I screwed up... help!!

SgtMaj

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,997
I messed up. I was using some bondo today, and I wanted to increase my working time, so I mixed in less hardener (by about a third of what I normally put in).

Now, normally it's set up in about 10-15 minutes... but it's been 6 hours and it hasn't set up... what can I do to fix it?
 

salamonieryan

Recruit
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
4
Re: I screwed up... help!!

I havn't used bondo in awile but i would dig it out wipe it out with paint thinner and start over!
 

jcsercsa

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
3,401
Re: I screwed up... help!!

Hay SGTMaj how warm is it there??? you just might need some heat , john
 

drewmitch44

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Messages
1,749
Re: I screwed up... help!!

Ive done that before. It will eventually harden if you used at least some hardner. The less hardner you used the longer it will take but it will eventually get there. It took almost 2 days one time for me cause i was doing the same thing and trying to get some more working time. I had to wait for those 2 days to continue working on that section. I was able to finish it up but it just took a long time like i said.
 

drewmitch44

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Messages
1,749
Re: I screwed up... help!!

And i agree on the heat thing. The colder it is the longer it takes! Heat it up somehow but be careful.
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: I screwed up... help!!

Heat.

I hope you're not using automotive Bondo below the waterline. Bondo will absorb water.
 

SgtMaj

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,997
Re: I screwed up... help!!

Hay SGTMaj how warm is it there??? you just might need some heat , john

It's pretty cold outside, but the boat is in the garage with a heater... should be maybe 50 overnight, and around 65 in the day. I'll try adding a second heater

I hope you're not using automotive Bondo below the waterline. Bondo will absorb water.

No, not below the water line, or even anywhere where water would normally be. Just fixing some minor cosmetic things that were bugging me that I couldn't sand out.

Ive done that before. It will eventually harden if you used at least some hardner. The less hardner you used the longer it will take but it will eventually get there. It took almost 2 days one time for me cause i was doing the same thing and trying to get some more working time. I had to wait for those 2 days to continue working on that section. I was able to finish it up but it just took a long time like i said.

That's good to know. It's starting to set up now. Just for the sake of trying it, I smeared some hardener over the top of one area that was probably the worst last night, and it's almost completely set up now, and not just with a top crust like I had expected. Most of the rest of the areas are starting to set up also, but there is one other bad spot I'll try smearing some hardener over the top of it too.


Thanks everyone.
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: I screwed up... help!!

a good thing to do is ....

take 4 wax free cups. mix one with one drop of hardner....

#2 with 2 drops
#3 with 3 drops......

you will actually see the curing time...#4 will be so hot from the chemical reaction you wont be able to hold it....it will give you insight as to working time

cheers
oops
 

SgtMaj

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,997
Re: I screwed up... help!!

Well, I was wrong, it was just curing on a thick layer on top... one section came off entirely when I pressed really hard on it. Guess I'll be digging it out and redoing the whole thing tomorrow.

To think... a whole week wasted waiting for that stupid stuff to set up because I wanted more working time... next time I'll just accept any waste from not being able to apply it fast enough.
 

jcsercsa

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
3,401
Re: I screwed up... help!!

OOOoohhh man that stinks, Is it in all the spots that you did, I will have to watch it when i do mine !!! did you try the heat ?? john
 

SgtMaj

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,997
Re: I screwed up... help!!

OOOoohhh man that stinks, Is it in all the spots that you did, I will have to watch it when i do mine !!! did you try the heat ?? john

Yeah, tried the heat, brought it up to 80 F for a day. There just simply wasn't enough hardener mixed in to do anything. Oh well, I scraped it out as best I could, and put a fresh coat on. I didn't totally wipe it all out with the paint thinner, as I figured what little was left, would harden when it came in contact with the well mixed stuff, plus the coat I put on it was big enough that even if it didn't stick to those places, it would have enough other points of contact to hold it in place. It's solid now, and just waiting to be sanded down smooth.
 

jcsercsa

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
3,401
Re: I screwed up... help!!

glad to hear it !!!! time to get the mask back out , how big of a area do you have to sand , then paint ?? have fun John
 

SgtMaj

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
1,997
Re: I screwed up... help!!

glad to hear it !!!! time to get the mask back out , how big of a area do you have to sand , then paint ?? have fun John

Oh it's not very big. It's just a couple square feet... maybe 3 or 4 at tops.
 
Top