Tip! Prepping "bondo" tools

[MARTINSR]

The video is self explanatory but I'll explain. I believe in having super clean, tools that are in good shape for speading filler. Just because it is a "necessary evil" to use these tools to spread filler that will then be sanded doesn't mean that your tools should be held to any less standard than any other tool. Yes, they will be covered with filler and all goopy, so what, so is your paint gun all covered with paint, buy you clean it. If you don't clean it you will end up with a poor spraying gun, and it will be spitting crud from previous paint jobs on the one you are currently doing. What makes a spreader and mixing board any different?

The smoother you get the filler on, the less sanding needed, right? The nicer the tool the nicer the filler will be spread. The nicer the filler is spread, the less sandign needed. I don't know about you, but I am all about less work if I can help it.

So I treat my mixing board (at least right where the filler is mixed, the rest looks a little funky) like any other tool, I keep them clean, and with precise edges to mixing as well as spreading is easier.

The video shows how I keep the edges of the tools nice.

Brian

[IMG]http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa167/Basi...

[Big J]

Great info. Whats the best way to clean off the plastic spreader after the filler has dried on it? and before it dries on it?

[Mike 85]

Cleaning the spreader is simply a matter of a couple of things depending on weather it's "bondo" or glaze.
Bondo likes to stick to whatever and I wipe off as much as possiable and then clean it with lacquer thinner and a rag.
Glaze,I let what's left harden up and then bow the spreader a little and the majority will pop up and you can pull it off,then I finish cleaning as above.
I have a tub of old thinner and toss it in for a few minuits and then wipe it off.
repete as needed. Worse case,is to take a clean metal putty knife and scrape on a flat surface without gouging the plastic spreader and then lacquer clean it. Metal spreaders are best wiped down and dunked into the thinner and then wiped off cause you can't bend them much.LOL..
I'm sure you all appreciate Brians vid but this "trick" was provided by badbob over at hotrodders years back and that should be recognized as well.

[MARTINSR]

Yep Mike, Bob actually showed me at Team Chevelle before that! I have already apologized to him for not giving him the credit.

On cleaning the tools, I personally clean the spreader, the putty knife and the board all before the filler be it regular filler or polyester putty hardens.

I have a previously used scuff pad (no need to use a new one) and simply lay it on top of the board with the tools and squirt some lacquer thinner out of an old rubbing compound bottle on to it. Scrub the tools and the board and then wipe them off with a rag.

I don't like to bend them, to get it off because I want the tools straight until I want to bend them for a particular job.

Brian