Bondo question

[Armydad]

I'll be stripping and repainting my helmet in the near future. Over the years my bucket has sustained some chipping around the bottom edge and I want to fix a few things I over looked the first time around. My question is, do I use a 2 part body filler (if so which one) or is the pre mixed stuff in the tube enough? I've used the tubed stuff for small things but it always seems a bit too brittle. I've seen hundreds of posts here and bondo is mentioned, it looks solid and permanent, so what is best. Thoughts, suggestions and onions always welcome. Thanks!

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My apologies, I thought I had posted this in the helmet section, but I'm sure there will be plenty of insight on this side of the house as well.

 

[Gregory]

2 part bondo or epoxy is generally stronger than pre-mixed. If you add fiberglass fibers, or get some with it already in it, it will be stronger. But in this case the weakest part will likely be the adhesion of the repair to the surrounding existing material. the best way to help that is to have a rough surface.

 

[JSmails]

The stuff in the tube is only glazing putty. It's meant to be put on as a final coat and VERY thin. Anything that "fills" is going to crack.

Get the 2-part. Mix in small amounts.

 

[Armydad]

Awesome, good to know! Now I can proceed with confidence.

 

[drokkul]

If these are just chips and knicks you may also want to look at a 2 part epoxy putty. Things like Magic Sculpt have good adhesion and are easily sanded once cured. I like Bondo and use both the glazing putty and the body filler but I often find that the body filler is overkill on a lot of things.

Keep in mind Bondo is traditionally an auto body filler. Its mostly used in quantity on large surfaces as that is what it was made for and when working with it in small amounts and in small areas it can be a pain to sand (Who am i kidding...its a pain to sand no matter what)

Sometimes you don't need a sledgehammer when a tack hammer will suffice!

 

[Armydad]

If these are just chips and knicks you may also want to look at a 2 part epoxy putty. Things like Magic Sculpt have good adhesion and are easily sanded once cured. I like Bondo and use both the glazing putty and the body filler but I often find that the body filler is overkill on a lot of things.

Keep in mind Bondo is traditionally an auto body filler. Its mostly used in quantity on large surfaces as that is what it was made for and when working with it in small amounts and in small areas it can be a pain to sand (Who am i kidding...its a pain to sand no matter what)

Sometimes you don't need a sledgehammer when a tack hammer will suffice!

Cool, thanks.

 

[01Hawk]

I have been using Dolphin Glaze by U-Pol. It is a self leveling polyester filler which seems to work pretty well. The only issue on helmets is that you can only work one area at a time since it is very much self leveling. I sand it with 129 and then 220 so far. Will finish it off with something finer before paint.