Bondo Glazing & Spot Putty - at least 4 different packages

[Jimmy D. Jones]

Was looking into using Bondo Glazing & Spot Putty on a project and found there are at least 4 different packages they sell for this stuff.

There are at least two packages they sell that are the one-part kind that is generally recommended on these boards. Both say they are part number 907 and come in one 4.5 ounce tube. One says it is for stage 2 and the other says stage 3 on the package. Both appear to be the same stuff:




There are also at least two packages they sell that are the two-part kind that is generally not recommended on these boards. Both say they are part number 801 and come in a package where the bigger tube in the front is 3 ounces. There is a second smaller white colored tube behind it that I think is 1 ounce. One says it is for stage 2 and the other says stage 3 on the package. Both say "professional" on the package and both appear to be the same stuff:

 

[samb]

Well according to 3M.com :

About the 3M™ Body Repair System
Even a small repair can seem complex at first. So 3M's Body Repair System simplifies the entire automotive body repair process by dividing it into four stages:

• Stage 1 — Prepare. This stage includes pulling dents, removal of paint and rust and efficient, effective masking of the area.
• Stage 2 — Fill. This stage involves patching holes with reinforced filler and smoothing and shaping filler before painting.
• Stage 3 — Paint. This stage includes painting the area and blending and smoothing primer and paint.

Looks like marketing to me. I’ve used the one-part before but I couldn’t tell you which stage. I’ll vote for stage 2.

 

[Jimmy D. Jones]

samb - thanks for posting that.

I should have mentioned that stage 2 and 3 referred to the stages of your car body restoration project.

The two tubes of part number 907 come in different packages, but yeah I'm also thinking its a marketing thing.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I use the Stage 2

 

[tsmith1315]

The two tubes of part number 907 come in different packages, but yeah I'm also thinking its a marketing thing.

I'd say packaging/marketing, the part number should be unique to the formula. Are the barcode numbers the same?

 

[Spitfire222]

If you're asking which product to use, you're overthinking it: use a single-part one and keep building.

 

[Donnager]

If you use the two part as if it were one, you will have a memorable clean up job, that involves all the patience, solvents, and expletives you can muster.

Not that I've done this.

 

[Hobie1dog]

The 907 fills and works great using a finger condom and dragging your finger to smooth out fillets, seams in plastic nose cones. Again I now wear a cheap respirator and goggles with the bottom air vents taped up, as well as a small fan blowing across the part I'm working on. Man, it screwed up my eyes for 1 week It's a super product for $6.00/tube

 

[eugenefl]

I use the "Stage 2" flavor and it works great for detail work. I buy the conventional automotive spreaders and cut them into custom widths to allow for detail work. I mostly like the fine point edge of the plastic spreaders offered. I will caution you that the working time is not very forgiving. You get 2, maybe 3, "smear passes" before it reacts with the air and starts gumming up and drying. If you attempt to smear it more than 3 times once the stuff starts to dry it'll "roll" up off the workpiece like scraping chewing gum off a sidewalk before it's hardened.

For anything larger than spirals, small pinholes, seams, etc. you'll want something more robust like a 2 part filler with a longer drying/curing time. I have generally found that automotive filler primers and glazing putties are designed to optimize for time. Within 30-45 minutes you can sand between coats depending on humidity, temps, etc. I usually go heave with filling sandable primer, a thin layer of glazing putty, and sand down to get to a near 90% finish. I used to enjoy using sanding sealer for the smooth finish, but it seems like it takes 24+ hours between coats to dry before one can sand again. Ironically, I have less patience for this as an adult than I did as a kid.

 

[MidOH]

I use the one with a big tube, and little tube. Comes out white. Add a dab of red gunk. Stir until pink. Apply to cat.

 

[bjphoenix]

When I was much younger my father owned an automotive body shop. They always used the 2-part glazing putty, I didn't even know there was a 1-part product until my wife's painter for her home remodel project used it on our old door frames. I seem to remember that the 2-part cures fairly quickly and doesn't have that much smell, but the 1-part product used inside your house smells very strong and our painter let it cure overnight.
I much prefer 1-part products for my hobby use because I never know how much to mix up and I don't like throwing away the part that I didn't use. I'm unlikely to be using any of those products on rockets. I don't worry so much about the finish on my rockets because they get beat up a little bit when they get carried around and launched.