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Learned the hard way why you don't rush filler work
Old timer Mike at the shop in Toledo told me last month to always wait an extra 10 minutes before sanding body filler, even if the label says 15. I figured he was just being slow, so I skipped it on a 2015 Ford F-150 quarter panel. After primer, the filler sunk in two spots and I had to redo the whole job. Anyone else had a short cure time mess up a repair like that?
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daniel_walker1d ago
Did you ever read that old article from the auto body trade magazine about filler curing? I remember they did a test with a bunch of different brands and found most of them needed way longer than the label said to fully harden, especially in cooler weather. That Ford panel probably didn't have the heat you thought it did underneath. I've seen the same thing happen with a hood on a Chevy where it looked dry on top but was still soft underneath. It's crazy how one little shortcut can cost you double the time in the end.
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the_adam1d ago
Man I remember that article, it was in BodyShop Business around 2012 or so. I still think about that test whenever I'm working in my garage during winter. I started using a infrared temp gun on the panel before I even mix the filler, and if the metal is below 60 I just wait or bring a space heater out. It's a pain but it beats having to grind off a whole section and start over like you're describing with that Ford panel.
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