Some general questions for the pros.
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Hello, I have some general questions and just wondered what the bodyshops do. Ok, I always seem to have a problem when working really close to another panel. I tape it off but seem to always scratch through the tape while sanding. I used duct tape the other day to tape off an adjoining panel to keep from scratching it. Well, when I pulled off the tape the paint came with it! It’s the factory paint, but it is 10 years old. Here’s a pet peeve of mine. Is it me or does every person say, ” It only needs a little bodywork, it’s just surface rust” Yeah right! lol Until you start grinding on those bubbles! Another pet peeve of mine is when people think that I’m slow doing bodywork. Of course these people don’t know anything about autobody! I just recently glued on 2 lower quarter panels, fixed like 4-5 rotted holes anywhere from the diameter of a pencil to the size of a quarter. I don’t think people have a clue as to how long it takes to do decent bodywork! I can’t just glob on Bondo an inch thick, sand it once and be done! Between prepping everything, grinding,sanding, etc. it’s a lot of work! Ok, I think I am about average when it comes to speed. I haven’t primed or painted the quarters, door, and fender yet but I have about 20 hours in it so far. This Blazer was pretty rusty and I don’t even think it would have been worth it to have a bodyshop do the work as the labor would have probably been more than what the truck is worth. It’s a 02 Chevy Blazer 4×4. It was actually destined for the junkyard, but my nephew bought it for $500. It was running like crap until he put a fuel pump in it. So, hopefully when it’s all said and done he has a decent vehicle to drive. I hate leaving anything that looks like crap so I”m actually gonna go grind some surface rust off the rockers. Thanks all! Jack :rock
What exactly are you asking??? :kofee
I think the 1 question is about adjacent panels. I am careful when prepping blends and will run a 3/4″ piece of masking tape down the adjacent panel if I am concerned then I will be careful with sanding and scuffing.
If I am grinding beside an adjacent panel I will run at least 2 pieces of duct tape on top of eachother and possibly apply some spark paper or masking paper over the panel for additional protection. Rarely ever have issues.
As far as rust goes, most collision shops avoild rust repairs if possible. In the event that you do need to do one, there is no gaurantee from the get go.
well bondo preps all his blend panels with 180 so a few scratches on an adjacent panel wont hurt 😛
there are many ways to solve or prevent the problem with sanding through your tape…
1 be more careful
2 more tape (duct tape is good)
3 take the duct tape and stick it to your shirt first so you kill most of the adhesives strength before you put it on the surface. Then double up
3.A If your sanding through the tape during prep, scotch brite the edges first then carefully DA up to them after and that should reduce your burn through rate
3.B If your sanding through on your bodywork try to move the panel (unbolt the fender and move it out, open the door and latch it so it closes an inch or two out from the other panel.) or put your filler on especially thin around the edge so you don’t need to concentrate your shaping around there as much.As far as people not having much of a clue most of the time…..its your job to inform them…you can’t expect them to know…keep a photo book of your work and show the next customers.
But IMO you should know what your getting yourself into after a few…educate yourself …. find out the ins and outs of rust, and how it works and popular buildup spots and interior insulators that cause rust and how long a repair will in fact last. Unless you replace the panel chances are just beyond where you are welding you will weaken the already rust prone or maybe rusted metal and further shorten its life before you will see pinholes coming through….and maybe coming through on the bondo you extended from your patch…now its your fault….rust is tricky when patching things up.
Thats just my opinion im sure theres lots to add and more tips and hints
Another tip you can use is to use cardboard on your edges, between doors fenders etc. Just take a cardboard box and cut it up and put it in the gap next to the panel that your working on, you wont go past it and it works good when priming to keep primer out of your jambs.
Chuck
I don’t really have ” customers” as I just do it as a hobby on my own stuff and for friends and relatives. Thanks for the info. The duct tape on the shirt first sounds like a good idea.
Thanks all!!! A lot of good advice and tricks!! Jack
If you’re worried about the duct tape pulling off old paint, try what I do – a piece of low tack masking tape first, then a layer or two of dust tape over that 😉
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