Using Bondo Fiberglass to Repair a Dent

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gerpena · #1 Unread post by **gerpena** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:17 am

Someone suggested i use bondo long strand and a layer of POR-15 glazing putty to fill in a dent on my gas tank.

Problem is no one seems to carry the 762 Bondo-Hair Long Strand Fiberglass putty, only the 272 Bondo-Short Strand Glass Reinforced Filler.

Is this short strand verison ok?

http://tinyurl.com/e4qnb

ronboskz650sr · Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:53 am

I think for that dent, it would be fine. You aren't bridging a hole of anything, or making a structural repair to a fender, for example. It should work, get latex glove or rubber kitchen gloves...the latex are cheap, and disposable, and give good dexterity for working your paddle or shapig tools.

gerpena · #3 Unread post by **gerpena** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:04 am

ronboskz650sr wrote:...your paddle or shaping tools.

does the bondo fiberglass container come with everything i need or do i need to buy a separate, say, hardener? what are these tools you are warning me about, can i get them at the autoparts store as well?

thanks!

ronboskz650sr · Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:06 am

You need a paddle spreader of some kind to apply the mixture to the tank. You need a separate scooping device to get the resin out of the can. You can mix on a piece of clean cardboard. Hardener come with it. Auto parts store or Walmart has all of it...BTW, I doubt glazing putty alon will give the the final surface you want before primer...probably need some body filler, too. Walmart sell plastic putty knifes in a set of three different sizes. I use them for mixing, and applying the resin, or smoothing a flat surface with the resin...and the pink bondo spreaders for the rounded surfaces. You also need a body file, or 40 grit sandpaper for rough shaping...read the back of the can, it should give you some suggestions on sanding/smoothing.

gerpena · #5 Unread post by **gerpena** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:15 am

ronboskz650sr wrote:BTW, I doubt glazing putty alon will give the the final surface you want before primer...probably need some body filler, too. Walmart sell plastic putty knifes in a set of three different sizes. I use

Thanks for your help and sorry about the cardinals.... i thought or sure they had the best team in baseball this year. Maybe they can still pull it out, but it doesnt look good.

I thought the bondo fiberglass was a body filler? Cant i use it to fill the hole and then top it off with a couple of coats of something like regular bondo (glazing putty?) before sanding it down to use the primer?

ronboskz650sr · Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:13 am

Okay...glazing putty isn't the same as body filler. The fiberglass filler is a filler, but it has strands that will poke out slightly after sanding, so you fill to just below the final level, then cover with regular plastic (Bondo) or poyester (preferred...Bondo premium, for example) body filler. Glazing putty comes in a tube, and is also known as spot putty. It's really for just that..very small spot imperfections that remain after sanding the bondo, primer or first paint coat. It sticks to all three, so you use is as a fine tuner, so to speak. It must be sanded smooth, too, and isn't good for building up deep low spots...use body filler for that. A trip to the auto parts store and some browsing of the back of the products would reveal alot of good info for you. That way you can hold the stuff and compile your list of needs right there. I know you want to save money on this repair, and you will....probably. But, it is going to cost a fair amount for materials. The experience may or may not be valuable to you...it always was to me. It will be a pretty good amount of work, too! I'd suggest you look for a paperback on auto body repairs and paint, or do a search to get lots of techniques, so you can decide how far you want to go with it. You should also shop around for prices on the whole job, and just paint. It's hard for me to relay every detail of all the things I've learned over the years by trial and error. You just need to dive in and realize you may make a few trips here and there before it's all over.

gerpena · #7 Unread post by **gerpena** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:27 am

Thanks for the reply. The experience is definitely worth it for me, and it actually seems like a fun project too. Money is a consideration given the bike is older and cosmetic flaws are part of its charm, but I understand your point about the value of experience and appreciate your advice. I will do as you say—after work I am headed to the auto parts store to continue my education. I am a little nervous about the paint job however, I may just end up filling the dent, sanding it down and getting it as close to perfect as I can before shopping around to see who can paint it for me professionally. I have limited tools and I don’t know if I could do a good job painting it, but I am excited about working with the Bondo to fill in the dent, as you suggested. Seem an enjoyable project.

Thanks again for taking the time. Your advice will be put to good use. =)

ronboskz650sr · Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:49 am

Here's something you could try...Get your sanding done on high-build primer, until water stands on it and looks smooth. Find a single, non-metallic color you like, and go for it. When you get it all sanded out and buffed, sometimes little imperfections just make it look like a shiney old bike that's been weel worn. The high gloss makes it look great from a few feet away, only you now about the imperfections, and they add character while making the project a little easier, not worrying about perfect paint. Just an idea to keep it real.

gerpena · #9 Unread post by **gerpena** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:59 am

ronboskz650sr wrote:Here's something you could try...Get your sanding done on high-build primer, until water stands on it and looks smooth. Find a single, non-metallic color you like, and go for it. When you get it all sanded out and buffed, sometimes little imperfections just make it look like a shiney old bike that's been weel worn. The high gloss makes it look great from a few feet away, only you now about the imperfections, and they add character while making the project a little easier, not worrying about perfect paint. Just an idea to keep it real.

what the heck, if you think it can be done then who am i to disagree! its been rainy here in seattle but i hope it clears enough by this weenend for me to take this on. ill keep you posted, and thanks again for taking the time.

ronboskz650sr · Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:10 pm

I came up with the idea a little while ago...I was putting some swirl remover on my tank to learn its properties. My bike is painted, but in no way finished. The weather got really good, and i broke off my cafe' project to get more riding in. Anyway, the tank isn't really properly prepped, but looks pretty great anyway. The tailpiece isn't even all painted, but looks pretty good. The side covers aren't even sanded out or buffed. Still, the bike really does look unbelieveable from about 10 feet away...I'll upload a pic in a second, just wait...there