Best Bondo-style putty available in Europe?

[Destructor1701]

Hi guys,

I'm doing a number of Star Trek ship toy reworks at the moment.

I was wondering what Europeans like myself (I'm Irish) turn to for the best approximation of Bondo?

I keep hearing about this wonder substance, but I can't find it in any hobby stores here. When i search for it online, it seems that Bondo covers a range of different products, including various putties, and other stuff too.

I'm unsure what to purchase in order to continue my work. Product descriptions, or links to store websites, would be great!

 

[ralphee]

Isopon P38, stinks like hell, its really nasty, but we love it all the same :behave.

lee

 

[steveo3002]

any decent brand car body filler

davids ,isopon , plastic padding , upol ..cant go wrong really

 

[Destructor1701]

Cools, thanks for the advice! I'm terrified of using the wrong thing, and messing up my models.

 

[steveo3002]

just make sure it isnt called fibre glass paste or bridging filler etc

do you want me to point a few out on ebay?

 

[Destructor1701]

That'd be great, yeah! Thanks!

 

[steveo3002]

using this one now on a plastic kit
DAVIDS ISOPON P38 EASY SAND CAR BODY FILLER DENTS 250ml | eBay

used this when i worked on real cars , its good , slightly harder than the above
PLASTIC PADDING ULTIMA BODY FILLER 930G TIN X 2 | eBay

Plastic Padding Professional Car Body Filler For Accident Rust Dent Repair 280g | eBay

if you need larger amounts ..this is easyer to sand at the expense of a not so great finish

Body Filler U-Pol Easy One - Easy Sand large size tin | eBay

 

[Amish Trooper]

I know it's not bondo but Apoxie sculpt is great stuff to work with

 

[Pete SSS]

There are various fillers at Halfords, Upol, isopon etc. They all have slightly different properties but are pretty similar. Cheap too if you buy a big bucket, it may save on postage costs if your only alternative is ebay.

 

[steveo3002]

or any car parts shop will have some

 

[Destructor1701]

Great feedback, guys, thanks so much - really helpful!

So, does this require any preparation? Is it just scoop some out of the tin and lob it on the model? Or do I need to mix the putty, or prepare the surface onto which it will adhere first?

I imagine many of my questions will be covered by an instruction leaflet or something that'll come with it.

 

[kwalsh0000]

Depends on what you want to use it on. Apoxie sculpt seems to be great stuff, also milliput is good for alot of items, both reinforcement and detail work. MB Fibreglass supplies online UK & Ireland - mbfg.co.uk ship from up north and have a nice range. Upol/Bondo etc, needs a slight mixing of the hardener and the paste and it stinks!! Use a mask and use outside and it still stinks and is toxic so careful with it.

 

[steveo3002]

car body filler is a 2 part system , it will have directions most likely

usual mix is roughly one golf ball size plus one pea size blob of harder , mix it well and as fast as you can , you prob have a few minutes to apply it

best to roughen the surface before you apply it , 180 or so

heat speeds up the drying

 

[Destructor1701]

Great advice, guys, thanks!

 

[who45]

p38 as said or milliput.

milliput is excellent - 2 sticks that you mix and it becomes an epoxy, its sandable and sets harder than p38 does, has a workable long timeframe as it takes a few hours before it starts to set, and is rock hard overnight, its also able to be smoothed off with a wet finger after you have mixed the 2 parts up..... brilliant stuff imo id be lost without it

to be honest milliput is like wd40 - lots of uses

 

[steveo3002]

p38 as said or milliput.

milliput is excellent - 2 sticks that you mix and it becomes an epoxy, its sandable and sets harder than p38 does, has a workable long timeframe as it takes a few hours before it starts to set, and is rock hard overnight, its also able to be smoothed off with a wet finger after you have mixed the 2 parts up..... brilliant stuff imo id be lost without it

to be honest milliput is like wd40 - lots of uses

does it stand up to proper car paints etc once hard , never used this before , could you drill it and use screws in it once set?