Thread: surface pits

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how do you guys fill in pits in the metal? do you try and sand them out? is bondo what comes in affect? Just trying to see what the right way about doing it is.

That really depends on what the pits are in.
Depending on door handles, doors, etc.

Originally Posted by fisheasy

how do you guys fill in pits in the metal? do you try and sand them out? is bondo what comes in affect? Just trying to see what the right way about doing it is.

If you're talking sheet metal I would say a skim coat of bondo or finish putty, block sand it smooth and shoot it.

yeah sorry for not being more specific. I am talking the roof or the fender. things like that on the older sheet metal cars

Mine was full of pits, If no body work is needed and there not that deep Metal glaze(evercoat) works good, but if body work is needed use a good body quality filler, like Rage. And I am not an Evercoat rep

If not to deep i use a 2k stopper

First, you need to make sure there is NO/NADA/NONE rust in those pits - rust never sleeps and will ruin a perfect paint job quickly. I can hear someone say it's encapsulated - wrong - rust is iron oxide with oxide being oxygen by a different name. There is IMHO, only one way to remove that rust and that's by a media media blast by someone that can do it without deforming the base steel. Sanding can not clean out rust in pits. I have heard Naval Jelly works - but I haven't tried it nor will I. Rustoleum and POR-15 wont do the job either tho there are some advocates here of that stuff -

Next, I apply a good epoxy primer as soon as possible after blasting - i.e. the same day if possible, the next at the latest. I like SPI, but there are others about as good, but as the SPI is a sanding epoxy, it works very well for the Joe Average home car builder. (PPG epoxy has some problems - it can be removed with regular lacquer thinner, DuPont/Nason are hard and not a sanding epoxy but a finishing primer - it needs to be top coated within 24 hours).

Once you get a clean and sealed surface, then you can do whatever bodywork is needed. Evercoat Rage or Gold is great stuff, but on pits, a high build spray polyester can work miracles.

And yes, the AVATAR was done pretty much that way, tho I didn't have pits

Totally agree Dave, very good advice, The only thing i would be wary of is the Polyester, If you mean the spray putty it sucks up moisture like a sponge and needs sealing as soon as possible, Microblistering seems to go hand in hand with this stuff

Originally Posted by IC2

First, you need to make sure there is NO/NADA/NONE rust in those pits - rust never sleeps and will ruin a perfect paint job quickly. I can hear someone say it's encapsulated - wrong - rust is iron oxide with oxide being oxygen by a different name. There is IMHO, only one way to remove that rust and that's by a media media blast by someone that can do it without deforming the base steel. Sanding can not clean out rust in pits. I have heard Naval Jelly works - but I haven't tried it nor will I. Rustoleum and POR-15 wont do the job either tho there are some advocates here of that stuff -

Next, I apply a good epoxy primer as soon as possible after blasting - i.e. the same day if possible, the next at the latest. I like SPI, but there are others about as good, but as the SPI is a sanding epoxy, it works very well for the Joe Average home car builder. (PPG epoxy has some problems - it can be removed with regular lacquer thinner, DuPont/Nason are hard and not a sanding epoxy but a finishing primer - it needs to be top coated within 24 hours).

Once you get a clean and sealed surface, then you can do whatever bodywork is needed. Evercoat Rage or Gold is great stuff, but on pits, a high build spray polyester can work miracles.

And yes, the AVATAR was done pretty much that way, tho I didn't have pits

Originally Posted by roadster32

Totally agree Dave, very good advice, The only thing i would be wary of is the Polyester, If you mean the spray putty it sucks up moisture like a sponge and needs sealing as soon as possible, Microblistering seems to go hand in hand with this stuff

Steve - I only apply it over epoxy primer which will do my sealing - then out comes the 280-320/400 wet and dry and a bucket of water for the maxi-mega hours of sanding and sanding then some more.....sanding Then of course, on goes some more epoxy to cover those spots that I sanded through to metal then if necessary, more polyester or high build 2K primer, some more - you guessed it - sanding.Then when I'm happy with the surface prep, a full wet coat or two of 2K, a final wet sand with 600 or 800 then it's paint time, and I do like BC/CC

Now - I'm tired just thinking about all that..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

great information. thanks a lot for taking the time and walking me through the process. when some of you guys have powder coated your chassis do you have to prep the pits or does the powder coating take care of it

Pits in metal can be fixed to be powder coated, but they either must be filled with an all metal filler or fill welded. Powder coat will only bond to a clean metal surface and it won't bond to any fiberglass filler.