Bondo - The Renovator's Best Friend

Started by Doug Martin, September 01, 2006, 07:25:33 PM

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Doug Martin

I'm nearing the end of my 3 year on and off again gut remodel of our 1880s cottage here in Western Mass.  I just finished the one project that I've been dreading and I want to brag a bit...

About a year and a half ago I put in a new insulated front door when I gutted out and drywalled the front room.  I, um, just got around to refinishing the floors in that room and so I held off on the trimming the door until now.  The door trimming was one of those projects that seems to grow bigger and bigger in your mind -- mainly because the wall with the door was:

1) 3/4" out of plumb on one side of the door and 1/2" out of plumb on the other
2) The wall over the door (no header -- gotta love how they used to build 'em) buldged out 3/4" in the middle
3) The wall was built with old timbers so the door was 3/4" to an 1" recessed into the wall
4) The timbers were flush on the outside but wall was 3/8" narrower on one side of the door because the timbers were different sizes.

The magic solution -- Bondo!

I used a combination of 5/8" plywood and 1/4" lattice to build up an edge between the door edge and flush with the drywall.  The sides of the door were pretty straightforward -- the top took some creative scrap engineering to fill out the bulge.  Once all the wood was built up I installed the trim and then bondoed the built up scrap edge.

It looks awesome.  The bondo finished out glass smooth and it looks like a big solid casing between the inside trim and the door.  Can you tell I'm happy with the results?  ;D

glenn kangiser

Sounds good, Doug.  If you get a chance post us some pictures of your handiwork.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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n74tg

#2
I had a french door once that used plastic trim to hold the glass panel in.  Part of the trim including a corner was broken, with about 6" missing.  Try as I might I couldn't find replacement trim anywhere.  So, I made a mold of a good corner out of strips of polyester fiberglass (from Walmart).  I made the mold longer in both directions than the broken piece, so I could use existing trim to line everything up and keep it all straight.  

I filled the mold with Bondo, put it in place, taped it down and waited for it to cure.  After that, a little sanding, and a new coat of spray paint and you couldn't tell where trim stopped and Bondo began.  Four years later and it's still there.

Bondo IS the renovator's best friend.
My house building blog:

http://n74tg.blogspot.com/

glenn kangiser

Let's not forget casting replicas out of aluminum.  I've also done brass.  Petro bond sand available from a foundry supply will copy finest details of old castings etc -- that and a oxy-acetylene torch - few other things.  If anybody gets an interest in this ask me and I will provide more details.

Need a copy of that skeleton key - door latch - hinge? you can do it.

"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

n74tg

#4
Yes Glenn, I'm interested in more details (and pics if you have any).

Tony
My house building blog:

http://n74tg.blogspot.com/


glenn kangiser

I'll try to get started on a little tutorial.  In the mean time, there is a book that will get you started on the whole process.

It is called "How To Cast Small Metal and Rubber Parts" by William A, Gannon.  You can order it through John's link on the book page and help support this site.

http://www.amazon.com/Cast-Small-Metal-Rubber-Parts/dp/0830604146/sr=1-1/qid=1157207964/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-8009138-8215169?ie=UTF8&s=books
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

glenn kangiser

Note that the above book tells you how to make your own furnace but the torch shortcut I do is not covered in the book -- I do it for small parts.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.