4 replies to this topic

[mk=john]

Hi
I have welded in a repair piece to the bottom part of the rear panel on my mini. It is the repair peice which contains the hinge area, going right across the width of the car.
Anyway, I have seam welded it in place, and ground down the welds to the remainign metal.
Can anyone please tell me the correct way of protecting these ground areas against rust? I also need to skim these areas with filler to make them blend in nicely with the surrounding bodywork. The surrounding area is still painted in cellulose, its just where the welds have been done where bare metal is exposed.

Shall I spray etch primer directly onto the exposed metal (some will go onto the cellulose areas), and then add filler on top of the etch primer? or, should I do it the other way around?
Any help would be great.
Thanks in advance!
John

[mighty mini jack]

Acid etch primer on top then a skim of filler.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Always put any filler onto bare metal, never over primer/paint. The chemicals in it can melt anything underneath and so it won't stick, and will bubble and flake in the future. After you've got it straight with filler, apply etch primer to any bare metal areas, and then prime and topcoat as normal. As for the rear, make sure it's also etched, and coated same as the front.

[beejay]

Always put any filler onto bare metal, never over primer/paint. The chemicals in it can melt anything underneath and so it won't stick, and will bubble and flake in the future. After you've got it straight with filler, apply etch primer to any bare metal areas, and then prime and topcoat as normal. As for the rear, make sure it's also etched, and coated same as the front.

Slight hijack, can you safely use etch primer over filler, or will it react?
Just wondering if you have to worry about getting it on filler, or if I can just blast a load of UPOL etch prime over the area once I've filled and got it smooth.

[panelbeaterpeter]

You can with no problems, but there's not very much point, it only etches onto metal.