Automotive Bodywork and Rust Repair

by Matt Joseph

  can be disastrous. Several thin coats

  is necessary to get the best results

  filler components, or that can release

  of filler always trump one thick one.

  with this type of product.

  contamination like waxes and resins.

  And total thickness of filler that

  exceeds 1/8 inch is risky.

  Polyester fillers come in many

  types. All of them have slightly dif-

  ferent application considerations.

  The one used here, Bondo, is very

  well known and works well. Depend-

  ing on temperature and mixing pro-

  portions, it is easy to apply after

  mixing because it begins to set at a

  workable rate. It can be spread

  evenly, smoothly, and in a uniform

  way. It also provides good adhesion

  to properly prepared base metals.

  Depending on conditions, poly-

  ester fillers can be roughly shaped

  with a cheese-grater-type file, for sev-

  eral minutes or more after initial

  setup. After a little more time, again

  Exact mixing proportions for polyester filler, and its hardener, are not

  3

  depending on product, temperature,

  critical with most polyester filler products, however thorough and uniform

  and mixing factors, it hardens to a

  mixing are. Also, it is crucial to mix these components on a clean surface.

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  point where it can be contoured

  accurately with a body file.

  Next a board sander with a

  semi-firm backing and 80-grit

  open-coat abrasive paper was used

  to further shape the hardened poly-

  ester. After a single application of

  filler, the fender surface was not

  only back to its original contours,

  but was also approaching a pretty

  smooth format.

  Our decklid had come a long

  way since we started working on it,

  but there were still some low spots

  in the panel. More polyester filler

  was applied to those low spots,

  allowed to stiffen up, and grated to

  rough contours. Then, the filing

  Filler must be applied before it

  and sanding steps were repeated.

  4

  begins to set up, otherwise it

  After the filler hardened and was

  becomes hard to spread and porous.

  grated, we used an in-line air sander,

  If filler is mixed correctly, there

  followed by a sanding board, to

  should be plenty of time for its proper

  shape and smooth it. Then, we per-

  application.

  formed a little, light, detailed hand

  This is an example of what can

  5

  happen if filler is applied

  incorrectly. This paint was less than

  six months old when it failed. In this

  case, the filler under it was more than

  We used a cheese-grater-type file to roughly shape the hardening filler.

  6

  1/2 inch thick. Paint failure was

  This is a crude process, and no attempt should be made to achieve final

  inevitable.

  contours with it at this point.

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  AUTOMOTIVE BODY WOR K AN D R UST R E PAI R

  R E PAI R I NG C OLLI S ION DAMAG E I N A DECK LI D

  sanding with a semi-hard rubber pad

  in a few areas to blend the edges of

  the filler and the metal.

  The decklid was now ready to

  send out for painting. This panel

  was somewhat protected from rust

  by the metal conditioner that we

  used before applying filler to it, but

  it was still very vulnerable to rust-

  ing. It was stored in a laminated

  plastic bag with some desiccant

  dryer, until it could be painted.

  The finished panel looked good.

  It would look better when refinished.

  Diagonal measurements indicated

  that it was still perfectly symmetri-

  cal, and would fit perfectly into the

  trunk jamb from which it was

  removed. The polyester filler was no

  more than 3/32 inch thick at any

  point on the panel, and much thin-

  There are many ways to shape hardened filler. We used traditional body

  ner than that in most areas. This

  7

  files, which is a slow but sure way of shaping plastic fillers. Some people

  panel should look good and provide

  use power tools in the first stages of shaping, but I find files are fast enough.

  great durability for many years.

  After shaping the filler, we still

  9

  had some low spots, and areas

  that needed building up to get the

  Filing was followed by board sanding the filler. We could have used an

  correct, final contours. A second

  8

  in-line air sander at this point, but we were so close to the desired final

  application of filler was made to

  surface that we saw no need to use this tool at this point.

  these areas.

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  CHAPTE R 13

  In some areas, our second filler application was much

  A foam sanding pad and 120-grit abrasive paper

  10

  11

  too ambitious, resulting in very high spots of filler. We

  were used sparingly to blend a few edges where

  used an in-line air sander to quickly remove excess filler. This

  filler met metal. This was a delicate step and we exercised

  was followed by a sanding board, to achieve final contours.

  care not to overdo it.

  The finished panel looked like this. A

  few coats of primer, and some wet

  sanding, will bring this panel to

  perfect contours that reflect light

  uniformly and symmetrically. There is

  no need for the dreaded spot putty to

  make this surface work.

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  C H A P T E R 1 4

  SOURCES AND RESOURCES

  Local Sources

  bodywork materials, like sheetmetal,

  are usually available from this

  There are many local sources for

  source, though it is often much less

  acquiring the tools, supplies, and

  expensive to buy sheet steel from

  equipment used in autobody metal

  local and regional steel suppliers.

  work. The most obvious of these

  These stores usually carry welding

  sources is body shop supply stores.

  supplies, but their lines are more lim-

  They are organized as individual local

  ited than those of dedicated welding

  stores, and as small, local, and

  supply stores.

  regional chains. Their primary prod-

  Okay, I like books. These are some of

  Hardware stores, home improve-

  uct lines are paint, and the chemicals

  the books on sheetmetal work that I

  ment chains, and farm stores often

  that relate to filling, priming, paint-

  have accumulated, over
the years.

  offer products and lines of products

  ing, and polishing vehicles. To vary-

  Equally useful printed material is

  that relate to metal work, like weld-

  ing degrees, these stores carry

  often found in some of the body shop

  ing equipment and supplies. This

  products and product lines that relate

  trade magazines, particularly those

  source of these items is often less

  to sheetmetal work. Their product

  from the 1930s through 1970s.

  expensive than autobody shop sup-

  profiles usually include consumable

  pliers and welding suppliers, particu-

  items like abrasive papers, grinding

  retail users, that is, consumers who

  larly when you have to pay retail

  discs, and specialized cutting tools.

  purchase in small volumes. Often,

  prices at those establishments.

  Many of them also carry metal work-

  these outfits also stock, or can order,

  Finally, there are large, national-

  ing tools like hammers, dollies,

  a variety of specialty tools and sup-

  scale hardware, tool, and equipment

  spoons, pries, pneumatic devices,

  plies that are used in autobody work,

  catalog houses that operate local retail

  and various welding supplies and

  like lead-working tools and supplies

  stores. These stores carry many of the

  specialty tools. Some of them sell

  and special trim fasteners. The best

  items in their catalog operations’ full

  large equipment like jump shears,

  of them have access to somewhat

  product lines. Companies like North-

  brakes, and panel-tensioning devices.

  obscure tools and devices like spe-

  ern Tool + Equipment (Northern-

  Tools from these stores tend to

  cialized sanding devices and spe-

  Tool.com) and Harbor Freight Tools

  be high quality but are relatively

  cialty body hammers. If you need

  (harborfreight.com) operate many

  expensive, particularly when they

  something fast, as in right now, these

  local stores that offer numerous auto-

  are purchased by non-professional,

  stores are usually your best bet. Basic

  body tools and supplies. They also

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  CHAPTE R 1 4

  carry a surprising array of autobody

  everything that it sells. Eastwood’s

  really obscure items, the Internet may

  equipment such as English wheels,

  catalog is informative, well orga-

  be your only source. You can search

  brakes, shears, and other metal cut-

  nized, and always up-to-date. I some-

  for these and other tools, supplies, and

  ting and forming devices. A visit to

  times peruse it just to see what new

  equipment with search engines like

  their websites will inform you about

  products are available for metal

  Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

  their product lines and the locations

  work. It contains mainline tools,

  Amazon and eBay are great places

  of their stores. You can usually find

  supplies, and equipment for auto-

  to look for new and used autobody-

  one or more of these stores in or near

  body work, and many obscure and

  related stuff, up to and including

  most medium- to large-sized urban

  hard-to-find items and supplies.

  advanced metal working machinery

  areas. Products from these sources

  Tools USA caters mainly to auto-

  and the tooling for it. In the case of

  tend to be of reasonably good quality

  body shops through its extensive

  obsolete items, these, and sites like

  and are often very favorably priced,

  catalog,

  and

  via

  its

  website

  them, are often your best bet.

  compared with other sources of the

  (toolsusa.com). It offers an astound-

  Numerous automotive hobby

  same or similar items. These prod-

  ing variety of products, from frame-

  and trade journals carry articles that

  ucts usually carry strong warranties,

  straightening machines and spray

  inform about the latest tools, sup-

  and parts for them are often obtain-

  booths to small hand tools. It also

  plies, and equipment for metal work.

  able from their sellers long after you

  sells a complete line of the consum-

  They also carry advertisements for

  buy them.

  able supplies used in sheetmetal work.

  these items. This can be a good place

  There are many other web vendors

  to keep current on developments in

  Non-Local Sources

  that sell extensive lines of autobody

  the field of metal forming.

  tools, materials, and equipment. They

  Finally, if you are trying to find

  You can also order directly from

  can be found easily with a web search.

  tools, supplies, and equipment items

  catalog purveyors of autobody tools,

  In a more general vein, industrial

  that are not in current or recent pro-

  supplies, and equipment by phone

  supply houses often carry tools and

  duction, general and automotive

  or via the Internet. They often have

  supplies that have application to

  swap meets are excellent places to

  sales on the autobody-related items

  autobody work. These concerns can

  hunt for them. The likes of long-out-

  in their catalogs, at even more favor-

  be found in Yellow Pages listings

  of-production specialty body files,

  able prices.

  and on the web. McMaster-Carr

  hammers, and pneumatic devices can

  There are also catalog houses

  (mcmaster.com) and W.W. Grainger

  often be found at these venues. Look-

  devoted specifically to autobody

  (grainger.com) are huge, national,

  ing for things this way may seem a

  tools, supplies, and equipment that

  industrial supply houses that offer

  bit hit-or-miss, but in the long run,

  do not have local stores, but that

  high-quality tools, supplies, and equip-

  and with sufficient patience, it is

  carry more extensive lines of these

  ment that may be useful in autobody

  often successful. I have two buildings

  items than do the more general hard-

  work. Items like hole saws, grinding

  full of strange old body tools and

  ware- and tool-catalog vendors.

  burrs, specialty welding supplies, and

  equipment that prove that point.

  Companies like Restoration Special-

  much more are available from them.

  ties, Inc. (restorationspecialties.com)

  W.W. Grainger also offers its products

  Knowledge and Problem-

 
; supply myriad high-quality small

  through a network of local stores.

  Solving Resources

  parts, like fasteners, that are often

  The Internet is an outstanding

  needed in auto panel work.

  source for locating many of the spe-

  When I was knee high to a French

  Eastwood, out of Pottstown,

  cific things that are useful in autobody

  horn, I watched, incredulously, as a

  Pennsylvania (eastwood.com), car-

  repair and fabrication work, some-

  worker at the Miller Instrument

  ries an extensive catalog line of

  times at the best prices out there. You

  Repair Company, near Washington,

  almost anything that you would ever

  can discover many small sellers on the

  DC, effortlessly removed some major

  need for autobody repair and fabrica-

  Internet that specialize in specific

  damage from a tuba that had suf-

  tion work. Eastwood offers terrific

  items, or classes of items, from heavy-

  fered a hard physical encounter with

  technical support for its products

  metal-forming machinery to small

  a bandstand. After he had com-

  and outstanding warranties on

  and inexpensive hand tools. For some

  pletely removed the major damage

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  AUTOMOTIVE BODY WOR K AN D R UST R E PAI R

  SOU RCE S AN D R E SOU RCE S

  with pries and mallets, he burnished

  many great ones available. I particu-

  metal forming. His association had

  and polished the surfaces that he

  larly like those by Frank Sargent ( The

  the usual growing pains of any

  had repaired until they were mirror

  Key to Metal Bumping) and Robert Sar-

  robust organization that is made up

  shiny, and indistinguishable from

  gent ( Automobile Sheetmetal Repair,

  of strong-willed and talented indi-

  the surrounding metal. The repair

  and other similar titles). Although

  viduals. Terry died several years ago

  was perfect from every angle.

  these books were written many

  but MetalShapers.com soldiers on. It

  I was hooked. It seemed incredi-

  decades ago, they are classics and

  is a great place to ask the broadest

  ble to me that this kind of damage

  still have great relevance to sheet-

  possible range of good questions

  could be restored at all, much less so

  metal work.

  about metal forming, and to get

  swiftly, peacefully, and perfectly. I

  Some of the older vocational

  them answered.