Going to be smoothing my front bumper, what filler to use? I used normal body filler on the rear one and that seems to have held well. But some say use flexible filler so it can move.
What's peoples opinions on this?
P40 fibreglass filler :-) then top it off with some boggo p38
As Phil says, p40 fiberglass filler (don't go mad with it though as your arm will drop off if you have to sand that stuff back! It's hard as hell) and then a skim of p38 or similar to get a finished surface
Just make sure that you score the crap out of it so the filler has something to grip!
P40 then some plastic specific filler from plast X no 6 or some smg iirc from upol.
Chris Wrote:P40 then some plastic specific filler from plast X no 6 or some smg iirc from upol.
Sorry, I have to ask, what is the point of putting flexible filler over rock solid fiberglass p40 that isn't going to flex at all?
I'm sure that it should be 100% flex filler or no flex at all but I could be wrong! not having a go, just curious
so p40 then yeah
if its really hard. wont it crack undershock though?
I did my front and rear with fibreglass and p40 from halfords.
Matt Wrote:so p40 then yeah if its really hard. wont it crack undershock though?
My last one with the smoothed bottom line lasted well over a year of being bounced off the ground and was fine until it got attacked by a furry thing at 50mph
You want P40 filling just below the finished level and then a skim of P38 over the top as P40 is nearly impossible to sand back while with p38 you can get a finish like glass
im an absolute ametuer at it so what im going to do is sand the feck out of of it first and have a play with the p40
do not put too much on............I can't stress this enough! I learn't the hard way, what are you smoothing? just the lines?
Want any help then shout up via pm or something
I'm smoothing the lines and number plate recess
Number plate recess will crack with just filler. I'll have a look see if I've got a photo of mine when it was done with just filler :p
Ahah, found it
Don't use just filler :p
Carlos182 Wrote:Ahah, found it
Don't use just filler :p
What was that done with, just p38 or p40 and p38? and what did you do to key the surface mate?
I plan on using fiberglass first with the number plate recess. The p40 in the lines and the p38 on the top
Matt Wrote:I plan on using fiberglass first with the number plate recess. The p40 in the lines and the p38 on the top
P40 is fiberglass mate!
mark_airey Wrote:Carlos182 Wrote:Ahah, found it
Don't use just filler :p
What was that done with, just p38 or p40 and p38? and what did you do to key the surface mate?
Was like it when I got it. Certainly no fiberglass so just filler, not certain if it was keyed or not though.
Still, don't do it :p
mark_airey Wrote:Matt Wrote:I plan on using fiberglass first with the number plate recess. The p40 in the lines and the p38 on the top
P40 is fiberglass mate!
Is it? I thought it was just strong filler lol
Matt Wrote:Is it? I thought it was just strong filler lol
Nah its fiberglass paste mate, can get a pic if you like, there is some the other side of the workshop, you can see the glass fibers in it, if your paranoid about it cracking out then drill lots of small holes in the plate recess and give the filler a good push into it them but as long as you abuse it with rough sandpaper first (like 80 grit) it should key fine in my experience
Yeah that would be cool. I thought about drilling holes anyway
give it some thing extra to bond to
ill give you something extra to bond to in a minute!
Bahahah ^^
Matt Wrote:Yeah that would be cool. I thought about drilling holes anyway give it some thing extra to bond to
Shall do it tomorrow if I remember, tucked up in bed now
I used flexi filler on my old white ph1...looks dark brown when mixed up instead of the usual grey, application/sanding is exactly the same!
I did run out of flexi filler so did little touch ups with normal filler, hence the lighter coloured patches
And then the top half in primer
Never finished it though due to....
Bye bye HG! The brown stuff was the water from the rad BTW
Looks like your car took a massive turd Craig haha
Matt Wrote:Looks like your car took a massive turd Craig haha
She did
Put some sort of solid thing in the plate resess before you try to fill it to build up the level
And build up the layers IMO, one feckoff big chunk of filler is more likely to crack out than 2 or 3 layers of thinner stuff...
Ruan Wrote:And build up the layers IMO, one feckoff big chunk of filler is more likely to crack out than 2 or 3 layers of thinner stuff...
But it all bonds together making it one big chunk anyway, that's kinda the point
if you overfill with p40, you could always use some 60 grit on an angle grinder.. that's what I do when I'm working on boats.
Just get a good mask and goggles cos fibreglass is evil.
Jonny81191 Wrote:if you overfill with p40, you could always use some 60 grit on an angle grinder.. that's what I do when I'm working on boats.
Just get a good mask and goggles cos fibreglass is evil.
Subtle solution mate
it'll work though, 80 grit works by hand but it takes ages, lol