hey guys

just wondering if there is a quicker way of smoothing mk3 bumpers as i've spent about an hour with an orbital sander with 100grit and kinda getting nowhere!!!

cheers

Mike

Sand sand sand to get a nice etched surface then a real thin layer of filler and sand sand sand ??

go to vw and get half primered ones (bottom half!)??

Sand sand sand to get a nice etched surface then a real thin layer of filler and sand sand sand ??

was hoping you weren't going to say that

think i'll have to get a more agressive sander! maybe a rotational sander instead of the orbital!

go to vw and get half primered ones (bottom half!)??

i've already got a set of standard bumpers sat in my back garden, and where is the fun of buying?

i like to go with the theory of "built, not bought"

Cant you just sand it down a bit, then use filler primer to fill all the little gaps then sand that a bit?

That should get them pretty dam smooth.

I've been thinking about doing it to mine, not sure how good it would look though

I've got a half primed rear one for my square to save me some times as that will more or less just need painting.

Want to modify the front one so though theres no point in spunking loads of money for a new one that I'm just going to butcher.

I think the plan of action is just going to be sand it down, modify it and then whack loads of filler primer on it and hope for the best

How much are the half primed bumpers?

Well i wouldn't sand the plastic,that'd be a nightmare.

Id give the surface a couple of layers of plastic primer,then a couple of layers of filler primer. Dust the primer when dry,then wet flat the filler primer down until the dust is almost gone with some 320. Then finish that stage with some 500 so its nice and smooth before giving it a layer of paint.

You shouldn't even be using a sander.

Well i wouldn't sand the plastic,that'd be a nightmare.

Id give the surface a couple of layers of plastic primer,then a couple of layers of filler primer. Dust the primer when dry,then wet flat the filler primer down until the dust is almost gone with some 320. Then finish that stage with some 500 so its nice and smooth before giving it a layer of paint.

You shouldn't even be using a sander.

Excellent, answers my topic smartly (thanks for the heads up about it here). Did a spot of reading and hopefully the filler-primer/cellulose putty stuff I've got is still in good condition and I'll be able to do the fibreglassing that needs doing and get a decent finish. Probably post some pictures of what I manage, especially if I come unstuck or get it right first time XD

How much are the half primed bumpers?

150 each seems to ring a bell...

you i agree with the above i have done a few at work, just geta good few coats of 1k plastic primmer on and make sure you get every millimeter. then put on a dust coat of high build primer then get a 2 or 3 very heavy coats on nice and wet and allow that to dry(this will sink in to all the litle bits you want to fill then give it a nib off with dry 600's, clean with pannel wipe and get another 2 good coats on. leave it for at least 24 hours before you start to flat it the longer you can leave it the better. then wet sand it it with 800 wet and dry until the primer looks thin and there are no marks left what so ever.

then get it painted.

I've done it with dolphin glaze before and you can get the same results just by primering it as you can filling it and you wont have to worry about the filler cracking under strain even though dolphin glaze is quite supple

hope this helps