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I switched from mixing my own filler to a pre-mixed system three years ago
Back when I started, my mentor in Cincinnati swore by the old school method of mixing your own filler with hardener. I did it that way for a decade, always chasing the perfect consistency. After a big hail damage job where we had over 50 panels to fix, the speed and consistent cure time of the pre-mixed stuff just saved our necks. Now I only use the custom mix for really weird, deep repairs. Anyone else make that switch, or do you still stick with the old bucket and paddle?
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riley5816d ago
My uncle ran a body shop in Toledo and taught me to mix filler from scratch, said it built character. I argued with him for years that the old way was better. Then I had a tight deadline on a classic car restoration last summer, and the pre-mix just worked perfectly every single time. It really changed my mind on sticking with tradition. What kind of weird repairs do you still use the custom mix for?
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tyler82216d ago
So you really gave up on mixing your own filler after one job? I get that pre-mix is fast, but for me it's about control. When I'm working on a weird old panel with a complex curve, I still make my own mix every time. That way I can get the exact thickness and set time I need, which the canned stuff never seems to match. Your uncle in Toledo was onto something about it building skill, not just character.
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skylershah4d ago
Remember my buddy who tried to fix the fender on his old Ford pickup? He grabbed a can of the pre-mix stuff and it just sagged right off a tricky compound curve near the wheel well. He had to grind it all off and start over, totally wasted a day. He ended up mixing his own batch super thick with a slow hardener, and it stuck like glue and shaped perfectly. Sometimes the weird shapes just laugh at the one-size-fits-all cans.
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