unstablementaly Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 patch the bottom side that no one sees and fill and smooth the top to perfection. same on the corners. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 patch the bottom side that no one sees and fill and smooth the top to perfection. same on the corners. I DON'T WANT TO USE BONDO!!! I feel that Bondo will crack over time. Do you have any input as to why my method won't work with the two fiberglass patches and zero Bondo? I fully understand how the method that everyone is using works. I am trying to benefit everyone by offering an alternative method that could be better/stronger. I'm not a fiberglass or a Bondo person but I talked to one and this is the method he suggested because the Bondo has a chance to crack over time. Actually there is something I don't understand about the first method. Why wouldn't you fiberglass patch the top (that everyone sees) and Bondo the the bottom side. You could then sand the top (fiberglass) to perfection and not even worry about the bottom (Bondo). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 dude, do what you want. the bondo is only going to crack if your grill is continuously flexing like the body panels on your car. it won't so it's a none issue. you're also talking about years and years of use for the bondo to crack. but do what you want. its your car. we are only speaking from experience. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 dude, do what you want. the bondo is only going to crack if your grill is continuously flexing like the body panels on your car. it won't so it's a none issue. you're also talking about years and years of use for the bondo to crack. but do what you want. its your car. we are only speaking from experience. You don't think it'll crack from vibration? I'm being told that Bondo is supposed to be used to fill small imperfections. Here is my new idea, tell me what you think. Put a piece of flat aluminum or cardboard on the bottom. Put Tiger Hair over the hole and smooth as much as possible. This takes the place of the fiberglass patch. Sand Tiger Hair and fill in the small leftover holes/imperfections with Bondo. This is basically the same method as the others but the Bondo is used as intended. Here's a website for Tiger Hair but I've heard you can get it at Home Depot. I'll find out this weekend. http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/products/show_product.cfm?product=29485&cat=37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gitster Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Mine started to crack and flake on the sides with bondo. Thats why I want to redo it. We're not arguing, but we havent used fiberglass before. Looks like tiger hair is just bondo glass filler ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unstablementaly Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 hmm, my grill has been goin strong now for three months. and thats with me bendin and twistin the piss outta it because i screwed up the mesh. couldn't get the groove to line up with the notch in the bumper! so i heated it up and flexed the piss outta it! now it mates to the bumper proper and well.......still no cracks! but hey, you're method(02BlkRex) might work better. try it and see if you like it. and as always............. my vBGarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 hmm, my grill has been goin strong now for three months. and thats with me bendin and twistin the piss outta it because i screwed up the mesh. couldn't get the groove to line up with the notch in the bumper! so i heated it up and flexed the piss outta it! now it mates to the bumper proper and well.......still no cracks! but hey, you're method(02BlkRex) might work better. try it and see if you like it. and as always............. I will definitely post pics when I get to this. I am hoping to do it this weekend but the closer it gets to the weekend, the less likely it looks like I will be able to get to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSTMIZR Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Tiger Hair is Awesome!!!! True, Bondo is meant for small areas and the newly cut "grille hole" is reasonably sized, but the technique used will determine how well it holds up (making sure the mesh is tight, using the right hardener ratio, over-laying then sanding, etc.). Using Tiger or Gorilla hair is a "sounder" method (kind-of overkill), it will be 100% solid but you will want to use Bondo (or hellalota sanding ) to get it smooth enough for painting. I would also recommend still using the mesh instead of a solid piece though, its more workable and movement/twisting could cause seperation with a smooth surface. You could choose to low-grit sand the solid suface, that would work too. I think the OP's work was A+, looked real nice. Good Luck. Anxious to see pics. Glutton for the Mod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperhawkLGT Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Does this make more sense? With your method, I am envisioning a piece of fiberglass resin on the top only (that people can see) and then the bottom is filled with Bondo. With that method you are basically filling the "bowl" with Bondo to make it flush. With my method there is no bowl. There may be a small gap in the middle of the sandwich but I think fiberglass is hard enough to leave it hollow with no problems. I will probably fill with Bondo or more resin just to be sure though. Hey thats my grille. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Tiger Hair is Awesome!!!! Using Tiger or Gorilla hair is a "sounder" method (kind-of overkill), it will be 100% solid but you will want to use Bondo (or hellalota sanding ) to get it smooth enough for painting. I haven't checked prices on Tiger or Gorilla Hair but it can't be THAT expensive so why wouldn't someone "overkill" and give it their 110%? I figure I'll slap some Tiger Hair on and sand the crap out of it (with air tools) and then fine tune it with Bondo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Hey thats my grille. Thanks for the assist, SuperhawkLGT! I hope you don't mind that I used your pic...it had the best angle for showing what I was trying to show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperhawkLGT Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 No sweat off my balls . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 No sweat off my balls . A little disturbing...but glad to hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawfish Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 Finally finished my grill and the front end looks so much nicer. That with he cleared headlights lenses. I'd post pics. but I can't figure out how to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n888aw Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 aside from the first post, who has pictures of the emblem with the screws attached before attaching it to the mesh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whobaru Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Because the mesh may not line up perfectly, I plan to attach my emblem later. When you zip tie the mesh to the grille, it's difficult to get a pre-attached emblem perfectly centered. Attached are some pics of mine. I went with the fiberglass, then bondo method...worked great! No cracking or anything like that and I did twist it a bit zip-tieing the grille in place. FYI- If you over tighten the bottom zip ties, it will bend the grille. After cuting off four I learned to just leave those pretty loose. Also, a word of advice: If there is an imperfection in the bondo the size of a needle head, leave it the heck alone. (I don't want to talk about why I say this) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 So is that the Tiger Hair stuff you used for a base? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whobaru Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 Nope, fiberglass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02BlkRex Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 Nope, fiberglass. I think that is what Tiger Hair is. Can you post a pic or website of the stuff you used? I'm doing this soon and want to make sure I get the right stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whobaru Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 I got it from the car audio shop at my work, so I'll find out what kind they use and let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawfish Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 You can buy all you need at Wal-Mart. 'Cept for the paint to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whobaru Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 Ahh... good 'ol Walmart. Destroying the American Dream one city at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawfish Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 True, but I got my grille finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whobaru Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 It was tiger hair I used in combination with fiberglass resin and then bondo on top. Then I did a few thick layers of primer and sanded the primer with 400 grit. Then I painted it. Make sure you let the primer dry overnight before sanding it. I didn't and had to re-do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawfish Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb182/rawfish71/OB015.jpg It gives it a more of an aggressive look! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.