dutchman panel 1/4" and I had to build up the end of the quarters with about 1/8" of filler to get the required flare.):

15) I did a lot of pounding a filling to smoother out the quarterpanels:

16) And lots of sanding and filling and sanding and filling (I'm now pretty good at this ); I put two coats of epoxy primer on everything (just to keep things stable while I work on the rest of the car):

Next I finish the mini-tubs and the package tray. Then it's onto the rear seat pans and continue moving forward. Then I'll come back and take care of all the small blemishes and dents (which really show up in these pictures) in preparation for painting. Check for my update in 2027

 

[65PlymSatellite]

 

[Kern Dog]

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5) and since I had access and it needed it, I cut and replace the whole rear window and deck with a donor from A

Great work on the car but what impressed me is the way that you utilized the limited space of your ceiling to use the two post lift.