Bondo, cab corners & edges how do you get them straight?

Thomas

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Bondo, cab corners & edges how do you get them straight?

I have been fighting with one side of my stargate today. It had very splinter wood at the bottom. So bad that it would snag into my carpet. I have sanded every thing smooth and I am now trying to get all the edges even again.

I have tried wood & tape at different times trying to get a decent edge. So I could back fill to it. The first round went well with the wood. I had to crack it off the bottom of the cab. It left a very nice edge once sanded. I tried again and this time it broke off a little bit of the bottom and the bondo as well.

The tape trick was a waste of time. I could never get a straight line with it.

I just went back and put another layer of bondo on with out nothing no guide. Just by eye ya know? Anyway it's high but at least I will not break it off the cab this time.

I am now considering using just plain old cardboard to mimic the old edge. Then use tape to hold it in place.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to pull this off?
 
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Bondo doesn't stick to plastic, so the best thing to use is something made of plastic, but very stiff and inflexible. You should be able to find a yardstick or ruler made of hard plastic. Drill a couple small holes into is and use some screws to attach it to the wood to keep it where you want it for the edge, then fill the bondo in up to the plastic. When it's set, pull the plastic off and you should have a nice straight edge. If you had to use screw holes in a spot that is visible, you can use a small bit of bondo or woodfiller to fill those holes afterwards.

I find it easier to use one of those stiff plastic scrapers about 6" wide and do small sections at a time...
 
That's a really good idea... I do have a nice yard stick somewhere made of plastic Ty mod!
 
I just use a long board to sand the edges. You can get them at automotive stores.


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I slapped my square on the cab front edge. So I could show my non progress! Is it fair to say that that angle would be correct to work off?

The tut above covers square cabs but mine has 45's on the back.

http://mrpart.com/bondo/

Anyway what could I use to build a full size jig just for stargates that will last? Something that I could slap on the bottom and do all the sides at once?

It looks like there would be an inch plus of bondo at the back to get this machine sitting correctly.

Is that excessive and or would it last?

Would the three inch corners of vinyl siding fit the bill? Would the bondo release from the inside of the siding?
 
When I try to do a square edge on the bottom, I build a frame out of scrap wood and line it with release aluminum foil (Reynolds make this). The release aluminum foil has a silicon release agent on one side so the bondo doesn't stick. It is also a little thicker than normal foil so it stands up to the construction process better.

If the wood on the bottom is completely rotten or fragmenting, I will remove it all the way around even with the base of the cabinet and replace it with a new base. When rebuilding the base, I commonly use 1x2 or 1x3 boards cut to length and a 1/2 or 3/4 plywood base. The side pieces are glued and nailed to the new base and then the new base assembly is attached to the old bottom with glue and screws. The seam between the cabinet and the new base is filled with bondo, primed and painted. The final step is to attach new floor leveler plates and levelers.

The second technique sounds like a lot of extra effort, but it provides a solid base for the next 30 years.

ken
 
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