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Old 04-07-2010, 06:28 AM
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Marty Comstock Marty Comstock is offline
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Default Bondo buck or Wireform building

Hey y'all, thought I'd share this with you. After much research on these things I found some good information, but not what I was looking for. I was hoping to see techniques others have used on defining the edges of a panel in a bondo buck, or hole locations. or other hints and tips. I didnt have much luck there, so I am here to share my expierences.

This is my first bondo buck ever, and I claim to be no expert at it. The panels are an interesting piece, inner splash shields for a 53 Buick Skylark, quite a rare car. The customer wanted this set repaired, and a new set for himself, with a good possibility of 5 more sets in the future. That is why I decided to make a pair of bucks, If I am going to make more than one set. If I was to make just one set, then a buck would be a judgment call in time spent making it. I'll have almost 8-10 hours in making the pair, but seeing how I am new at it, my next buck will go much easier. Expierence counts.

i started out looking at the panel, and seeing if it could be done in one piece, as not to lock in the part. Fortunatley, this was the case. I started in the deep channel, and used duraglass in it because I will likely use this as a hammerform and a seamed area for making it out of more than one piece.

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bb1.jpg

After having enough of a structure to start with, I waxed the panel throughly as not to have the duraglass stick to the panel. I laid it in the groove and pressed my buck in to its proper position. Got my finger in there and wrapped the duraglass around the rods so it has purchase and strength.

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bb3.jpg

Adding bondo around the rods now..

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Under side at this point...

bb7.jpg

This was one of my concerns, how to locate the edge. The FSP I made wasnt accurate enough for this, in my opinion.

bb8.jpg

moving on...

Marty
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Old 04-07-2010, 06:42 AM
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continued...

I dit it in halves because I did not want a compounded error when making the frame, I wanted a repeatable set point to go from. I was very concerned about the release and draft of the buck, but i was worrying for nothing. I removed it too many times and kept checking my progress, and ended up with tiny imperfections or errors, but on this panel it is not the end of the world. On a fender or somethig nicer, it would have been problematic.

Moving on by adding rod to the shape. I try to keep it somewhere around 1/8" away, some places it touches, others it is farther away. The farther away it is, the more difficult it is to get the bondo to build up and hold.

bb9.jpg

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I used a torch to bend the 1/4" rods over this flange. Heat near the panel didnt bother me, these parts in particular had lots of shape, and since I welded on them previously, there was no harm done.

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Adding a stand and structure. I needed to do this to help keep strength in the buck, to resist flexing, and have a nice area where I can work on it and have it somewhat level on a table. Tringulation iin the rods and bracing is your friend here.

bb12.jpg

build up of bondo to assist in defining the flange

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Ground down and cleaned up before removal

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I did this last part in one shot, meaning, I did ot remove it untill I was done. I was concerned with the bondo sticking and draft, but it popped out quite easily. If It didnt, well, I would be cutting it and putting in a strip that would bold the 2 together. I wet around and cleaned up all the flashing around the rods because it served no good purpose, and seeing as its a small panel, i needed all the room I could get.

bb15.jpg

I will continue on how I laid out the holes and other tips and tricks I used on these. I am sure there will be moments in making my panels that the "boy, I wish I woulda done that"s would arise and I will share them as well.

Making a bondo buck or wireform is simple. Its the details that matter, and I hope this helps someone.

Marty
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Old 04-07-2010, 06:53 AM
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That is a nice sturdy buck Marty. Thank you for posting it. I have not made a bondo buck,so this is a question to those who have. Would it be easier to layout the panel with tape for guidelines and then put down the bondo and then lay the metal framework into the wet bondo? It looks like trying to get the bondo under the rods could be a pain and a bit tedious. Not trying to be critical,just wondering.
Or perhaps saving a used caulking tube and putting the bondo in that and apply with a caulking gun?

Last edited by mr.c; 04-07-2010 at 06:55 AM.
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Old 04-07-2010, 07:00 AM
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VERY good questions! I would LOVE to do as you suggest, but seeing how there is a very short time limint on the workability of plastic fillers, you cant easily do a layout like that. I did that with the duraglass because it was a small deep area and couldnt easily get to it.

Another tradeoff, the wet fillers get under and wrap the rods very well, but with the complex shapes involved, gravity becomes an issue.

The hardest part I found was the thinking ahead, and asking myself "what information will I need when making these panels" type of thing. I guess I will find out when I make the panels

Marty
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Old 04-07-2010, 08:18 AM
Rondo Rondo is offline
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Marty, I have a question. Why did you build you buck on the outer surface of your inner fender instead of the inner surface? It seems to me that fitting the new panel would be easier the other way.
Rondo
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Old 04-07-2010, 08:46 AM
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Great content Marty. We're going to building bucks of OJ's Zepher pedal car at Gators so it's very timely.
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Old 04-07-2010, 09:00 AM
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Rondo, I will post a pic of the panel. you will then see how it has a seemingly both inner and outer. I will put a seam down the tighter grove, so i can push ONTO the buck, and the opposite side you are looking at, wont be as difficult, less shape in a small area, for there will be a seam there as well.

at least thats the plan, which I reserve the right to change at any time.

Marty
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Old 04-07-2010, 09:26 AM
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Here are some really poor pictures. I cannot seem to capture the panel well in a photo. I may have to set up a good backdrop and use a better camera.

I am documenting now hole locations, edges and how I will be transferring them to the new panel. the panel build will be another thread.

bb18.jpg

bb19.jpg

bb20.jpg

Marty
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Old 04-07-2010, 08:55 PM
paulxk140 paulxk140 is offline
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When I made my Bondo buck for my Jaguar rear fenders I welded a flat plate to the frame that I could bolt to a cheap HF engine stand. It was
such an awkward and heavy buck, the stand allowed me to rotate it and wheel it out of the way when not in use. I'd take some pics but I'm away from my shop for the next few weeks.
Paul
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Old 04-08-2010, 05:47 AM
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Marty

Was there a reason you didn't make the buck a male buck? Could you not make it from the inside?

I need to make a few so this information is useful, thanks for taking the time out to post it.

I have put off on working on my car because I wanted to improve my skills. I kept finding myself doing things to it that I was just not happy with. I'm a little better now and am just about ready to start on it again.

There are things I want to do to the car and bondo bucks would be great to help me shape the parts I want. The problem is the panels I have in my head are different then the stock parts.

On the rear fenders, I want them to go past the car like they do on a 40 ford and have a peak like a 37 ford.

I was thinking about welding a rod on top of my fender then mold a peak to the rod weld in a tail section.

Quick and dirty but then if I want to take a bondo buck off of that it would half to be a female.So I could capture the peak.

I made a buck off of a buck at Randy's ,which turned a female buck into a male buck.

For me making four bucks for a one time use, I don't know if I can justify it.

The main reason I want it, is to use it for a hammer form for the wheel opening.
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