How do you apply lots of body filler?

Question: How do you apply body filler?

I'm making a massive and complicated boot install for my Soop and need your advise as I have never used body filer on major areas before.

I have made the main structure including base boxes and 18mm MDF panels with Fomex pods which are all complete. I then stretched fabric over the supports and achieved the desired shape also covering the install in multi-layers of fibreglass (over 7 layers) and now require body filer to make the final shape before sanding to perfection and painting.

Do I apply small amounts of body filler and shape as best I can, then sand back before repeating the process again until I achieve the right thickness?

or

Splurge the hole tub of body filler in one go and smooth out (like icing a cake) at maximum thickness?

Cheers

Layer by layer, else it will take ages to dry out.

Or you good fill the whole boot with filler, and then chisel it to shape,

next year.

ok, thanks Rob.

The can says "sets in 12 minutes".

Is that for thin layers then?

Its Loctite Professional body filler.

Lots of thin layers would be my way forward too, the more careful you are the less sanding you'll need to do later

thanks guys

thin layers it is then

yup, thin layers mate.

Cheers Rosie. Will do

Errmm, a larger amount of bodyfiller will go off quicker than a small amount to a degree. Try mixing up a small amount of filler and wait for it to go off, and then knock up a larger one and see which goes off first.

The only thing to be careful of is that a large amount will as it goes off get hot! (Exothermic reaction or something like that?)

Either way I wouldn't lump a lot of body filler in. Try and block it out using another medium (probably mdf) and then put the filler on top of that. The problem you'll get other wise is when you hit a big bump or something the whole lot will just crack plus it'll wirh an absolute ton. Or are you planning to use the filler as a pattern to take a fibre glass component off?

Best of luck mate!

thanks Tony

already built the MDF base and Foamx pods. The fiberglass has given me the required shape and just need to add the body filler to get a nice smooth finish. ie 5mm thick

I'll post some pics later in the sound section

thanks everybody

you need fibre glass filler for thick parts or it will crack, dont mess around with thin layers, mix as much as you can get on the job without it going off before you have shaped it, it gets so hot in large amounts when it is going off it can burn your skin !

a typical bodyshop trick is to put some on the back of the traninee's neck, wait 2 mins and he thinks hes on fire

to put large amounts on use an old numberplate as a spreader

Originally posted by lovatt

you need fibre glass filler for thick parts or it will crack, dont mess around with thin layers, mix as much as you can get on the job without it going off before you have shaped it, it gets so hot in large amounts when it is going off it can burn your skin !

 

a typical bodyshop trick is to put some on the back of the traninee's neck, wait 2 mins and he thinks hes on fire

 

to put large amounts on use an old numberplate as a spreader

What he said , if it isnt going off use some heat !!!!!

Dude:flame Dev

well,.. first layer applied and so far so good (fingers crossed).

Surprised how little one tin of putty goes. I reckon a further 5 tins should finish the job. ,mind you the hard part will be sanding the damn thing smooth. Wouldn't normally be a problem for my belt sander but the complex curves require a little elbow grease and T.L.C.

Cheers Dude.

I've found a large flood light in our garage that I'm using as a heater to help things along. Also helps keep Jack Frost away whilst working in our cold winter nights

mate dont keep buying the small tins (about 3.50ish) you can get a huge tin for a tenner from brown brothers or hex holdings in lee circle.

the tins are like this. easy to sand stuff (apparently!)

Thanks Keron

I'll give um both a call tomorrow. £3.50 is rip-off from Halfrauds mad:

That picture is remarkably similar to the install I'm working on. Is that boot install in your car?

yeh its in the sup. it takes the piss to do, but its worth it in the end. plus i made it so the aerotop goes in too! are you going to spray yours or trim it?

gona paint it mate.

I have the primer, silver colour matched metallic spray and lacquer all ready.

this is a CAD moc-up of the install (well 1/2 of it) and I used the pc to print the template to cut the pod supports aswell. Hope it looks similar to the render when finished (SEE ATTACHMENT)

i found this site and i thought i might be of some use to you mate

fibreglassing

Got any progress pics Ed? Would like to see how youve constructed it

Got my 3.5 Lt tin/barrel keron. Cheers mate.

£22.00

thanks attilauk.

Already found that site with google and it was very helpfull.

I'll take a few pics tonight before I start the next layer Trig

Pics attached

Foamboard moc-up (later made in foamx PVC board)

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/item1.jpeg

18mm MDF 10" sub boxes 3" deep

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1h.jpeg

Wheel arch recess

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1g.jpeg

Blanking panel (covers up amp, boxs, wires and multi cd) need holes cut out.

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1f.jpeg

First coat of body filler.

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1e.jpeg

Another moc-up pic

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1d.jpeg

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1c.jpeg

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1b.jpeg

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1.jpeg

http://www.david.c.c.btinternet.co.uk/Resources/instal1a.jpeg