best tool to remove old bondo ?

[beaulieu]

I have been stripping down the front of my project which had been customized with flared fenders , and other tailights , turn signals

this was done in the 70s and they used tons of bondo

so is there any trick to get it off ?

I have used a grinder with one of the flapper wheels , and also tried the 3m paint stripper wheel with the mesh fibers,

any other ideas ?

If there is this much bondo so far I am sure there is more !

thanks

Beaulieu

 

[Guest]

I can't remember the brand, but I bought some paint stripper from one of the home centers and it softened the bondo enough to where it was easier to get off. It made it kind of rubbery texture. You can also try other solvents such as acetone or lacuer thinner. But they might flash off too fast.

 

[GregW]

Hi Beaulieu,
Marhyde aircraft stripper will melt the bondo, but it will take several coats to remove thick layers (local auto parts chains usually carry it). I’ve also had good results with a heat gun. It will soften the bondo enough to scrape off. Any way you slice it, there is a fair amount of labor if you do it yourself.

 

[beaulieu]

well I either do it myself or pay a shop $40-$60 an hour to do it ,

its just grunt work , I am just trying to do it the easy way if there is one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Beaulieu

 

[Darwin]

I just got done with this process. Trust me there ain't no easy way. Best thing I found was a wire wheel in a drill or angle grinder for the heavy stuff and the 3M fiber paint and rust wheel for ligher stuff and finish cleaning.

Edit note: Wear a dust mask and eye protection, the dust is nasty stuff to breathe and hard on the eyes.

 

[PC]

[ QUOTE ]
...I am just trying to do it the easy way if there is one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif...

[/ QUOTE ]RDX come to mind. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif


PC.

 

[martx-5]

Propane torch. That's the most effective method I've used. Try and heat the metal next to the bondo and then scrape it off as it softens.. You can heat the bondo directly, but if you set it on fire, it's pretty acrid stuff.

 

[beaulieu]

doing a google search brings up many referances to using a propane torch ,

any tips on doing it that way ,

trying to keep away from chemicalls

thanks
Beaulieu

 

[Keoke]

Yes the torch technique is one of the best methods to use. However, a commercial heat gun and a scraper works very well too and is much safer.---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif

 

[fmichaels]

i've had limited success with a heat gun but a torch sounds better. heat seems to work better than aircraft stripper and that's saying a lot since aircraft stripper is some nasty stuff.

 

[beaulieu]

well hopefully I will get out there Saturday and see how the propane torch works,

Aircraft stripper is just too nasty to use for me.

Beaulieu

 

[beaulieu]

well I tried stripping today......

1500 watt heat gun works , but takes too long (maybe the bondo was too thick) and sometimes would only take off the paint layer.....

Propane torch , all I had was a regular round tip , this worked much better , got the bondo soft , and if I left it on too long dried out the bondo so it was easy to remove ,
probably would be better with the wide tip. I used a 2 inch putty knife to scrape it off...

It is easy work , but after an hour or so your arms / wrists are hurting as its not something you regularly do , and the propane cylinder starts to get heavy !
I think I will look for a set-up that uses a remote larger tank like the plumbers have.....

Also bondo / paint catches on fire , so work outside and try to not have too many leafs around ( Dohh )

overall not so bad , will work on it so more tomarrow when I go to Walmart and get another propane cylinder

Beaulieu

 

[martx-5]

Ah, significant progress. The propane torch is the least messy of all of the alternatives there are for removing bondo. Sounds like you have a ton of bondo to remove, as it's time for more propane cylinders.

 

[jackq]

Years ago I bought a pneumatic tool called a gasket remover..anyhow, it has a blade on the end and you can put it against the palm of you hand and hit the trigger...just a light vibration. One day I had a car with a huge layer of bondo and got the idea to try the tool. Hit it with the tool and the stuff flew off. Once it got deep and under the crap it took just a couple of minutes. I'll get a pic today and post it.

 

[beaulieu]

ummm good idea about the gasket remover

I was also thinking of a needle gun,,,,,,never had one but it also looks like it might work

Beaulieu