# bondo on plywood



## Al B Cuttn Wud (Oct 14, 2007)

Got a project to work on where I will be making the vertical stab of an aircraft out of plywood. Size of the project will be about 4 foot tall and about 4 foot wide at the bottome and tapered down to about 2 foot wide at the top. I want to paint with auto paint so it will have that metal look to it. I was wondering if normal auto bondo would stick to wood or if there's a wood product out there that would work. Basically, trying to take out any grain of the wood so when looking at it and feeling it, it looks slick like metal. Thanks for the assist.

Al


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Bondo will work fine. Sticks good to wood.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

There's another Bondo, or similar, product that might work for you. It's called glazing spot putty. It's NOT the same stuff as window glazing.:laughing:

Here's a link to one http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MAutomotive/Aftermarket/Products/Product-Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQCEK3_nid=9NGZXRTWFZbeFDKX


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## bofa (Jul 17, 2010)

Not sure I followed all that you described, but fiberglass would work really well too. Plus if you need to save weight you could remove the wood after the shell hardens. Plus you can drape and cover odd shapes with fiberglass. If you look at a lot of the custom car interiors that are painted they use fiberglass for most of it. If none of that applies bondo is probably easier and cheaper.


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

*wood and bondo sticks well*



cabinetman said:


> Bondo will work fine. Sticks good to wood.


i concur i have a colection of sticks i mixed it with it sticks like s#@#[email protected] to a blanket:laughing::laughing:


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I'd use the Bondo if it's larger area's because it's easier to work then the fiberglass and more durable than the spot putty.

If it's just small cracks then the spot putty would probably work OK.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

I suggested spot putty for use as a "filler" to smooth out the plywood grain for a nice slick finish. 
It's great for cut MDF edges, as well as plywood and it's edges.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Al I re-read your post and you will need bondo, spot putty and primer filler just like if you were doing body and fender work.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 26, 2009)

*ba-doom-pishhh!...*

hey dude,
i'm a drum maker so i'm always using auto paint on wood for superior protection. what i normally do is just hit it with a few coats of a sand-able primer then sand...if there are still low spots when you start seeing the wood then hit it with a few more coats and sand again till it is all sanded, there are no low spots and no wood is showing. i think bondo (which i love and use often in woodworking) would take forever to sand just to fill in grain. perhaps some sort of grain filler or reduce the bondo (which i have seen but not YET tried) with...i think it was mineral spirits?!?! makes it like a pourable bondo that would be easier to fill the grain and easier to sand. if you go the fiberglass route you'll definiteley want to use the pourable bondo mix!!! i love fiberglass! gonna attempt the interior of my car soon...woohoo!!!


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 26, 2009)

Gene Howe said:


> It's great for cut MDF edges, as well as plywood and it's edges.


what i found to be the best thing to prep MDF edges for paint is to mix some wood glue with water...about the consistency of...well, paint haha. use a little metal handle brush and coat the edges. in about an hour you can take a block and some 220 or 320 and sand the edges flat and smooth, and they'll be sealed! some cases you need 2 coats...you'll know after you sand if you need another coat. this is a proven and often used (by me) method that works!
hope this helps! :thumbsup:


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## Al B Cuttn Wud (Oct 14, 2007)

Thanks for all the inputs. I think I will go with a skim coat of bondo. For those interested, I got started on this project today so shifting over to project showcase to updated as time permits.


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## FiveOneSix (Sep 26, 2009)

*welllllllll...*

HOW DID IT GO? :icon_cool:


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