Dash Fabrication - Need quick tip...

**EagleTG** · 07-23-2007, 03:03 PM

Hi all. To spare you some reading, I think my answer is "Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty". (That's from searching, etc.)

The full story: I want something to smooth pinholes, etc. after using Epoxy Putty (got frustrated with that), switched to Bondo (which I've used before, and am much more comfortable with). Everything came out pretty good. I had a rough area that I know I didn't concentrate on hard enough with sandpaper, and a few pinhole areas. I also completely missed part of the "decorative groove" above the buttons, duh. I was being too cautious around the button area. Here's a quick snapshot of one of the areas:

(Hit up the link in my sig if you want to see the whole dash piece and my worklog.)

I sanded and sanded some more. Can't seem to get some of the marks out of the Bondo. I think part of the problem is that I need a new Bondo putty blade, or whatever the applicator that they include is called. But I thought I got it good enough, and started using some Spray Putty Primer. No go, I'm still left with the marks. The can says Putty Primer can fill up to 1/16th inch, bull pocky.

Anyway, is the Bondo Glazing stuff what I want here? Can I use that OVER the putty, or should I sand that off first? Does the Bondo Glaze stuff come out of the tube ready to use?

Thanks for any insight.

**Nexson** · 07-23-2007, 06:25 PM

sand it down with 120. get a new spreader and apply the "bondo", sand that down with 120 220 fiuller primer, sand down, filler primer, look for imprefections, use spot putty and fill them in with your finger, wait half our sand em down re prime 220 320 paint

**EagleTG** · 07-23-2007, 08:24 PM

K, thanks... I'll try that. Need to get some more sandpaper, a spreader, and some Spot Putty.

**EagleTG** · 07-29-2007, 11:00 PM

Thanks Nexson... I followed your tips, and spent some more serious time on this yesterday and today... Came out really nicely. Check it out in my project show-off thread... http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/1098986-post9.html

**Nexson** · 07-30-2007, 12:43 AM

Looks Great, happy I could help!

**Boombox** · 07-31-2007, 08:54 PM

What grit sand paper are you using? at this point you should be a minimum of 400 grit, but at that level it will take a long time to get the scratches out.

**portabuddy** · 08-01-2007, 12:58 AM

i would use 120 to get down, then use some spot putty to build back up, 240 to level, high build primer and hit it with 400 wet and finish with 600 wet...

but thats just me...

**EagleTG** · 08-03-2007, 10:07 PM

Yep, that's what I did. Once I was done with the 120 grit went to 220. Got most of the major scratches out. Then I moved on to more putty/glaze and higher number grit, 400 first, then 800. Putty glazing anything I saw wrong at each step.

I also cheated, after I posted the pictures above, but before all of the stuff in this last paragraph, I ran over the entire area with a fine-grit sanding drum on my Dremel. I just lightly blitzed the entire area, and filled it back in with bondo, etc. This worked extremely well. Not to pat myself on the back, but I'm very experienced with the Dremel. Even still, I was really nervous and careful during the process. I got it all sanded, flattened, and smoothed... Then continued the process above.

Final product is sweet, and can be seen in the link in my sig. I'm about 95% satisfied. (I'm a perfectionist, and will never be totally satisfied... I'm just tired of working on this part, so I'm calling it done.)

**Megalomaniac** · 08-04-2007, 12:10 AM

as good as that looks, you realize body filler and plastic doesn't go well with each other. plastic contracts and expands while the body filler does not. You have increased chances of cracks and pops.

hopefully that doesn't happen, but for future reference its a good thought to know.

**portabuddy** · 08-04-2007, 01:55 AM

lol thats why i went the "do it all out of plastic route", useing plastic repair epoxy for the whole thing... that way its all plastic and wont crack..., well thats the theory atleast..., Although there might be a reason that no one else has done that before bit I'll see how it works out...