Bondo (putty)
Encyclopedia
Bondo is a brand of two-part putty
manufactured by 3M
. Originally used mainly for automobile body repair, Bondo has been widely used by carpenters to repair wood. The Bondo brand of filler or putty is composed of a polyester resin
that, when mixed with a hardener (an organic peroxide
) or catalyst, turns into a putty which then sets and hardens. The user can apply the mixed Bondo body filler, sand
it to the proper shape, and prime and paint
it like the material around it. The term "Bondo" is a registered trademark in the United States and in many countries throughout the world.
, or molten 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. Despite the fact that Bondo body fillers and other polyester body fillers are far safer to work with than their lead-based counterparts, they can still pose 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.
When buying a used car, it is possible to check for damaged areas that have been repaired with significant amounts of body filler by walking around the car with a magnet
, as the magnet will not be attracted to the body filler. Unscrupulous sellers may mix metal flakes into the body filler mixture before application in order to circumvent the magnet test. This test however, will not detect body filler on plastic, fiber glass, or carbon fiber components.
Bondo fillers and other body fillers have widespread usage in computer case modding
, as when properly used, they can be sanded smooth and painted, and they will attach and hold, without damage, to metal, plastic, acrylic and perspex surface.
During the 2010 Daytona 500
, a pot hole formed in the race track. After a concrete patch only disintegrated again, NASCAR
used Bondo body filler to patch the track with just 40 laps remaining. The Bondo body filler held until the finish.
Bondo is commonly used by skateboarders to make an area easier to skateboard. If a skateboarder finds a nice place to skate, but there are cracks in the pavement or ledge that make it hard to do so, Bondo body filler is often used to fill the crack. Bondo is portable, it can be mixed on site, and it hardens in a half hour or so, making it an ideal material for fixing skate spots. However, this should never be done without obtaining permission from the property owner, as bondo is difficult to remove and may make it more difficult to perform a proper repair.
Bondo can also be used to layer over paper crafts to harden them, usually to make props for cosplay
or costuming.
Putty
Putty is a generic term for a plastic material similar in texture to clay or dough typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. Painter's Putty is typically a linseed oil based product used for filling holes, minor cracks and defacements in wood only...
manufactured by 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
. Originally used mainly for automobile body repair, Bondo has been widely used by carpenters to repair wood. The Bondo brand of filler or putty is composed of a polyester resin
Polyester resin
Polyester resins are unsaturated resins formed by the reaction of dibasic organic acids and polyhydric alcohols. Polyester resins are used in sheet moulding compound, bulk moulding compound and the toner of laser printers...
that, when mixed with a hardener (an organic peroxide
Organic peroxide
Organic peroxides are organic compounds containing the peroxide functional group . If the R' is hydrogen, the compound is called an organic hydroperoxide. Peresters have general structure RCOOR. The O-O bond easily breaks and forms free radicals of the form RO·...
) or catalyst, turns into a putty which then sets and hardens. The user can apply the mixed Bondo body filler, sand
Sandpaper
Sandpaper, also known as glasspaper, is a heavy paper with abrasive material attached to its surface.Sandpaper is part of the "coated abrasives" family of abrasive products. It is used to remove small amounts of material from surfaces, either to make them smoother , to remove a layer of material...
it to the proper shape, and prime and paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
it like the material around it. The term "Bondo" is a registered trademark in the United States and in many countries throughout the world.
Automotive
Bondo body filler was developed as a replacement for body solderBody solder
Body solder is a type of solder used to smooth the surface of automobile bodies before painting. It has been largely supplanted by Bondo, but many purists and auto customizers continue to use body solder, asserting that it bonds better to sheet metal, feels better, wears better, resists higher...
, or molten lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, 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
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
hazards for people and the environment due to the heavy metal components. Despite the fact that Bondo body fillers and other polyester body fillers are far safer to work with than their lead-based counterparts, they can still pose 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.
When buying a used car, it is possible to check for damaged areas that have been repaired with significant amounts of body filler by walking around the car with a magnet
Magnet
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
, as the magnet will not be attracted to the body filler. Unscrupulous sellers may mix metal flakes into the body filler mixture before application in order to circumvent the magnet test. This test however, will not detect body filler on plastic, fiber glass, or carbon fiber components.
Home and hobby
3M also distributes Bondo "All Purpose Putty" which may be used on, but not limited to, wood, asphalt, masonry, metal, drywall, and tile.Bondo fillers and other body fillers have widespread usage in computer case modding
Case modding
Case modification is the modification of a computer chassis , or a video game console chassis. Modifying a computer case in any non-standard way is considered a case mod...
, as when properly used, they can be sanded smooth and painted, and they will attach and hold, without damage, to metal, plastic, acrylic and perspex surface.
During the 2010 Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, a pot hole formed in the race track. After a concrete patch only disintegrated again, NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
used Bondo body filler to patch the track with just 40 laps remaining. The Bondo body filler held until the finish.
Bondo is commonly used by skateboarders to make an area easier to skateboard. If a skateboarder finds a nice place to skate, but there are cracks in the pavement or ledge that make it hard to do so, Bondo body filler is often used to fill the crack. Bondo is portable, it can be mixed on site, and it hardens in a half hour or so, making it an ideal material for fixing skate spots. However, this should never be done without obtaining permission from the property owner, as bondo is difficult to remove and may make it more difficult to perform a proper repair.
Bondo can also be used to layer over paper crafts to harden them, usually to make props for cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
or costuming.