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Auto Body Repair, Dent Repair

By Matthew Wright, About.com

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Mixing the Body Filler

Dent repair filler being mixed.

Mix the proper amount of hardener with filler.

photo by Matt Wright, 2008
Body filler is a two-part epoxy that you have to mix yourself. You add a creme hardener (comes in the can) to the base filler, which starts a reaction to harden the filler. The filler will harden pretty quickly, allowing for less than 5 minutes of working time. In the case of Bondo brand filler, the base is gray and the hardener is red, so you aim for a nice pink tone in the mixture.

You can mix the hardener on pretty much anything clean. Just remember that it'll be more or less ruined afterward. This batch was mixed on a cardboard sandpaper package. A nifty reusable filler batcher is a plastic frisbee. The filler won't stick to plastic, so when you're done you can pop the old filler right out cleanly.

Follow the directions on the filler can to mix the proper amount of hardener with filler. Mix the two using a rigid plastic spreader. Don't forget you have a limited working time once you mix it!

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