Overheard a parts guy say something about filler that stuck with me

Was waiting at the NAPA counter last week and heard the guy behind me tell the clerk that body filler is "just Bondo, it's all the same." Got me thinking about how I used to think that too, until I switched to a premium filler and noticed way less pinholes and shrinkage on a big quarter panel job. The cheap stuff cost me more in sanding time and rework, you know? Have you guys noticed a big difference between cheap and expensive filler brands or is it just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

derek_dixon7820d ago

My buddy Mike was trying to save money on a fender repair on his old Ranger. He grabbed a gallon of that off-brand stuff from the parts store, the one that comes in the plain white bucket. He spent like three evenings sanding that thing, and it still looked like a golf ball when he shot primer over it. I went over to help him block it out and there were pinholes everywhere, he was cussing up a storm. He finally borrowed some premium filler from a guy down the street and the second pass went on way smoother and blocked out in half the time. I mean, the cheap stuff might work for a tiny dent but for anything bigger you are just asking for trouble.

pat_murray1620d ago

Did your buddy ever try using a little less hardener on that cheap stuff? I had a friend down in Tulsa who bought a case of that white bucket filler from a surplus store. He mixed it a little rich on the hardener thinking it would kick faster, and it cured into a mess of little holes and craters. He spent two weekends trying to sand it smooth and finally gave up. Ended up grinding the whole thing down to bare metal and starting over with some quality filler from a real auto paint shop. The second coat laid down like butter and sanded out perfect in one afternoon. I think a lot of those problems come from how the cheap stuff cures, it shrinks or outgasses if you don't mix it just right.