Posted by Jeff in San Diego on Thursday, August 08, 2002 at 2:53AM :
In Reply to: ATTN: Bodymen posted by Jonas on Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 9:15PM :
Sound like you just need a skim coat of glazing compound over the welded area if you have already sanded down and everything is level to <1/8". Don't use a one-part glazing compound, use a two-part. The one-part glazing compounds will shrink for several weeks after being applied. I use 2-part Evercoat Poly-Flex Glazing Putty which is about $50 a quart. Then primer with 2-part primer. I use House of Color KP-2CF primer. It is blue and yellow, when combined makes bright green which you want because then you can spray very lightly with black Guide Coat and block sand away the black specks to find the highs and lows.
I try not to use bondo except on panels that are inaccessable from the back, use hammer and dolly instead, but still put a layer of glazing compound over it.
Leading will work too, and if you have done soldering on electronic circuit boards, it is the same principle, you just have to learn a feel for when the lead is ready to flow.
Commercial shops will use everything from superglue for pinholes to chickenwire and bondo for bigger holes, whatever it takes to get your money in their pocket and your car out their door. Time is the name of the game in commercial bodywork.