Bondo nightmares.

[Joseph Lavender]

I never want to use bondo again.

I'm using the normal, bondo brand.. and was told later on I should have been using evercoat, and my nightmare would have been tons easier. Any truth to that?

I'm trying to bondo some spots above my "fins" between them and the top.

I cannot for the life of me get it "smooth". I've gone through layer after layer of bondo and spot putty.. I'll sand it.. and make even more scratches, grooves, and pinholes..

I'm starting off with block sanding 100 grit.. what should I be moving to once I knock off the "top" so that it doesn't sound down too far and make new holes/gouges.

Here's the area I am talking about..

(this isn't my car, but I have the same year model)

I painted a green arrow where the area is. I'm trying to smooth it all the way down, as there were spots all down that side, where the top curves slightly and becomes the fin/fender. Any tips on getting that area smooth. Its the only part I've been struggling with.

[SmoothNlow]

I'm not 100 percent certain what your trying to do. But the rule with bondo is (i should say MY rule for bondo) USE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE! Bondo can be a good thing if used right. Or it can be your worst nightmare. Make sure the surface is clean and free of sanding dust, grease, etc... Use like 80-100 grit for the initial shaping. Then go to 320. Then even 600 if you want. As stupid as it sounds, google "proper sanding tecnique" or something. Some jus don't know the fundamentals of sanding. Knowing the basics is important. Granted its not rocket science, there is a right and a wrong way to do it. Hope I helped somehow! Good luck!

[BIGEVIL]

I think that area might be fiberglass.

Maybe a different type of bondo is needed.

[SmoothNlow]

Bondo even does great over fiberglass we use it on boats down here all the time to smooth em out for paint. Granted we always use good filler. Not that Bondo brand is bad, but I prefer like Napa CUZ or something....

[Riff Raff]

Bondo is a spiteful bitch. You just need to know how to soothe her.

First, give her a good clean surface to stick to.
Use only a little more than you need or else she becomes a bitch that will demand much more of your attension(sanding.)
Sweeten her up, give her a little honey. I like to mix a little bit of fiberglass resin(just resin) in with my bondo. Helps to smooth it out and also helps with the air bubbles.
Once she has dried, time to whip her into shape.
I use a flat block with 80 grit to rough her in.
Go to a paint store, get bunch of regular paint sticks. Look through them to find the straight ones, cut them to 9ins long. Sandpaper sheets are 9in by 12in or so. Wrap the sand paper around the "Sanding block."
The next grit I like to use is 180, to get my lines back right. Draw your bodylines on the bondo if need be. Then sand to the line on one side and sand to it on the other side of the line. Always holding your block flat.
Once you are getting close, take some spray paint, I like black, and give the area a "mist" coat.
Now switch to 220, 240, 320 grit and repeat the sanding steps.
Stop to look at what you are doing every once in a while. Where you see fresh bondo, is a high spot. Where you see paint, is a low spot.
If your high spots feel like they are where they need to be, you need to add more bondo to the low spots. Skim over the high spots too, so when you start sanding agin you won't go to far.
Repeat the sanding, but you may not want to start with 80 this time.
Repeat the Mist coat.
Once the bondo becomes the same color at the same time, you know the area is flat.
You may have to massage the bodylines to get them straight.

If you have a curved area, try to fond something with a curve close to it and use it as a sanding block.

Help this helps.

[Joseph Lavender]

Here's what I mean. I am using regular bondo brand lightweight filler. I had a friend come look at it, and he told me I should be using evercoat instead. I was going to get some, but I still had bondo left and I didn't want to waste money. I'm totally a noob at this, so what you see is me basically figuring it out as I go. I had alot of spots to fix.

Go easy on me. I do realize there's a few spots where I know I can go back and put filler in, but was curious if some of the scratches and such would be filled with filler primer.

PS.. the red was just all I had handy. Was using it so I could see the imperfections better.

[pyro]

Are you filling rust holes?

[Joseph Lavender]

yes sir!

[pyro]

I hope you cut out the rust, and replaced the cancer with new metal, and are using the bondo to smooth out the rfepair. Otherwise, within 6 months you will have the bondo seperating

[Joseph Lavender]

of course!