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Sun Sep 21, 2003 2:15 pm

simple question i have small holes that need to be filled on my super. i know bondo is evil, but i don't know how to use fiberglass. is there a kit or something out there. thanks

Sun Sep 21, 2003 8:58 pm

Where are the holes located? How small are they in inches? If they are 1/4 inch or so they can be welded shut. If they are like bullet holes then they should be fixed with same size sheetmetal pieces also welded in. Bondo should only be used for a VERY THIN skim coat after the metal has been worked as smooth as the person doing it can get it. Some people can work magic with a hammer and dolly. Some real old schoolers used lead as a filler, hence the term lead-sled. I wouldn't use fiberglass to fill a hole. Nor would I glob on Bondo. Hope this helps.

Mon Sep 22, 2003 5:38 am

ok well... for starters...wtf is bondo?..it sounds like some cheap nasty glue u buy at a 2 dollar shop... but anyway...welding the holes up with other bits of sheet is a good method...unless ur like me...and have no welder...so what i did when i filled holes...
if the hole is small..just filled with car bog until no more could go in...it drys fast...and is extremely hard...anything bigger than like a 1 inche by 1 inche square then i used a special "repair panel" and all it is..is a small sheet of aluminium mesh and alls u do is cut it to size so it fits with about 1 inche around either side of the gap...and 2 small blobs of a good glue or bog again....once dried...it gives sufficient backing to be bogged over and the bog will adhear to the mesh as well as pokin through all the little holes...sand smooth..prime, paint..and ur done.

jonno

Mon Sep 22, 2003 5:51 am

jonno
i do alot of surf board repairs seeing how i live 5 seconds from the beach. in tern alot of the body work i have done on my bus has been with fiberglass. There is are positive asepects and negative ones as well. First off if covered properly with the resin the fiberglass itself will never rot. The downfall is that its not metal. ony my 77 westy the passenger side dog leg/foot step was rotten through and about the side of a stapler running lengthwise. i cut out all the rust, which is a must then sanded the entire area where i was going to lay the fiberglass. i applyed the sheets then smoothed on the resin with a popsical stick. light coat at first. it only taken a couple hours to dry before you can apply another coating of the resin. build it up over the height of the surface of the bus and let dry completely. then sand down to the level of the bus. and paint. simple repairs can be handled like that and they will never fail you. if you want more direction shoot me a mail. by the by bondo is like a paste which you apply to the "injury" it is porous, will hold in water, doesnt prevent rust and eventually will dry out and flake off.
drew

Mon Sep 22, 2003 5:59 am

yeh...thats true...fibreglass is a dream to work with...i have done a bit of repair on my car with it. i was just giving an alterate method.. but that bondo crap sounds really bad...and i dont know why u guys would even think about using it. what u want instead of that is a bog, plastic filler...u guys must have it over there...

jonno

Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:47 am

I don't know what "bog" is. Is that an acronym for something? I do know that bondo is a brand name and that I used it on my first bug for very small light repairs and it did fine. On my '67 however I'm using a high quality plastic filler with polyester micro-particles and it is THE SHIT. No lumps, sands smoother than a chearleaders thigh, and remains flexible so it won't pop out like bondo fillers. I think the brand I have is called Zebra and I highly recommend it. Like bondo or any other body filler it is recommended only to fill small imperfections and never for anything deeper than about 1/8 inch.

Whatever you do, don't do like the PO of my vehicle. To fill the trim holes for a cal looker he put duct tape on the backsid of the hole and filled the hole with bondo. He even did this for the turn signal holes in the fender. Everything is popping out. You CAN use filler only on the little trim holes and here is how:
1. Sand the hole and the surrounding inch or so down to bare metal.
2. Use a punch and gently tap the hole, creating a dimple about 1/8" deep. This provides enough surface area for the filler to adhere to.
3. Clean and prep the area and fill with filler.
4. Sand the filler until smooth with the body. You should have a "dot" of filler about 1" in diameter with feathered edges.
5. Prep/prime/paint etc.

I followed this procedure with my '68 in 1988 and I saw it just the other day and it still looks good.

Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:05 am

this is what "bog" is...bog is just a slang term for an extremely strong and durable body filler....i dont see y u guys over there dont use it...cus seriously...that bondo sounds nasty...
this stuff wont shrink either...

Septone Body Filler

A high quality lightweight polyester body filler designed for trade or handyman. It's ideal for repairs to motor vehicles, boats, trailers, caravans, guttering, furniture and hundreds of other repairs around the house. Its creamy texture makes it easy to apply with no drag or sag even at high built levels.

jonno

Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:20 am

OK. Sounds like the stuff I describe in my previous post. Thanks, and do you guys ever call anything by its real name over there? :lol:

Tue Sep 23, 2003 11:27 pm

yeh...ofcourse... but do have sland names for alot of stuff...i mean, its in our nature...but what maked me laugh is the stupid names americn company's come up with...lol..."bondo"...lol i mean geeeeezz what kind of stupid name is that...no offence to u guys...cus america rocks in many ways...like that home depot place....oooohhhh man...i am goin to america for the sole purpose to spend all my money in there...:D:D:D

jonno