[Ron M]

As in my last post, I just finished priming my 49 Chevy with SPI epoxy primer, awesome stuff. I am now planning on reworking the filler that I removed on stripping of the vehicle. I have scratch built composite boats and repainted cars. The cars did not need any bodywork to speak of, just a refinish, so not much filler work experience there. I have done max amounts of filler and finishing on marine epoxy with micro boons, putty, and long boarding for dark colors. I have 18 plus years of finishing experience in manufacturing, so that may help some as well.
I have read Martins posts about filler basics which I think I understand, but I have some more basic questions, sooooo, here they go.

1.) I have bought a gallon of Evercoat rage, and I am wondering how much should I reasonably mix at one time? For speed, do you fill and let 1 area cure while sanding another area.

2.) I am used to measuring everything very accurately, and on the can, the instructions just say to put down a 4" glob, and run a ribbon of hardener through it. Seems to me that there would be more to it?

3.) I have various areas including the roof that have areas of small dents. They look like someone has done some hammering on them already and filled them in the past. I think they have been worked as good as they may get, so I am thinking of just refilling. So my question is, fill and skim coat. If that is correct, what do I do if the filler comes level before I skim coat? Or do I just put enough filler to fill dents shy of level and then skim coat, or is that all very unlikely?

4.) I have a couple types of DA's, various grinders and long board (18"). Should I just long board everything flush, skim coat and then long board that to level surface and 180 grit? Is there a better sequence or tools?

5.) I have read that filler will absorb moisture, so how soon do you HAVE to cover filler. If I fill an area on a Sunday and do not finish it, can I leave it until the next day, next week for coating?

Thanks in advance for help on the many questions :welcome:

 

[36scsc]

Your going to get as many different opinions on this one as you get replies, but here is mine... (I use Rage and disposable paper mixing boards)

1.) I have bought a gallon of Evercoat rage, and I am wondering how much should I reasonably mix at one time? For speed, do you fill and let 1 area cure while sanding another area.

Temperature is a BIG variable. The hotter it is the less hardner want. You are just going to have to experiment. Typically there is a tendency to use too much harder at first. After watching a few batchs go hard on the board you get over that. I don't worry about speed, in fact, once I apply some filler, I seldom sand it till the next day when its nice and crispy.


2.) I am used to measuring everything very accurately, and on the can, the instructions just say to put down a 4" glob, and run a ribbon of hardener through it. Seems to me that there would be more to it?

Not sure I understand this q. You run the ribbon of hardner then mix it up till the filler is all a constant color. Again, less harder if its hot, more if its cool.

3.) I have various areas including the roof that have areas of small dents. They look like someone has done some hammering on them already and filled them in the past. I think they have been worked as good as they may get, so I am thinking of just refilling. So my question is, fill and skim coat. If that is correct, what do I do if the filler comes level before I skim coat? Or do I just put enough filler to fill dents shy of level and then skim coat, or is that all very unlikely?

If the filler has completley taken out the imperfection you don't need worry about any skim coat. But you do want to be careful about 'old' filler. I always take any old filler out with a wire wheel as I just don't know whats under that old stuff, like rust or maybe even pinholes in the metal.

4.) I have a couple types of DA's, various grinders and long board (18"). Should I just long board everything flush, skim coat and then long board that to level surface and 180 grit? Is there a better sequence or tools?

Wow, this could take all night to answer... do yourself a favor and add 20 bucks to the cost of your project and buy "Boyd Coddington's How to Paint Your HOT ROD" (or any publication like it) and read it two or three times... should give you a good start.

5.) I have read that filler will absorb moisture, so how soon do you HAVE to cover filler. If I fill an area on a Sunday and do not finish it, can I leave it until the next day, next week for coating?

I live in Northern California and do all my filler work during the summer months. I leave bare filler for weeks sometime before I primer it and have never had a problem.

Thanks in advance for help on the many questions :welcome: [/B][/QUOTE]

 

[302 Z28]

The instructions that say put a glob down and run a line of hardener across it, that is WAY too much hardener IMO. Of course it depends on temperature. Yoou will just have to expirement. I would rather a slower hardening that allows plenty of time to spread it on most if not all places that need it. After having a mixture go hard on the board, you will cut back on the amount of hardener you use.

Vince