Door Panels: Starting New 02 Civic

[razuuk004]

How do you conceal the seam between the duraglass and the plastic panel?

I tried the way of using a Dremel to make a small grove along the line/seam and fill in with CA glue.. It worked, but was 3 day process of glue, sand, glue, sand, etc etc. and i still counldt get all the pinholes or tiny hairlines along the seam.

Hey Jnells, i had to read it twice to otice what you are talking about. When you use duraglss on plastic, it is used only as a foundation because it ks stronger (due to the fiberglass filler mixed in) but you follow it up with a softer body filler like rage gold. contact adhesive is good to make sure that the duraglss does not separate from the plastic. But follow it up with rage gold and sand it till you feather it to the panel (feather is when you sand evenly from body filler to plastic as to where you cant feel witb your hand where one ends and the other begins). And to prevent pinholes you always primer the whole piece and wet sand the primer before you paint it. More on this when i reach ghat stage.

[razuuk004]

Awesome as always. This is turning out to be a great reference thread.

Thanks. Im supef glad that it can be helpful to you in any way.

[razuuk004]

Okay JNELLS, This one is for you.

To create that curvy lip that goes from the panel to the trim piece, you simply use anything that has that desired radius like the shank ends of drill bits or dowel pins.

wrap a piece of sandpaper around the pin and hold it tight on the other end and use that to go back and forth on the body filler until it creates that radius you want. First on the duraglass, then cover it with body filler and do it again.

so here is an example. After using that filler wall to cut out the hole to the exact size i needed, i sanded down the wall down to the panel, i taped up the trim piece and sunk it in its location until its flush on the inside end. i mixed up a tiny batch of duraglass and this time used my fingers to work it into the sides of the trim piece. if there is any wavy imperfections the duraglass will seep in and create a nice seam. while the duraglass is semi-curing i took a spreader and scoop up the unwanted from the panel and piece. I then used the dowel pin and sandpaper to go back and forth along the glass to create the curve and lightly uses a piece of sandpaper to bring down any unevenness from the top and to deburr the duraglass.

Notice the feathered duraglass on the door panel where you cant see a rise or cant feel where the glass ends and the panel begins. So now to cover that in Rage gold and repeat the process.

All this is done with 60 grit. Now that it has the form I will follow up with 80 grit, 120 grit, and 240 grit before i primer. But first i will have to do the other trim piece..

[JNells]

Yup that's exactly what I was referring to. Great little walk through, I'm sure that will be helpful to many others too.

need to get myself some of the good products too... Sorry 3M but bondo isn't cutting it anymore

[razuuk004]

[Smoove]

That is cool. I wanna try something like that. thanks for documenting your work so well.

[razuuk004]

That is cool. I wanna try something like that. thanks for documenting your work so well.

You're welcome

[JNells]

Yessir that looks damn good!! I like how it's back lit rather than the LEDs directly on the pieces.. Gives it more of that subtle glow without seeing the actual led bulbs when lit.

[razuuk004]

Yessir that looks damn good!! I like how it's back lit rather than the LEDs directly on the pieces.. Gives it more of that subtle glow without seeing the actual led bulbs when lit.

My Desired Choice as well.

[razuuk004]

I LOVE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME. IT NOW GETS DARK AT ALMOST 8:00PM WHICH MEANS THAT I HAVE TIME TO GET HOME FROM WORK AND DO A LITTLE SOMETHING BEFORE THE SUN GOES DOWN.

OKAY SO BACK TO WORK. I TAKE THE PANEL AND GO OVER THE ENTIRE THING. FILLING ANY CREVICES WITH GLAZE PUDDY AND TOUCH UP SANDING WHERE NEEDED.

THEN I TAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF RAGS AND WAX AND GREASE REMOVER (SURFACE PREP) AND WIPE IT DOWN WITH ONE RAG, THEN I CHANGE TO A CLEAN RAG AND DO IT AGAIN. YOU DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE THE SAME RAG BECAUSE YOU'LL JUST BE RE-APPLYING THE DIRT AND WAX BACK TO THE PANEL. SO I KEEP CHANGING RAGS AND GOING OVER AND OVER WITH DIFFERENT RAGS UNTIL THE LAST RAG DOESN'T PICK UP ANYTHING. THE I LET IT DRY.

I ALSO USE A AIR GUN TO BLOW AWAY ANY LOOSE DIRT FROM ANY EDGES.

AND WIPE AGAIN.

TIME TO TAPE HER UP AND COVER THE AREAS YOU DON'T WANT TO COVER.

NOW TO DROP A LITTLE CHEM SCIENCE TO YOU BEGINNERS. PAINT OR PRIMER DOES NOT STICK WELL TO PLASTICS SO WHAT WE DO IS USE ADHESIVE PROMOTER (IT COMES IN SPRAY CAN AND FOR SPRAY GUNS AS WELL),AND SPRAY IT ALL OVER THE PANELS. I DO 3 COATS AND SINCE THIS IS A VERY LARGE PIECE, I USE A SPRAY GUN TO SPRAY EVEN COATS AND WAIT THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF FLASH TIME IN BETWEEN. (3 TO 5 MINUTES FROM COAT 1 TO COAT 2. 5 TO 10 MINUTES FROM COAT 2 TO COAT 3. AND 5 TO 10 MINUTES FROM COAT 3 TO FINAL SPRAYING OF PAINT/PRIMER). AND IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, BULLDOG IS ONE OF THE BEST IN ADHESIVE PROMOTERS.

COAT # 1

COAT # 2

AND COAT # 3

NOW TO LET IT CURE WHILE I PREPARE THE PRIMER. ALSO WHEN YOU WANT AN EXCELLENT RESULT, USE EXCELLENT PRODUCTS. ON PRIMER, I USE AUTOMOTIVE PRIMER FROM NASON. IT IS A FAMILY OF THE DUPONT LINE AND IT IS REALLY GOOD. MIX UP THE PRIMER REALLY REALLY WELL TO GET RID OF THE LUMPS FROM THE CAN AND USE THE PROPER MIXING RATIO. IN PRIMER IT IS 4 TO 1 (4 PARTS OF PRIMER TO 1 PART OF ACTIVATOR).

SO IF I POUR 8 OZ OF PRIMER!

I WILL USE 2 OZ OF ACTIVATOR AND MIX VERY WELL WITH MIXING STICK

ALWAYS USE A POUR CUP FILTER TO GET RID OF TRASH AND CLUMPS OF PAINT/PRIMER TO FALL INTO YOUR SPRAY GUN. WHEN SHOOTING PRIMER WITH A SPRAY GUN, USE A SPRAY TIP WIDE ENOUGH FOR PRIMER. IN MY CASE I USE THE SPAY TIP 1.7 (IT HAS A 1.7MM HOLE). I THEN COMMENCE TO GIVING MY PANEL 3 VERY THICK EVEN COATS OF PRIMER AND WAITING THE APPROPRIATE FLASH TIME IN BETWEEN COATS (10 TO 15 MINUTES). IF YOU DON' WAIT THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND GO CRAZY WITH THE SPRAYING, THE PRIMER WILL WRINKLE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT ALL OFF AND START AGAIN.