Back to the build. Let's smooth out some of those weld joints
Not my favorite task, I must say. I've done my share of filler work, When I lived up in Charleston, I used to fix up cars and flip them. On cars, you're usually spreading bondo over.larger areas so it's not too bad. On a bike it's all of the nooks and crannies to fill, and then sand down...and with an open time of approx 3 minutes, you gotta keep mixin' and moving fast
So, I sanded down all of the areas where tubes join each other, and spread some bondo in using my fingers, rough sand with 60 grit, and let it sit over night. Today, i did a little finer sanding...and hit it with 1st coat of high build primer.
Bottom Bracket area:
Rear upright seat stay...before / after primer
Seat Tube Area:
And, here's a shot of the rear end of the bike:
Now that looks much better...chances are that successive paint layers will smooth it just fine...but looking closely there are still some pits in the bondo. Some guys will go with a spot putty for final fairing...I don't use that method. I'll rub down this first primer coat with a Scotch Brite pad...smooths out the overspray, and blends it in a little. still leaving some tooth for the next primer coat.
You don't really have to sand it too meticulously in between coats at this early stage unless there's a nib or a booger on there.
I mix up some Two Part Epoxy and 'paint' around the joints , that fills little pits...and, to my way of thinking anyway... it creates a hard layer over the bondo, which itself really is kindof soft and porous.
OK folks...tomorrow, i'll lay in the epoxy filler and shoot a second primer coat.
franco
Not my favorite task, I must say. I've done my share of filler work, When I lived up in Charleston, I used to fix up cars and flip them. On cars, you're usually spreading bondo over.larger areas so it's not too bad. On a bike it's all of the nooks and crannies to fill, and then sand down...and with an open time of approx 3 minutes, you gotta keep mixin' and moving fast
So, I sanded down all of the areas where tubes join each other, and spread some bondo in using my fingers, rough sand with 60 grit, and let it sit over night. Today, i did a little finer sanding...and hit it with 1st coat of high build primer.
Bottom Bracket area:
Rear upright seat stay...before / after primer
Seat Tube Area:
And, here's a shot of the rear end of the bike:
Now that looks much better...chances are that successive paint layers will smooth it just fine...but looking closely there are still some pits in the bondo. Some guys will go with a spot putty for final fairing...I don't use that method. I'll rub down this first primer coat with a Scotch Brite pad...smooths out the overspray, and blends it in a little. still leaving some tooth for the next primer coat.
You don't really have to sand it too meticulously in between coats at this early stage unless there's a nib or a booger on there.
I mix up some Two Part Epoxy and 'paint' around the joints , that fills little pits...and, to my way of thinking anyway... it creates a hard layer over the bondo, which itself really is kindof soft and porous.
OK folks...tomorrow, i'll lay in the epoxy filler and shoot a second primer coat.
franco
apparently, this guy likes them too.....
