Well, I finally got my fender roller in the mail yesterday (Thanks to 7Racer). I was so excited to finally get started on the body work. I was planning on rolling the fenders on my day off (Thurs.) but I got off a little early today and thought, "what the hell". I get home and start getting everything together to get the job done; jacks, impact wrench, compressor, etc. Here is where the story goes to ****.

I get the roller mounted on the rear passenger side and make a few adjustments so it will sit just right. As I start to roll, the paint begins to crack. I am not worried about this because the car is getting painted this spring. I continue to roll from the front to the back, adjusting slightly as I go. When I hit about the 12:00 mark a huge chunk of Bondo comes flying off along with the paint on top. The paint also cracked in two directions about 8 inches towards the rear and top of the car. I can only assume that this is because the filler doesn't bend, it just cracks.
Now when I say huge chunk I am talking about 3/8 inch thick and about six inches long. The body underneath looks like a hammer had been taken to it.
I knew my car had been in in a small fender-bender in the front but I had no idea about the rear.
Sorry about the rant. I had to vent. I hate my FD right now because it is now one more step away from being finished.WTF?

 

Bondo sucks!!!!!!!! If you can find a body shop that has some one with metal finish experience I would recommend that. Bondo will chip,break off or pop out at any given time, especially if the area isnt properly cleaned. Sorry about the big bald spot now.:(

 

Yeah that sucks man. I feel your pain about being further and further away from somethign getting done. I've been doing a whole bunch of body work to my car for the last couple months, and it just seems that every time something does get done, I've got another 20 things to do after that. Good luck

 

Thanks for the support guys.

 

Don't blame the bondo blame the shoddy metal prep before it was put on. Bondo is a valuble tool and is a needed to get the car completely straight. There is not a metal worker around that can english wheel out a piece smooth enough to "not" need bondo before paint.

That said, Bondo should not be used a replacement for skills or desire to do the job rite. which seems to be what happened here. due to the previous owners bad choices. It can be fixed rather easily since the car is going to paint anyhow. So just look at it this way,... At least you did not JUST get the car painted and the "new" job come chunking out. Then i would be pissed too

good luck, it will be worth the wait. Mine has been without movement for 3 years now. And when I drove it to the other parking spot in the shop. I almost cried. It's worth the wait. And I feel your pain, My OMP just went out and the car runs like poop without it. So still haven't left the driveway yet almost though.

 

who said use a english wheel? Even if there was someone who could use one it would be hard to fit a qtr. panel in the english wheel I was talking about metal finish;push the dent or pull the dent,file down the metal,grind out the file marks,sand out the grind marks and then it is ready for paint for paint. TRUE METAL FINISH!!! No bondo needed. No english wheel needed.

There are people who do metal finish, but most body shops use bondo because 1. it is user friendly, which means if you mess up just add more 2. just about anyone can use it just by reading the directions, which means not much training needed 3. metal finish can be time consuming
BigIslandSeven, I agree it is a valuable tool;when a car is unrepairable by metalfinish but I disagree about your assumption that you have to use bondo to get a car completely straight.

http://www.decnow.com/metal.htm I dont work nor did I train with this company, it is just some proof that people do metal finish, not just my word.

 

dude...you had to see this coming. I mean, it's basically car plaster...when was the last time you saw plaster bend or flex?

 

Funny how almost any high-end body shop will use bondo to smooth out the finish completely, even the very high-end custom shops.....

 

Bondo is a brand name, a inexpensive brand name so if a high-end shop uses "BONDO" they are probably not so high-end, just overpriced.

I am not trying to bash bondo or any high $ body filler,like I stated before it is valuable tool, I am only saying that a metal finished car is better than car full of bondo.

I am repainting my car real soon; I will strip off the paint and metal finish the whole car and i will post before and after pics for all to see

If you had to choice between havig body filler in your car with the chance of having it pop out or having it repaired done by metal finish with no worries at all, what would you choose?

 

i work at a body shop and do body work everyday and we use filler as a more timely way to make dents straight. before we fill we pop or pull the dent out as close as we can get it then grind it but still just a little low for the filler. the quarter in question sounds to me as a shotty job and the guy who got paid for this or did it behind his house is a HACK.

also to anybody that thinks there goin to metal finish a whole car with even only minor dents have fun cuz if you like your hair and dont wanna shoot yourself and plan on driving your car with out primer spots or exposed metal within the next 3 years fill it

also bondo sucks we use rage gold at our shop and metal glaze to fill pinholes and then primer then shes smooth as your girlfriends ***. then paint

thanks
trent

 

I hope this isn't an attack on me. How the hell was I supposed to know that there was Bondo underneath everything, paint included. The body looked nice and straight. It is like lifting the toilet seat and finding a present left behind by the previous user.

I am no body work expert. Lets at least try to be nice...

 

bradt- I want to see pics of your metal work only body work when your done

and I want to see the look on someone's face when they get a $10,000 estimate to get a metal only work done on thier door.

 

Trent you are correct I know exactly what you are talking about I have felt like pulling my hair out berfore. I wouldent recommend anyone to have their car metal finished if it is their DD or like you said they will be driving around with primer spots. Trent it only takes me about 4-8 hours per door depending on the damage, after I finish I usually sand it down with 60 micron(smooth like glass) then spray it down with oil, it will prevent rusting. (that way you will have time to finish so you can paint all at once)The time it would take me metal finish my fd would be roughly 2 weeks.

 

2 weeks?

the link you provided also shows 1/4 panels off the vehicle being repaired, how is this even remotely possible in the real world? That link looks like they are repairing brand new never installed panels. Show me how you can remove a 1/4 panel to repair it all metal, then reinstall it again with no body work to hide the welds, guess you will lead fill it and hammer it out as well?

 

Robxx7 they would freek at a price that high i am sure.
SORRY if i am misleading anyone
I am not telling everyone to metal finish the whole car just damaged area,most minor damage can be fixed PDR(paintless dent repair),metal finish what cant be fixed PDR and bondo what cant be metal finished

 

you dont have to take the Qtr. off just drill a access hole in the wheel well and when you are finished weld it up, no one will ever see.

 

problem is people barely want to pay $450 a panel now to fix thier cars

 

problem with drilling holes and welding them is the welds rust years later

hence the reason people used lead until they found out it was killing them

 

I agree but if it took $450 once i think it would be better than having to fix it twice at $225 each time.

 

Rob do you do body work also?

 

you can do a metal only repair on a guard rail damaged 1/4 panel with paint for $450???

 

I have a small bottle full of primer that i wipe on the weld after,you could also use tearason I think that is spelled right to put over the weld also. Both are good at preventing rust.

 

I would metal finsh gaurd rail damage for less than that.

 

oops,sorry thats what you said ^^^^

 

trav!

sorry to hear that! I thought after you got it it would have worked out better for you. Unbelievable!

I hope the other fenders rolled better without any surprises.