Lead vs Bondo...

[tangent]

I ive got some hail damage on my Hood and a few of the dents I cant beat on because of the framework on the underside of the hood... I have been flirting with the Idea of using Lead..but the obvious health concerns and the fact that I have to heat the hood or the panel I am working on kind of scares me off.. I dont want to warp a panel or my hood because I am inexperianced.. I know there is a non lead lead.. but as I understand it.. it requires even more heat... Bondo has a very bad name.. but if I am just skimming a dimple here and there.. anyhoo.. if I were to use bondo Is there a kind that is better?? And as far as primer goes.. am I fucking myself using spraycan primer?? Rustoleum?? What should I be using???

[71-521]

there has been other discussions concerning paints...

I am having issues with spray paint causing the good paint to not adhere and bubble up.....I was told it had to all come off to make the good stuff not have problems...

I guess do it once and do it right would be good...

I too have one spot on my hood that dimpled inwards...a buddy is going to weld on a piece of wire and then pull it with a slid hammer after heating the metal...says it will come right out...we'll see

good luck

[Redd]

nothing wrong with bondo if used correctly... Its ok to use to fill in imperfections, etc.. But not a big dent..

 

Also only use the rattle can primer for a temporary fix. It will need to come off when you go to paint the hood.

[Guest DatsuNoob]

you can smooth out soft "push-in"(dents without hard crease lines) dents by using dry-ice, a towel, a thick glove, and an air sprayer nozzle with about 100-120 p.s.i through it. First take your block of dry ice against a folded hand towel while wearing a thick concrete worker's rubber glove. Apply it to the dented area and rub it in tight circular motions while using a fine blast of air on the dent. The compressed air will get the metal cold enough to freeze it and return it to the original cell memory it had before the metal was dented. You're actually freezing the metal to the point where it puckers up and pops out. Keep rubbing, and keep blasting, you'll get there. It will work on dents with very soft creases or no creases. This is the method used in removing dents from semi-truck hydraulic tanks, and I've used it to smooth out a few dents on my old Jetta. Give it a try.

[Icehouse]

you can smooth out soft "push-in"(dents without hard crease lines) dents by using dry-ice, a towel, a thick glove, and an air sprayer nozzle with about 100-120 p.s.i through it. First take your block of dry ice against a folded hand towel while wearing a thick concrete worker's rubber glove. Apply it to the dented area and rub it in tight circular motions while using a fine blast of air on the dent. The compressed air will get the metal cold enough to freeze it and return it to the original cell memory it had before the metal was dented. You're actually freezing the metal to the point where it puckers up and pops out. Keep rubbing, and keep blasting, you'll get there. It will work on dents with very soft creases or no creases. This is the method used in removing dents from semi-truck hydraulic tanks, and I've used it to smooth out a few dents on my old Jetta. Give it a try.

 

 

I say you do a write-up for us, with pics :D I could swing by your place after work and kick a dent in your rig :D

 

 

I think bondo is amazing, I found layers up to an inch think in numerous cars, and judging from the paint color it was on in most cases for 20+ years. I try to keep it thin myself but it just goes to show you the true strength of bondo.

[BACARDI_DWB]

I have been wondering this. i have seen a 240z totally done over using "solder welding" and shaved back off. they sanded it down and primered it and it looked awesome.

 

But bondo has been given a bad name by people who will use it instead of doing actual body work to get stuff even. bondo is supposed to be there to help not be the end of all body panel repairs.

 

good luck. let us know if the dry ice trick works for you. very interested as well. love those old tips and tricks that come out of the woodworks ever now and then.

[Guest DatsuNoob]

Shit works, I'm telling you, I've done it. And no Icehouse... you cant kick a dent in my rig :D, well actually... why not? She's full of 'em already HAHAHA. Actually I was thinking about doing a write-up on this. Me and Pumpkn210 have a buddy with an 83 rabbit GTI that needs some dry-ice dent removal, maybe I'll do some before and after pics on that one because it's black and you can see the dents alot better on camera than my white panels. In my opinion lead works best for filling holes than an actual dent. I used to have an old 76 firebird with cancered out wheel wheel lips that I cut out with a dremel and filled with wheel balancing weights(melted down) that worked out pretty well. Lead files down real nice for that.

[mklotz70]

check with Eastwood. They actually have a low temp solder that you can work with a propane torch. By the time you buy all the tools and supplies, you'll be into it for far more $'s than you'd think. I believe the "bondo" I have is Rage Gold. It's a lightweight filler that works very nicely.

 

oh...and if you don't do the solder right, it will pop off just like a poor bondo job.

 

You didn't say how deep the dent is.

 

I've know a couple of paintless dent guys and they use the dry ice method for hail damage in the mid west.

[tangent]

Thanks for all of the input...