Bondo (putty)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bondo is a two-part putty for the cosmetic repair of dents in cars, created by Bondo Corporation. While the term "Bondo" is a brand name for this company's product, it is commonly used in the U.S. as a genericized trademark to refer to all auto-repair putties or so-called plastic body fillers. Bondo is a polyester resin product that when mixed with a hardener (an organic peroxide), or catalyst, turns into a putty which then sets and becomes rock-hard. The user can apply the mixed Bondo to the dented panel, sand it to the proper shape, and prime and paint it like the metal around it.

Bondo was developed as a replacement for body solder, or sometimes pure melted lead, that was formerly used for the same task. Body solder is much more durable, but may require more effort to apply. Lead-based solder poses toxic hazards for people and the environment due to the heavy metal components such as with the lead. Despite the fact that Bondo is far safer to work with than its lead based counterparts, it still poses significant health risks. The fumes are quite toxic, and the hardeners can create burns in cases of prolonged skin contact. The use of gloves, a mask, and proper ventilation are all recommended when mixing and applying the filler.

Some Bondo products for use around the home to repair wood and concrete use a liquid hardener (MEKP). The liquid hardener can be quite dangerous because it burns the skin very easily and is very toxic (keep away from children).

When buying a used car, it is possible to check for damaged areas that have been repaired with significant amounts of Bondo by walking around the car with a magnet, as the magnet will not be attracted to the Bondo.

[edit] Bondo in Computer Modding

Bondo has widespread usage in Computer Case Modding, as when properly used, can be sanded smooth and painted, and it will attach and hold, without damage, to metal, plastic, acrylic and perspex surface.

[edit] Formulation

Bondo is based on unsaturated polyester resin, minerals and glass microspheres. The normal formulation of a lightweight bondo body filler is the following: