Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Is it normal for a 2nd application of Bondo to take much longer to set up? My first application cured within an hour and was sanded down with no problems. My next application, and I mean all of it, is still rubbery after nearly 2 hours and I am sure I mixed the same amounts of bondo and hardner. I tried the tip of putting on a hot mix over a small area of the soft stuff to see if it works and will cure it faster. Meanwhile, my side work is stopped waiting on the bondo to set up so I can sand.

dunno whats going on there.
My bondo was set up in less than 30 minutes.
I was sanding it at the half hour mark.
next application of bondo was the same......less than 30 minutes.

Dale, were the A and B portions out of the existing or a new container? If out of the existing, I'd say even though you say it was mixed properly, there must have been some error. If it worked the first time it WILL work the second time.

That's what it was supposed to do...work right the 2nd time. I am sure I mixed the same ratio both times. During the 2 application, I made about 4 mixes, all the same as the first. All of the mixes are slow. It's been close to 3 hours now, and they seem to be hardening finally. I'll try sanding again in about 30 minutes to see if it is dust or loads up the paper too fast. Meanwille, was cutting some 3/16" steel for axle mounting brackets. I ran my last cutting disk down to the nub and went to my pneumatic 3" cutting tool. It cuts, but slowly. I guess I'll wait til later and go bet another disk or two...and more screws.

Has your temperature changed drastically?

Doing lots of bodywok over the years, if you increase the amount of hardner your using your cure time will be reduced... Mine usally is ready to sand in 10min., but you have to work fast. Less hardner longer dry times and more working time...


Greg

Temp didn't change since I started using the bondo. It's 83 now and has been around that all day. It may have been only 79 or 80 when I started. The humidity is up some though.

Again, I used the same amount of bondo and hardener each time. First 4 or 5 batches to do the whole side all cured within a half hour or so. 2nd application of 4 or 5 batches, same misture, are ALL still not hard enough to sand after at least 3 hours. The area where I mixed a hot batch and applied it over the other bondo hasn't set up enough to sand either. It is really weird that several batches for first application worked good, then several more batches over the first won't harden. I'll wait until in the morning and see if it's cured What do I do if it never hardens?

What do you do if it never hardens?

Reminds me of when my Dad built a 24' wooden cabin cruiser in the backyard. He must have screwed a million wood screws in the hull fastening it to the ribs. Then he puttied up all the countersunk screw holes....................only to realize the next day he'd applied a putty which wasn't even supposed to harden. He had to take a screwdriver and clean out each and every single countersunk screw hole. Only real screwup I ever saw my Dad make. He always said it was a lesson well learned.

Well, I gonna do what any normal TD/TTT builder does when he gets depressed...I going to Lowes and HD and spend some money.

cracker39 wrote:Well, I gonna do what any normal TD/TTT builder does when he gets depressed...I going to Lowes and HD and spend some money.

Dale,

I suggest a glass of wine...

Of course, that means your work day is over... I hope you have better luck tomorrow...

Mike...

hey,
my suggestion is the same as Mike's, only my wine is beer!

Dale,

Don't understand unless, you have a bad batch, usually just increase the hardner and the curing time will be less. Mine is usually hard before I get through putting it on.

Oh yeah...I'm putting a bottle of Michelob Lager in the freezer to quick chill. I've earned that much today.

cracker39 wrote:Oh yeah...I'm putting a bottle of Michelob Lager in the freezer to quick chill. I've earned that much today.

Dale,

Check your pm... After you listen to that, you might just want to chill another beer!

Mike...