Body filler won't feather out

[Anthony Fremont]

I'm experimenting with some body filler on my truck. I sprayed the door with PPG epoxy primer and it turned out pretty good. I did this about a week or so ago, so I ran the DA over it with 220 and scuffed it up good I thought. I put some filler on and when I go to sand the edges, they appear white (the filler is light blue) and they leave a little edge about as thick as a paint chip. It just won't feather out. What have I done wrong?

[CC69Rat]

What kind of filler are you using ? (brand) . ?

[Anthony Fremont]

I was just being dumb and not sanding it enough. Once I got the edge down, it feathered out like it should. It's kind transparent on the edges.

[Anthony Fremont]

After four layers and a couple of hours sanding, my mangled door is starting to look a little better. Somebody put a nice horizontal crease thru the middle of the door. The curve of door edge on the jamb side is kinked a tiny bit making the bottom of the door stick out from the rocker and cab a little bit.

I didn't want to leave the filler exposed last night so sprayed some krylon rust tough paint on it. Wow, what a mistake. I just got thru using aircraft stripper trying to get it off after wasting a few sheets of sandpaper. It's like sanding latex paint or something. The stripper took off some of the paint, but not all. I'm going to try another round of paper now.

[hugger6933]

When I first saw this post I was busy and on the move on the way out the door to do something and did not have time to reply but I was thinking the answer is needs more sanding . Probably could start or continue with a DA sander for a while then move to a block or a long board. Most of the time the problems deal with the featheredgeing the sanding is the key to the success or failure of the repair and the invisibility of it. I have said for a good long while now that the advent and use of the long board and high build primer and guide coat weather it is a spray on or a dab on type[ both have proven usefull to me] the guide coat performs just as the name implies, it guides you to the readiness of the filler by the coat leaving too soon the filler is still to high and if the coating stays on late in the sanding process the area is more than likely low where the coating is. I will also give you a tip on the sanding block go in a criss cross motion to maximize the removal of materail and to keep sanding marks to a minimun. Jim

[72_ChevyMan]

I am also having trouble with filler while sanding. It clods up and than i can't sand that do without sanding for a long time. What am i doing wrong?
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[Anthony Fremont]

I have been having trouble lately with sandpaper clogging up when I try to sand krylon paint. It seems to have a rubbery texture and pretty much instantly ruins a piece of sandpaper. What grit sandpaper are you using, and is it wet/dry? How hard does the leftover filler feel? Could it be the paint on the surrounding area?

[72_ChevyMan]

It feels hard but gets tacky when i sand it. Im using dry. I was using 220 but i think what i did wrong was i didnt sand with 80 after filling. Could that be why?
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[Anthony Fremont]

Originally Posted by 72_ChevyMan

It feels hard but gets tacky when i sand it. Im using dry. I was using 220 but i think what i did wrong was i didnt sand with 80 after filling. Could that be why?
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I don't think it should feel tacky when you sand it. I think that could explain the sandpaper loading up on you. How long are you waiting before sanding? Is it cold or damp weather?

[LONGHAIR]

If your paper is clogging up (collecting the little balls, is also called corning) it is because you are sanding something that is not properly cured or the paper is too fine.
220 is definately too fine.

[72_ChevyMan]

I waited over night before sanding. Also its a little chilly out.
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[hugger6933]

There is not enough hardner in the filler plus it probably is not completely mixed. You should not consider sanding with anything finer than 80 grit on the first cuts on new filler. After you have sanded with 80 you can move up to 120 and then 180-220 grit. A lot of people do not do the 120 grit step , it just helps cut down on the scratches. The 220 git should be revserved for the time when the filler is all but done and the featheredgeing is getting done to finish up before the high build primer goes on. Keep in mind the hardner filler relationshion is dependant on temp and humidity so the cooler it is the more hardner it will need. On the other hand in the summer time here in the south when it is 100 plus degrees out with 100% humidity the hopes of getting more than one dent at a time wiped are slim. Sometimes, the filler gets hard before you can make it to the truck for the mixing table. Another tip, you really don't want to use cardboard boxes cut up to mix filler on as they can hold grease moisture and other contanimants that will work into your filler. I know I know, I did it for years too, but now I know better so I use the peel sheets off the mixing board with the "tear offs" once you use up the sheet tear it off thore it away and you have a clean one ready to go. Also if you will wipe down the spreader with thinner after each use before it get too hard, it will clean up real easy, and stay like new longer. Jim

[72_ChevyMan]

Thanks man. So will the filler i put down harden or do i need to sand all way down again and restart?
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[hugger6933]

yes get it out of there and start over, you don't want to have good filler over filler you know you have had trouble with. Jim

[CC69Rat]

Check out Evercoat products. I highly recommend Rage gold or Rage Extreme. Just pick up a small can for now and try it. Mix about 100:1. (Tennis ball : marble) and see how you like it. It sands out super nice.
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[Anthony Fremont]

I'll see if I can find the Evercoat stuff. I'm starting to get along ok with this stuff, now that I've gone thru nearly 1/2 gallon. 95% of that is sanding dust now. There are three patches, two are 1/8" or less, but one is a little thicker so we'll see how it holds up. It won't have "nice" paint on it, it just needs to look good for now.

The neighborhood tattle tales really can't say anything if it doesn't have any visible holes, creases, whiskey dents (which I suspect is where most of the damage has come from), missing bumpers, etc. By straightening it all out and putting some flat-block epoxy on, it'll look more like a hot-rod and less like a POS (to them anyway, I like the patina myself). Plus if worse comes to worse, I can get some poor soul to pay me a small fortune for it. I could even make a profit if you don't count the labor. It might be a blessing to get rid of it since it seems to be possessed by the anti-Christine spirit. Unlike it's movie namesake, every time I fix something, two more things surface that need attention.