I have always known this, but I now admit it to myself and my friends... There are two things in this world I CANNOT DO... 1) caulk a bathtub, or use caulk in any way without making a complete and ugly mess 2) body work. I have always hated bondo, and have had lots of experience with it. I tried Lab-Metal (an aluminum body filler) with the same experiences. It never looks or feels good enough to paint until it is all sanded off, and I am back to bare metal. I just never get satisfied with the feel of the feathering, and it never looks good when painted. SO, I am going to just shoot the epoxy primer on my fenders over the dents and nicks. I will let someone else fix the dents when it is time to paint. I have to seal the fenders RIGHT NOW...just sitting in the A/C in the extra bedroom for one week and you can already see light surface rust forming. So I have to seal it today, and let someone else fix the few little dings later. I give up...
don't get too frustrated. i know how you feel. sometimes it's easier and less expensive just to let someone else do it. i have one spot on my 70 where the door opened all the way and crushed part of the end of the door panel. people have told me "oh, that's an easy fix". probably is if you knw what your doing. not for me. i'm thinking of getting it done too.
I know how ya feel brother! I feel the same way... I don't have the patience to caulk or do body work. As for things I can't do, I can't swing a hammer for beans. Never would make it as a carpenter! Dave
I couldn't make a toothpick from a 2X4, with wood I'm usless, anything else is different, I'm lucky I guess. A really good friend of mine is a bodyman, and he's shown me alot, I think it would make a big difference if someone showed you the tricks of the trade, it can be frustrating, but don't give up.
i think dave hit it on the head. if you've got a friend that knows some of this stuff it's easy to watch and learn and ask questions . after that it's practice, practice, practice.
For me it's patience, patience, patience... and I just ain't got it! You can do all the steps to build an engine, for example, and it's a tangible point a to b process with predictable results. With body work it's do each step over and over until your eyes are satified, then go to the next step. Requires too much patience and well calibrated eyes. Dave
I agree more with ratio. Engines are easy, technical. Bodywork is more art, and I just don't have the talent. If I keep messing with it, I will end up making it not only look like crap, but it may be messed up beyond even an expert's repair. I don't want to spend hundreds of hours on the body/paint, then look at it when it is done and think it looks like crap. I don't know any bodymen locally, who I could learn from. I would love to learn this and be able to do it myself, but I really don't think I could ever make it look professional, and I want this car to at least look "nice" when it is done. So, I spent all morning making a clear plastic 5 tall X 10X10 tent in the garage with an exhaust fan (now THIS is a piece of art!). The fenders are sanded back down to clean metal, and are in there, the paint gun is assembled with the correct air pressure, I am cleaned and showered, and I am getting ready to go shoot a couple layers of epoxy primer on them to keep them from rusting until I can afford to get them fixed and painted.
Dont give up man!!! I spend many days across the street at the body shop, if you ask they'll let you look at the work they're doing.I asked one of the workers there how long it took him to learn this stuff, he said over 10 years and he hasnt stop learning ever since.It just takes patience and practice..
Do you have any prep cleaner to wipe the fenders with before you spray the primer?? you need a good clean surface, or it won't stick.
I had prep cleaner, and wiped it on with a clean tshirt until it was clean. I just came in from the garage...that epoxy primer packs a pretty good buzzzzzzz :bananaman Here are pics of the tent, I will put up pics of the fender once they dry and I can move them around.
Well, you might not be any good at finishing body parts, but that's a damn good-looking temporary paint booth right there! Good luck with it, Scott. I feel your pain.
Bodywork defignately takes time, dedication and patience. If everyone in the world knew how to do something and it came easy to them, no one would make any money. I try to stay clear of anything electrical if I can.
Well, here are the fenders. They look great, even though they still have some dings and dents here and there. Smell good, too Disregard the yellow thing in the background, it is the stock fender behind the painted one.
