Great video and totally accurate. People always say you have to grind to bare metal for filler. I called 3M when I started doing bodywork years ago and they said it was fine to use over paint as long as you sand first to give the filler something to grab on to.
Good common sense video. Same method I have used for years. 12 yrs ago I used bondo on a sizable dent on a factory painted quarter panel using a one step auto red enamel. As a top coat. I am repainting that truck this week. I had to hunt for the Bondo repaired area. Fixing to fill a few more spots such as you mentioned. You did a great job on bringing filler down to just where dent, and small affected are from the dent was. That's a nice repair in the make. Thanks for the video. The demonstration of sticking to paint was good also.
Paint is like a skin for the car it protects against rust if it gets cracked you have to fix it. So why would you sand off the cars surface protection. Great video very basic. There is a lot more to this question. But I don't want to write out 10 pages of info
I was under the impression that you had to go to bare metal for body filler. But your demonstration shows it is just as good on sanded paint. Saves alot of time too, for small dings! Thanks for your Sharing your knowledge, Jerry!
That's what glaze was made for. Any of the premium fillers such as Rage, Rage Gold or Rage Extreme also will work but Metal Glaze is probably the best for this application. I completely agree with the cheese grater. Why these aren't used more in modern autobody is a mystery to me.
@@perryberens618 I love doing that. Years ago I kept a bunch of 855 Cummins wrist pins , because they're solid and measure about 1.5" by 4" long or so and the ends are machined flat. They gotta weigh 2-3 pounds I'd think. I'm no good with a hammer/dolly but it would be a good one. I pound tin flat or curved on them or things like that. The rougher ones make great hammers for a little tap tap when ya need it.
One proviso I would add is that you cannot put polyester filler over lacquer. The catalyzed resin is just too hot and it melts the lacquer, and that will cause complete system failures. Of course, nobody uses lacquer anymore, but some GM cars clear into the late 80`s and early 90`s could have it. Check for a WA or L paint code to find out. Also, putting filler directly over paint will increase the flexibility of the filler by a huge factor. In fact if a repaired panel is ever hit again, the difference in the performance of the filler is dramatic. Polyester filler over bare metal is brittle and will crack which opens the repair area to rust. Anymore, I rarely grind a repair panel unless I have to use a stud gun. Thanks for the great videos, you are giving everyone some great tips and I really appreciate you modeling good technique and wearing a good mask to protect your lungs! Safety and Health are huge issues when dealing with the chemicals associated with auto body repair and paint.
As long as it's factory paint if the car or truck was repainted I would sand it down to the original paint ..I see some flu by night shops hardly sand for refinishing ... Or if the paint is breaking down will cause problems as well... I'm glad you said that OEM paint . That is the life saver 🤔 keep up the great work I like watching just so I may find another trick becouse in bodywork and painting you never stop learning.. even at 60 and working with lead along with pick and file strighting etc. Always learning something new.🧐
I just about lost a job in a shop over this issue years ago. Even it said on the can of filler that this can be done. I eventually quit over another issue.
It makes sense that filler "has" to stick to paint, for example if you sand the paint off down to bare metal, how are you going to get rid of the tapered step were the bare metal meets the paint without putting filler onto this tapered step, "bearing in mind this tapered step is made up of paint". In my experience as long as any polish and clear coat is removed from the paint surface with T cut or scotchbrite then there is no problem if filler is applied on top of paint.
That's good to hear Robin - We always put filler right over paint or bare metal. Remember epoxy primer wasn't around in the 70's - 80's - filler was applied directly to metal and held up fine.
I prepped a lot of filler I used to use those cheese graters like that I don't do that anymore when I prep filler now I will let it get to where that it's still somewhat soft and almost dry then use the roughest to the lightest grit sandpaper and it works pretty good it's also a little technique I picked up in college then I tried it for myself and it works wonders
Thanks. Here's the playlist on that panel. I eventually painted it with black Rustoleum - it was a just a panel to make videos out of so I did a variety of things to it. ua-cam.com/video/HZlIz3d-Ivs/v-deo.html
Thanks for this helpful video. I bought a hail damaged car and the paint is in good shape other than the hail dents. I had followed this same procedure of not sanding to bare metal in the past with good success but I wanted to make sure that would work when much of the surface will have fill on it due to hail dents. Do you have a video on using high build primer to prep for painting?
Just DA sand with 240, fill, prime with primer surfacer, block, prime again, finish sand, paint. I think these will work for you - ua-cam.com/video/31ONIPIprJk/v-deo.html & ua-cam.com/video/mApSa0l4euQ/v-deo.html
It’s best to apply filler over paint that has been properly sanded for mechanical adhesion but it’s rare because I usually use filler over damaged metal that I have to metal work with a stud puller etc
Old yesteryear polyester body filler wasn't recommended to be applied over paint . A good quality body filler nowadays. Can be applied over aluminum, steal, fiberglass, and paint. The product label will always indicate whether or not it can be apply to a surface or not. Cosmetic body filler can be applied over paint, plastic, and fiberglass but body fillers made for bare metal will have a corrosion additive. There's also waterproof body filler . And sprayable polyester.
The OEM paint is well adhered to the body panel. Electro deposition paint thing process, if i remember correctly. Having said this, the OEM paint that is sander down becomes the foundation to which the filler can attach to. That's my guess...
I'm giving my first go at body work now, you just helped me out a ton with some questions I had. Only question i have left is, is that a special cheese grater or could I just use the one from my kitchen? I dont think my old lady would appreciate that lol
Oh she'd love that - cut the sheet metal with her good scissors too. It's a half round regular cut "Cheesegrater" blade. Don't use the handle - doesn't give you enough control. Jerry
Saludos desde Argentina. Exelente video 👍👏. Entiendo muy poco el ingles, pero sus videos estan muy bien hechos y facilita la comprensión del trabajo. Lo felicito por eso 👏👍.
Lakeside Autobody Could you do this over a larger area...Iask as I have a sliding van door with a crease line right along its width....I've already found a lot of filler on the lower part of the door that needed to be removed as it had rust underneath it... and im reluctant to dig deeper than I need to. Thanks... and Nice video.
Yes - In 1989 there was a bad ice storm where I lived. A Ford dealership was sending the shop I was at a whole row of cars that were parked under the power line and damaged from ice falling. That's how we fixed them all and it worked just fine.
Thank you for this video and very informative 2? 1 can any body filler be applied to the panal with out going to bare metal and 2? Can the same thing be done on a hand size dent thank you injoyed this video and look forward to more of your videos
1. yes 2. yes You can get away with using 80 grit to sand the filler with. Don't want to leave deep scratches in the paint by using 40 grit or something. You can always prime with a 2 part primer to make sure you bury any deep scratches.
If you have a hand sized dent, you need body work done first. Bondo shouldn't be more than an 1/8 inch deep at the most. I only want to see about a 16th" or less.
Since you will be sanding the filler with anything from 80-120, that's what I would sand the epoxy primer with before application. You will then prime again, block sand with any thing from 120-180, prime once more then finally finish sand with anything from 220 to 400 then paint. If it's just a tiny repair, you can sand it with any grit paper from 80 on up. - hope that helps, Jerry
Another advantage of filler over paint is corrosion protection. Assuming it's OEM paint in good condition, like in this video, the oem primer will offer much better corrosion protection as first layer against bare steel than typical body shop practice of filler over bare steel covered by cheap primer. However epoxy as a first coat to bare metal has been proven as the absolute best practice, both adhesion and corrosion protection, with then filler over the epoxy.
Plastic spreaders can be placed in an old metal coffee can filled with thinner. You can put a lid on it so it don't evaporate. Metal ones, you can just scrape off after use like this - ua-cam.com/video/mApSa0l4euQ/v-deo.html see video at 3 minutes in :)
Yes. Chip or sand away the loose filler, rough up or sand the area and spread the new filler. Filler sticks well to sanded metal, paint, primer, plastic bumpers, even wood :)
Just before it is hard enough to sand with paper. Should be like a pencil eraser. Too soft and it fills the grater - too hard and you can't grate it :)
I'm not afraid to put filler over any type of paint as I've never had filler lift, fall out, crack, etc. If the paint is cured, in good condition, and a real automotive paint then I think your OK.
Just wanted to ask so I can make sure I know what I'm doing. I'm restoring a car, so dose this mean I can put the body filler over the paint that's on it so I can jump straight to getting the body all straight and ready for painting?
Yes - if the paint is in good condition i.e. not peeling, checked, cracked, flaking off. On large dents though it's more common to remove the paint like in some of the other vids on this channel - ua-cam.com/play/PLOP9eoG14-I_dTwNiWP5XJCitguFJzZEZ.html Ask again if that doesn't help - Jerry
which filler did you use for that? Nobody on these videos explains what products they are using most of the time, but I'd like to know what to buy. I've tried "Bondo" brand, and it is just too hard.
Bondo brand is fine - you have to use a cheese grater first, then sand with 40 grit on a bondo hog or air file - even by hand. See this video for an example - ua-cam.com/video/34Jh4RDMAjw/v-deo.html the brand of filler I use is listed in the description but trust me, it doesn't matter what type you use - it's your method of sanding that is going to make the difference. Don't be afraid to use course paper like 36 grit and 40 grit then move to finer stuff like 80 - Jerry
Quisiera consultarle: Que grado de lija usó para opacar la pintura antes de colocar la pasta?. Desde ya muchas gracias, y un saludo grande a la distancia. Aprendo mucho con sus videos.
Yes 2k is fine. I use lacquer primer because it works and is cheap. It builds fast, drys fast, sands easy, doesn't harden in the cup or the can, and you can pour the remaining mixed primer back in the can.
You can use it in cooler temps, recommend temp is 77 for 15 minutes but it’s said if it is lower temps then it may take up to 20-30 minutes. Bondo creates its own heat through a chemical process to dry. So temperature isn’t a big deal I’d say unless it’s below 50
Hi! I wonder why you didn't use D/A to sand the filler at the very first time but cheese grater and sandpaper? I'm just getting started as an auto- bodyworker. At my workplace, they rarely use D/A for sanding but by hand sanding. When I asked them the reason, they said "it's not necessary to use D/A" I don't know why. Isn't that D/A could speed up the whole process?? Btw, I've just subscribed to your channel! Thank you for this amazing explanation
Such a good question. A DA is very not supposed to be used for sanding filler at all even if you see it on UA-cam. It will not get it straight unless you have done filler work for many years and are very experienced at it. You should always use a long board, medium board or short board depending on the size of the dent. The DA is only for feather edging paint or prepping panels for paint.
You can use your choice of automotive grade primer. You'll want to go over that 80 grit with some 120 to smooth out the 80 grit scratches in the paint. 80 grit scratches on metal won't be a problem but in paint, they sometimes show up after some time being painted.
@@LakesideAutobody oh ok so before primer sand it with 120 or after primer and I think the primer I have is called High Teck Products 7740016 High Solids Acrylic Lacquer Primer Surfacer-Gray-4.58 VOC-GL is this ok
@@Nelval573 Yep that's good. You'll need lacquer thinner to thin it. Doesn't have to be super expensive stuff either. Lacquer thinner from walmart or home depot will work fine. You can use 80 grit for all of your rough spots and 120 for chips, etc. then 220-240 for panels that are near perfect condition. For example, you would DA sand a brand new car with 240-320 and then paint it. An older car might have some chips and rough areas that need to be hit with 80-120 grit then primed and then finish sanded either DA 220-240 or by hand 400. Primer surfacer is meant to level highs and lows in your body work when you block sand it. It's not necessarily for filling sand scratches even though tons of people do use it for that. Keep asking ?s if you need :)
With respect, the cheese grater is way faster, no dust, more accurate (cuts through), don't have to wait for the filler to completely dry, doesn't clog like paper, cheap 'cause you can use ref. filler, fine paper rides - doesn't cut.
@@LakesideAutobody Dont get me wrong i love to use the cheese grater on larger jobs. It is faster shapes quickly and no dust all true. But not on a tiny ding.
@@warrenvitters3983 Sorry - didn't mean anything negative. We use to use Evercoat for hail damage and small dings and you're right you don't need the c.g. I just use the grater for everything no matter how small because it takes that top gummy layer of filler off so the paper stays clean. Have a great week Warren - Jerry
I have a 32 year old car that I want to repaint the same color, primarily because the cars entire body is filled to the brim with dings and swirled paint that is fading just from age, but it has no chips or spots with sun damaged clearcoat. How do I go about repairing tiny door dents (all are smaller than a quarter). The entire point of going over your original paint is to avoid using primer and doing a ton of extra work. Does the bondo/body filler count as a form of "primer" and can just be painted right over, or does the spot thats been filled in need to have primer applied? No video answers this. Which is suprising because realistically anyone who wants to repaint their car is going to have dents.
Here's the process for a ding: 1) DA sand with 220 - big enough so that the filler doesn't go on shiny paint 2) sand the filler and scuff or DA sand out further so that you don't get primer on unsanded paint 3) Prime the spot with primer surface because it's not perfect and you'll need to block sand it 4) block sand, prime again, finish sand and paint. The side of this Kia had tons of dings - may help to look at this video - ua-cam.com/video/2H3UHCgQu2Q/v-deo.html
2K is very good - just more expensive than lacquer primer. Use urethane for a "filling" primer or a primer surfacer and epoxy primer for regular priming (epoxy is sort of like a primer/sealer) but doesn't fill.
@@LakesideAutobody the body shop that is doing this for me is doing the major body work, but leaving it up to me to take care of small dings etc. so my question is can I just scuff with 120 or whatever you recommend before filling dents? As opposed to taking to metal just on those spots. The 2k that is?
@@mikejessup9304 You can sand those areas with dings with 120 before you fill. Here's a video that may help with that - ua-cam.com/video/koMw6-auoIs/v-deo.html
@@LakesideAutobody is Evercoat brands alot better? Rage, z grip, xtreme etc...I'm needing one that will go on top of sanded paint that has no clear coat. Also easy to spread and doesn't dry real fast.. I sanded some spots to the metal. The areas that had rock dings and chips
@@sonnywinstead9977 In my opinion - no. That is when it comes to body filler. All body fillers are generally the same and I always suggest going with a low priced body filler 😊
It may work just fine - never tried it. For a small crack or gouge I would just use body filler but for larger damage I would replace the bumper with one from the junk yard.
All that time heat shrinking body filing and lead wiping as a kid with my old man and we could have just bogged it, oh that's right we had pride in our work
Dealerships across the nation use filler - tons of it but no one knows because they are pros and use it correctly. They do awesome work that lasts forever.
Yes - with a scratch, chip or ding you'll end up painting the whole panel or even two depending on where it is. So it doesn't make a big difference how big the spot becomes. Hope that helps :)
I started using cheese graters in the 70s. Now that Iam in my 70s I still use them. Iam surprised at how many out there don't and wont use them. I guess Iam just an old old schooler.
I do it quite often - never had a problem - don't feel good about doing it - but sometime you have to - they make two part glazing putty for that but $
Sure - if you go to my channel home page under "about" you'll see the email - sometimes I don't check my mail so just comment and tell me you sent the pics
Quick story - Back in 1990, I was working at a body shop and a dealership down the road had new cars parked under a telephone wire. Well, ice came down from that line, peppered the whole row and we fixed them using this method. My ? is, "Did they ever tell the people that bought them?" JV
What about applying filler over primer? I'd always heard that you should not apply filler directly to the metal but rather to prime the metal first, then add the filler. That was until began watching your videos. You apply filler directly to the metal routinely. So, I'm kinda confused. :D Thanks!
You never have to primer metal before filler. I've worked in many shops and have never seen that once. There are companies trying to sell a "pre filler primer" and its absolutely unnecessary. Filler sticks best to freshly sanded/ground, clean metal. Use 36 or 40 grit fiber resin disc like these to prepare the metal: www.harborfreight.com/4-12-in-36-grit-resin-fiber-sanding-discs-5-pk-69615.html Shops use nothing else - go slow and keep the heat down. The idea is to leave clean sharp cut scratches for the filler to adhere to.
@@wickedgaming91 You're welcome. BTW - you need to continue making your videos - don't get discouraged at first if there are not that many views - keep working at it and more and more folks will watch and sub. Remember lots of videos and good helpful info. You can do it:)
For some reason it comes off real easy using kitchen soap and water. It doesn't come off real easy just trying to rub it off. A hot shower works great to with one of those mesh shower sponge things and soap - real easy then :)
Great video and totally accurate. People always say you have to grind to bare metal for filler. I called 3M when I started doing bodywork years ago and they said it was fine to use over paint as long as you sand first to give the filler something to grab on to.
Good stuff Robert - thanks for your input - have a good weekend :)
Good common sense video. Same method I have used for years. 12 yrs ago I used bondo on a sizable dent on a factory painted quarter panel using a one step auto red enamel. As a top coat. I am repainting that truck this week. I had to hunt for the Bondo repaired area. Fixing to fill a few more spots such as you mentioned. You did a great job on bringing filler down to just where dent, and small affected are from the dent was. That's a nice repair in the make. Thanks for the video. The demonstration of sticking to paint was good also.
Badass I knew it !
What grit will it bond to?
@@MrBeachwaves The lower the better. I usually use 80, but I have used many of the lower grits and have not had any issues.
Paint is like a skin for the car it protects against rust if it gets cracked you have to fix it. So why would you sand off the cars surface protection. Great video very basic. There is a lot more to this question. But I don't want to write out 10 pages of info
Yes leave the boring people to tears, to pro's at it like me. This thread feels like a good shop, enjoying the process.
I was under the impression that you had to go to bare metal for body filler. But your demonstration shows it is just as good on sanded paint. Saves alot of time too, for small dings! Thanks for your
Sharing your knowledge, Jerry!
You're welcome. Some folks might disagree with putting filler over paint, but I have done it for years without a problem. Jerry
That's what glaze was made for. Any of the premium fillers such as Rage, Rage Gold or Rage Extreme also will work but Metal Glaze is probably the best for this application. I completely agree with the cheese grater. Why these aren't used more in modern autobody is a mystery to me.
Thanks for the support and comments. I agree with the statement about the cheese grater blades :)
I am old school like this video. Keep it simple. Common stuff laying around the shop repurpose into pretty amazing tools for auto body.
@@perryberens618 I love doing that.
Years ago I kept a bunch of 855 Cummins wrist pins , because they're solid and measure about 1.5" by 4" long or so and the ends are machined flat.
They gotta weigh 2-3 pounds I'd think.
I'm no good with a hammer/dolly but it would be a good one.
I pound tin flat or curved on them or things like that. The rougher ones make great hammers for a little tap tap when ya need it.
One proviso I would add is that you cannot put polyester filler over lacquer. The catalyzed resin is just too hot and it melts the lacquer, and that will cause complete system failures.
Of course, nobody uses lacquer anymore, but some GM cars clear into the late 80`s and early 90`s could have it. Check for a WA or L paint code to find out.
Also, putting filler directly over paint will increase the flexibility of the filler by a huge factor. In fact if a repaired panel is ever hit again, the difference in the performance of the filler is dramatic. Polyester filler over bare metal is brittle and will crack which opens the repair area to rust. Anymore, I rarely grind a repair panel unless I have to use a stud gun.
Thanks for the great videos, you are giving everyone some great tips and I really appreciate you modeling good technique and wearing a good mask to protect your lungs! Safety and Health are huge issues when dealing with the chemicals associated with auto body repair and paint.
Your instructional videos are pure gold...
Thank you for taking the time and effort
to pass along your knowledge and expertise.
Thank you very much. I'm glad you find them helpful.
Thanks again Jerry. You Da MAN !!! I've been doing paint work for 30 years, never miss one of Your videos. 😊
Thanks Joel - always good to hear from you - thanks for the support :)
Thanks. That's what I needed to know. I'm going to go fill my dents now.
Great video- exactly answered some concerns I had!!
wow , i didn't realize it but it makes sense now the putty to metal bond is not chemical either , it all a mechanical bond
As long as it's factory paint if the car or truck was repainted I would sand it down to the original paint ..I see some flu by night shops hardly sand for refinishing ... Or if the paint is breaking down will cause problems as well...
I'm glad you said that OEM paint . That is the life saver 🤔 keep up the great work I like watching just so I may find another trick becouse in bodywork and painting you never stop learning.. even at 60 and working with lead along with pick and file strighting etc. Always learning something new.🧐
Glad you enjoy the videos - sorry about the late reply - sometimes I miss the notice :)
I just about lost a job in a shop over this issue years ago. Even it said on the can of filler that this can be done. I eventually quit over another issue.
Good story - some bosses are very closed to new ideas for sure
It makes sense that filler "has" to stick to paint, for example if you sand the paint off down to bare metal, how are you going to get rid of the tapered step were the bare metal meets the paint without putting filler onto this tapered step, "bearing in mind this tapered step is made up of paint".
In my experience as long as any polish and clear coat is removed from the paint surface with T cut or scotchbrite then there is no problem if filler is applied on top of paint.
Removing the step is called " feather edging". Which mean to sand each layer of paint or sealer a half an inch
Great video was never a fan of breaking the factory corrosion resistance primer
incredible how much tlc goes into a cars paintjob. goes to show how us humans really love our cars.
I have done a lot of body work, I preferred to do bodywork over self etching epoxy primer! I’m Fascinated at how well it worked over paint!
That's good to hear Robin - We always put filler right over paint or bare metal. Remember epoxy primer wasn't around in the 70's - 80's - filler was applied directly to metal and held up fine.
In a 5 min video. He just responded all my questions before I began my little project! Thanks !!👍👍👍
Glad you found it helpful. Have a good week :)
Thanks a lot for the assurance!
You're welcome JM 👍😊
Thanks a million for this. I can't wait to fix the dent on my truck now .
You're welcome. If you have any ?s along the way just ask. Jerry
Lakeside Autobody thanks again lakeside!
Honest video man, right to the point. I hope my car never has to endure an air hammer though!
Thanks - glad you liked it :)
I prepped a lot of filler I used to use those cheese graters like that I don't do that anymore when I prep filler now I will let it get to where that it's still somewhat soft and almost dry then use the roughest to the lightest grit sandpaper and it works pretty good it's also a little technique I picked up in college then I tried it for myself and it works wonders
Thanks for your input Dale - everyone does things a bit different. My dad used to use a big old grinder/sander w/ 24 grit to knock it down quickly :)
@@LakesideAutobody everyone does have their own way I agree with you on that
this is fantastic!
do you have a follow-up video how to prime, paint and clear coat the filler?
Thanks. Here's the playlist on that panel. I eventually painted it with black Rustoleum - it was a just a panel to make videos out of so I did a variety of things to it. ua-cam.com/video/HZlIz3d-Ivs/v-deo.html
I appreciate the video as it answered a lot of my questions, but I would not turn a small ding into a larger than 1sq ft paint job.
You usually have to paint he whole door or two panels at least to blend paint (match) so the size of the repair never really matters :)
Way to go Jerry thank you.
You're welcome - have a good weekend Mike :)
Thanks, I did not know that! That’s a time saver, Dave!
You're welcome
Thanks for this helpful video. I bought a hail damaged car and the paint is in good shape other than the hail dents. I had followed this same procedure of not sanding to bare metal in the past with good success but I wanted to make sure that would work when much of the surface will have fill on it due to hail dents.
Do you have a video on using high build primer to prep for painting?
Just DA sand with 240, fill, prime with primer surfacer, block, prime again, finish sand, paint. I think these will work for you - ua-cam.com/video/31ONIPIprJk/v-deo.html & ua-cam.com/video/mApSa0l4euQ/v-deo.html
Thanks so much for your quick response and the recommendation for more videos.
👍@@7777dblack
The first step is to clean the surface of all wax and grease.
True
It’s best to apply filler over paint that has been properly sanded for mechanical adhesion but it’s rare because I usually use filler over damaged metal that I have to metal work with a stud puller etc
You're right on Tairone - usually you are putting filler over badly damaged metal so it's always ground clean :)
Great video Jerry very helpful 👍
Glad it helped Steve :)
Very helpful video... I wonder if I can apply filler over epoxy primer. Can you help me out with this my friend?
I would not hesitate to apply filler over any type of primer, as long as it was sanded first.
@@LakesideAutobody thank you my friend!! 🙂
Old yesteryear polyester body filler wasn't recommended to be applied over paint . A good quality body filler nowadays. Can be applied over aluminum, steal, fiberglass, and paint. The product label will always indicate whether or not it can be apply to a surface or not. Cosmetic body filler can be applied over paint, plastic, and fiberglass but body fillers made for bare metal will have a corrosion additive. There's also waterproof body filler . And sprayable polyester.
Thanks for the support my friend - have a good weekend :)
Which surface to apply body filler seems to be one very opinionated topic. I appreciate the info that helps to clear up this dilemma.
Glad it was helpful :)
The OEM paint is well adhered to the body panel. Electro deposition paint thing process, if i remember correctly. Having said this, the OEM paint that is sander down becomes the foundation to which the filler can attach to. That's my guess...
That's a good explanation. OEM paint in good condition is a good primer :)
Excellent!
I did enjoy this video as with all your videos please keep sharing your wealth of knowledge
Thanks so much - Jerry
I'm giving my first go at body work now, you just helped me out a ton with some questions I had. Only question i have left is, is that a special cheese grater or could I just use the one from my kitchen? I dont think my old lady would appreciate that lol
Oh she'd love that - cut the sheet metal with her good scissors too. It's a half round regular cut "Cheesegrater" blade. Don't use the handle - doesn't give you enough control. Jerry
For anyone else looking that can't easily find them just looking for cheesegrater - they're commonly referred to as a rasp or a body rasp.
I have used this method on my car in many places works great.
Good to hear - thanks for your input :)
Saludos desde Argentina.
Exelente video 👍👏.
Entiendo muy poco el ingles, pero sus videos estan muy bien hechos y facilita la comprensión del trabajo. Lo felicito por eso 👏👍.
Muchas gracias. Saludos desde Michigan, Estados Unidos. Me alegra que disfrutes los videos. Que tengas un buen fin de semana.
:)
What?
That was a vary informative video thank you.
You're welcome SDTV :)
What do you use to clean the surface? Do you clean before sanding? After Sanding?
Any brand of auto body wax and grease remover will work. Use it before you begin work and any time during the repair :)
Lakeside Autobody Could you do this over a larger area...Iask as I have a sliding van door with a crease line right along its width....I've already found a lot of filler on the lower part of the door that needed to be removed as it had rust underneath it... and im reluctant to dig deeper than I need to.
Thanks... and Nice video.
Yes - In 1989 there was a bad ice storm where I lived. A Ford dealership was sending the shop I was at a whole row of cars that were parked under the power line and damaged from ice falling. That's how we fixed them all and it worked just fine.
@@LakesideAutobody Excellent... thank you
Thank you for this video and very informative 2? 1 can any body filler be applied to the panal with out going to bare metal and 2? Can the same thing be done on a hand size dent thank you injoyed this video and look forward to more of your videos
1. yes 2. yes You can get away with using 80 grit to sand the filler with. Don't want to leave deep scratches in the paint by using 40 grit or something. You can always prime with a 2 part primer to make sure you bury any deep scratches.
If you have a hand sized dent, you need body work done first. Bondo shouldn't be more than an 1/8 inch deep at the most. I only want to see about a 16th" or less.
Very informative. Thank you!
You're welcome
Thanks for the video. What brand body filler do you recommend?
I use light weight body filler by Evercoat or Auto Body Master - Anything around $20 bucks/gal.
I have a project that I etch primed and used a 2k primer over that. Will the filler stick to that as well?
Yes :)
Jerry, what do you recommend sanding epoxy primer with before applying filler? 80? 180? Thanks, John
Since you will be sanding the filler with anything from 80-120, that's what I would sand the epoxy primer with before application. You will then prime again, block sand with any thing from 120-180, prime once more then finally finish sand with anything from 220 to 400 then paint. If it's just a tiny repair, you can sand it with any grit paper from 80 on up. - hope that helps, Jerry
Another advantage of filler over paint is corrosion protection. Assuming it's OEM paint in good condition, like in this video, the oem primer will offer much better corrosion protection as first layer against bare steel than typical body shop practice of filler over bare steel covered by cheap primer. However epoxy as a first coat to bare metal has been proven as the absolute best practice, both adhesion and corrosion protection, with then filler over the epoxy.
Well said - thanks for you input :)
Whats the best way to clean your bondo spreaders so they remain smooth?
Plastic spreaders can be placed in an old metal coffee can filled with thinner. You can put a lid on it so it don't evaporate. Metal ones, you can just scrape off after use like this - ua-cam.com/video/mApSa0l4euQ/v-deo.html see video at 3 minutes in :)
Can bondo be added to other older bondo if you smooth it out it’s around a trunk key hole some is loose
Yes. Chip or sand away the loose filler, rough up or sand the area and spread the new filler. Filler sticks well to sanded metal, paint, primer, plastic bumpers, even wood :)
Thanks a lot for the advice saves me some time
You used 120 grit on a dual action sander. How much to use without DA sander?
With or without a DA sander your grits are about the same. See this video for a grit guide - ua-cam.com/video/V5AyJv6i4hg/v-deo.html
Great channel bud - I'm learnin lots - Thanks!
You're welcome - thanks for watching :)
I love your channel. I have learned a lot from you.
I appreciate that - glad you like it 1P - have a good weekend 😊
You made my day! Thank you !
You're welcome - nice to hear :)
How long do you let the filler cure before going at it with the grater?
Just before it is hard enough to sand with paper. Should be like a pencil eraser. Too soft and it fills the grater - too hard and you can't grate it :)
One thing I hear a lot about this topic is OEM paint. What about being used on say a PPG respray?
I'm not afraid to put filler over any type of paint as I've never had filler lift, fall out, crack, etc. If the paint is cured, in good condition, and a real automotive paint then I think your OK.
Just wanted to ask so I can make sure I know what I'm doing. I'm restoring a car, so dose this mean I can put the body filler over the paint that's on it so I can jump straight to getting the body all straight and ready for painting?
Yes - if the paint is in good condition i.e. not peeling, checked, cracked, flaking off. On large dents though it's more common to remove the paint like in some of the other vids on this channel - ua-cam.com/play/PLOP9eoG14-I_dTwNiWP5XJCitguFJzZEZ.html Ask again if that doesn't help - Jerry
I’ve applied primer already. Is ok to apply body filler over it?
Yes - sand it first to be safe (sure).
Jerry, I’m so blessed to find Your Videos since I started My MG project. You have educated Me doing body and paint work. Thanks so very much!!!
That makes my day John - I appreciate the support. Feel free to ask any ?s - I get to the comment 1-2 times a day :)
which filler did you use for that? Nobody on these videos explains what products they are using most of the time, but I'd like to know what to buy. I've tried "Bondo" brand, and it is just too hard.
Bondo brand is fine - you have to use a cheese grater first, then sand with 40 grit on a bondo hog or air file - even by hand. See this video for an example - ua-cam.com/video/34Jh4RDMAjw/v-deo.html the brand of filler I use is listed in the description but trust me, it doesn't matter what type you use - it's your method of sanding that is going to make the difference. Don't be afraid to use course paper like 36 grit and 40 grit then move to finer stuff like 80 - Jerry
Quisiera consultarle:
Que grado de lija usó para opacar la pintura antes de colocar la pasta?.
Desde ya muchas gracias, y un saludo grande a la distancia.
Aprendo mucho con sus videos.
Usé papel de lija de grano 120 - Estoy feliz de que te gusten los videos - Gracias por mirar
Jerry
Great vid...I just subscribed
Thanks - glad you liked it - Jerry
Sprayway youre a legend
Awesone! Great content as usual.
Happy Holidays :)
Thank you!
What kind of primer do you like to use? Is a 2k epoxy primer ok for the bondo and existing paint after sanding?
Yes 2k is fine. I use lacquer primer because it works and is cheap. It builds fast, drys fast, sands easy, doesn't harden in the cup or the can, and you can pour the remaining mixed primer back in the can.
Lakeside Autobody any brand that you would recommend?
What is the lowest temperature that bondo can be used in? Anyone know? Thank you.
You can use it in cooler temps, recommend temp is 77 for 15 minutes but it’s said if it is lower temps then it may take up to 20-30 minutes. Bondo creates its own heat through a chemical process to dry. So temperature isn’t a big deal I’d say unless it’s below 50
Hi! I wonder why you didn't use D/A to sand the filler at the very first time but cheese grater and sandpaper?
I'm just getting started as an auto- bodyworker. At my workplace, they rarely use D/A for sanding but by hand sanding.
When I asked them the reason, they said "it's not necessary to use D/A"
I don't know why. Isn't that D/A could speed up the whole process??
Btw, I've just subscribed to your channel! Thank you for this amazing explanation
Such a good question. A DA is very not supposed to be used for sanding filler at all even if you see it on UA-cam. It will not get it straight unless you have done filler work for many years and are very experienced at it. You should always use a long board, medium board or short board depending on the size of the dent. The DA is only for feather edging paint or prepping panels for paint.
Great info. Thanks!
You're welcome Miguel - have a great week :)
LA great tip for minor dents
If I sand a truck down with 80 grit and have bear metal spots do I have to use sealer or can I just you primer
You can use your choice of automotive grade primer. You'll want to go over that 80 grit with some 120 to smooth out the 80 grit scratches in the paint. 80 grit scratches on metal won't be a problem but in paint, they sometimes show up after some time being painted.
@@LakesideAutobody oh ok so before primer sand it with 120 or after primer and I think the primer I have is called High Teck Products 7740016 High Solids Acrylic Lacquer Primer Surfacer-Gray-4.58 VOC-GL is this ok
@@Nelval573 Yep that's good. You'll need lacquer thinner to thin it. Doesn't have to be super expensive stuff either. Lacquer thinner from walmart or home depot will work fine. You can use 80 grit for all of your rough spots and 120 for chips, etc. then 220-240 for panels that are near perfect condition. For example, you would DA sand a brand new car with 240-320 and then paint it. An older car might have some chips and rough areas that need to be hit with 80-120 grit then primed and then finish sanded either DA 220-240 or by hand 400. Primer surfacer is meant to level highs and lows in your body work when you block sand it. It's not necessarily for filling sand scratches even though tons of people do use it for that. Keep asking ?s if you need :)
Thanks for your fast replies you've answered all my questions appreciate the help 👍 I'm going to try these steps and see what happens.
@@Nelval573 Let me know how it goes :)
Thank you!!
Very good vid keep them coming 🇦🇺👌🏼
I will - thanks
Thank you love the info
You're welcome Tristan :)
You dont need a cheese grater on such a small job. Use glase coat and 150 grit on a da. Simple and fast.
With respect, the cheese grater is way faster, no dust, more accurate (cuts through), don't have to wait for the filler to completely dry, doesn't clog like paper, cheap 'cause you can use ref. filler, fine paper rides - doesn't cut.
@@LakesideAutobody Dont get me wrong i love to use the cheese grater on larger jobs. It is faster shapes quickly and no dust all true. But not on a tiny ding.
@@warrenvitters3983 Sorry - didn't mean anything negative. We use to use Evercoat for hail damage and small dings and you're right you don't need the c.g. I just use the grater for everything no matter how small because it takes that top gummy layer of filler off so the paper stays clean. Have a great week Warren - Jerry
@@LakesideAutobody enjoy your channel. Keep up the good work!
@@warrenvitters3983 Glad you enjoy it - talk to you soon :)
Good job thank you for sharing
You're welcome Bill - have a good weekend :)
I have a 32 year old car that I want to repaint the same color, primarily because the cars entire body is filled to the brim with dings and swirled paint that is fading just from age, but it has no chips or spots with sun damaged clearcoat. How do I go about repairing tiny door dents (all are smaller than a quarter). The entire point of going over your original paint is to avoid using primer and doing a ton of extra work. Does the bondo/body filler count as a form of "primer" and can just be painted right over, or does the spot thats been filled in need to have primer applied? No video answers this. Which is suprising because realistically anyone who wants to repaint their car is going to have dents.
Here's the process for a ding: 1) DA sand with 220 - big enough so that the filler doesn't go on shiny paint 2) sand the filler and scuff or DA sand out further so that you don't get primer on unsanded paint 3) Prime the spot with primer surface because it's not perfect and you'll need to block sand it 4) block sand, prime again, finish sand and paint. The side of this Kia had tons of dings - may help to look at this video - ua-cam.com/video/2H3UHCgQu2Q/v-deo.html
@@LakesideAutobody Thanks dude, that answers my question. :)
@@jamesd2224 That's cool - if you ever have ?'s feel free to ask - I usually get to the comments 1-2 times a day :)
I have a hood I want to fix with like 30 chips on it can I sand surface with 150 and apply glazing putty ?
It's best to DA sand them out but.... I have done what you are suggesting many times without a problem - prime then block the areas after
@@LakesideAutobody thank you I have applied the glazing putty with confidence
What are your thoughts over 2K primer? I'll be getting a car back soon that has many dings. I want to take care of them myself before final paint.
2K is very good - just more expensive than lacquer primer. Use urethane for a "filling" primer or a primer surfacer and epoxy primer for regular priming (epoxy is sort of like a primer/sealer) but doesn't fill.
@@LakesideAutobody the body shop that is doing this for me is doing the major body work, but leaving it up to me to take care of small dings etc. so my question is can I just scuff with 120 or whatever you recommend before filling dents? As opposed to taking to metal just on those spots. The 2k that is?
@@mikejessup9304 You can sand those areas with dings with 120 before you fill. Here's a video that may help with that - ua-cam.com/video/koMw6-auoIs/v-deo.html
Thank you I needed to know that.... Very useful Cheers
You're welcome :)
Very good video!!
Oh yeah thanks for the info
No problem 👍
where i can buy cheese grater like u have sir ???
Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, Ebay or hardware store
thanks
Good information, thanks.
You're welcome.
What brand and type of filler is that?
Auto Body Master light weight body filler - right around $25/gal
@@LakesideAutobody is Evercoat brands alot better? Rage, z grip, xtreme etc...I'm needing one that will go on top of sanded paint that has no clear coat. Also easy to spread and doesn't dry real fast.. I sanded some spots to the metal. The areas that had rock dings and chips
@@sonnywinstead9977 In my opinion - no. That is when it comes to body filler. All body fillers are generally the same and I always suggest going with a low priced body filler 😊
Thanks. Found a nice BMW with serious hail damage. I can do this then wrap the whole thing. 3k work save like 7 k on the price.
Absolutely - that's exactly how you do hail damage. It's nice when you get a great deal on a damaged car or truck. Have a good weekend :)
Where are you located?
Could this be used on a plastic bumper?
It may work just fine - never tried it. For a small crack or gouge I would just use body filler but for larger damage I would replace the bumper with one from the junk yard.
Thanks for the reply. I’ll give it a shot
All that time heat shrinking body filing and lead wiping as a kid with my old man and we could have just bogged it, oh that's right we had pride in our work
Dealerships across the nation use filler - tons of it but no one knows because they are pros and use it correctly. They do awesome work that lasts forever.
You have to create that big of a spot over a little ding!?
Yes - with a scratch, chip or ding you'll end up painting the whole panel or even two depending on where it is. So it doesn't make a big difference how big the spot becomes. Hope that helps :)
I started using cheese graters in the 70s. Now that Iam in my 70s I still use them. Iam surprised at how many out there don't and wont use them. I guess Iam just an old old schooler.
Just think of how much dust you would have breathed if you didn't use one :)
Another Great vid
Thanks
What about bondo over regular primer?
I do it quite often - never had a problem - don't feel good about doing it - but sometime you have to - they make two part glazing putty for that but $
Thanks man ! This was helpful. Appreciate it !
You're welcome - Jerry
Wish I would of check this video out before I started. could i send a picture to get some advice?
Sure - if you go to my channel home page under "about" you'll see the email - sometimes I don't check my mail so just comment and tell me you sent the pics
Pdr would be the best repair but nice video
Thanks :)
Thank you Jerry, I have wondered about filler over paint, This settles it for me!
Quick story - Back in 1990, I was working at a body shop and a dealership down the road had new cars parked under a telephone wire. Well, ice came down from that line, peppered the whole row and we fixed them using this method. My ? is, "Did they ever tell the people that bought them?" JV
@@LakesideAutobody Ha ha, not unless they asked?
What about applying filler over primer? I'd always heard that you should not apply filler directly to the metal but rather to prime the metal first, then add the filler. That was until began watching your videos. You apply filler directly to the metal routinely. So, I'm kinda confused. :D Thanks!
You never have to primer metal before filler. I've worked in many shops and have never seen that once. There are companies trying to sell a "pre filler primer" and its absolutely unnecessary. Filler sticks best to freshly sanded/ground, clean metal. Use 36 or 40 grit fiber resin disc like these to prepare the metal: www.harborfreight.com/4-12-in-36-grit-resin-fiber-sanding-discs-5-pk-69615.html Shops use nothing else - go slow and keep the heat down. The idea is to leave clean sharp cut scratches for the filler to adhere to.
@@LakesideAutobody Ok thank you!
Can u use this fill in scratches on a car?
Yes but you still want to sand the surface first to give the filler something to stick to.
@@LakesideAutobody 😊😊😊 thank you you've completely made my day...have a great evevning!
@@wickedgaming91 You're welcome. BTW - you need to continue making your videos - don't get discouraged at first if there are not that many views - keep working at it and more and more folks will watch and sub. Remember lots of videos and good helpful info. You can do it:)
I got a question.
How do you get it off your fingers 🤔
Seriously though?
For some reason it comes off real easy using kitchen soap and water. It doesn't come off real easy just trying to rub it off. A hot shower works great to with one of those mesh shower sponge things and soap - real easy then :)
@@LakesideAutobody lol
I try Dawn tide.pumice goop.
Shower. It sticks to my fingers awesome 👌. Lol
I use rubber gloves when I can.
But Damn
@@vm722 Well... guess you'll have to keep wearing the gloves. Have a good week VM :)
Thank you
You're welcome :)