after using metal to metal filler, I went to clean the mixing board and putty knife, didn't know what to use. Earlier today the guy at my auto parts store told me not to use Varsol, as it will cause fish eyes later in final paint. He says I could use mineral spirits, or best is rubbing alcohol. What do you guys use to clean that dried filler off your tools?

You could use a disc sander or Lacquer thinner.

I have used the same metal mixing board and putty knife for the last 15 years! My plastic spreaders even last many, many months. I do all this by cleaning them with lacquer thinner and a 3M scuff pad, then wiping them dry with a rag. They are PERECTLY clean at all times. I mean, you could use the putty knife to cut your sandwich in half clean.

I keep the lacquer thinner in either a quart paint can that has a lid with a couple of holes in it. Or, a squeeze ketchup style bottle works well too.

Also, get in the habit of wearing the disposable latex gloves so you don't get the filler OR the thinner on your hands.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

By the way, mineral sprits is a very weak solvent and will hardly cut wet plastic filler let alone partially cured. I don't know where you are buying your paint but lacquer thinner is the standard of the industry for cleaning your bondo board and I have NEVER seen anyone use anything else in a body shop.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

thanks, laquer thinner it is. I have it in my shop and have used it for various other clean ups. I might try the ketchup bootle also. I forgot to use latex gloves in my first application, and I won't forget next time.

One more thing on the subject. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif You want your tools good and "tuned". That is, you want the edges clear of any burrs or bends. You metal putty knife should be able to be scraped on the mixing board with no "scrapeing" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif It should glide across the board like a razor on your face. It should NEVER be used for anything else like scraping gaskets, prying, etc. If it does get a little burr or something on the edge, sand it off. I lay a piece (or stick a piece of PSA paper) of sand paper (180 usually) on a FLAT piece of something like glass or metal and sand the edge like you are sharpening a knife. Do this with the plastic spreaders too. But with the plastic spreaders you want to move up to 320. The 180 will make little hairs on the edge.

Having those tools as clean and sharp as possible will add to your ability to spread the filler and putty out smoother and cleaner. This is VERY important with the skim coat. I even have different plastic spreaders for rough coats with filler and skim coats with putty. The nicest in the bunch is used for the putty skim coats.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

on the topic of tools, MartinSr, you refer to metal tools and mixing board. My first 2 applications of filler I used plastic board and plastic applicator. But the filler seems to stick like crazy to both. I would prefer to use metal putty knives and a metal board. What size putty knives do you use. I have a 3" and a drywall applicator, I think 9 inch wide, what will I typically use in between. What would be the best to make a mixing board out of? and how big is yours?

bhawk, I use a three inch wide very flexable putty knife. I have tried the metal plastic filler spreaders available at the autobody supply store and I just don't like them at all. I like to be able to change the thickness of the application by changing the pressure as I spread it. I couldn't do that with the metal spreaders on all but the flattest of panels. Well, MOST damage is not in the flat areas of panels. So I use a three inch wide plastic spreader for about 80 percent of my work and a little one inch for the detail and a five inch for really large panels.

I have a metal mixing board that has a built in handle I bought at the auto body store that works great. It is about 12x12 inches.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

I have a fiberglass mixing board and a metal putty knife. The putty knife is used only for removing the mud from the jar and mixing it together. Then use plastic spreaders to apply the mud to the car. The putty kinfe is around 3in wide, and the plastic spreader I use is I think 3in wide. Like what Martin said, the board and the tools must be spotless, it really does affect the way it applies. Nothing is worse then getting a piece of old dried filler in the middle of that panel.

Those cheap plastic boards are throw away units if you dont clean them. You have to clean them right way after apply the mud. I take my metal putty and scrap off the excess on the board. Then wipe down the board, putty knife and spreader with lacquer thinner. If you wipe them down with thinner after you get done, the mud wont stick to it, thats your problem...Eric

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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a buick baby
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

[This message has been edited by sevt_chevelle (edited 11-16-2002).]

Everyone has just about covered the good stuff. I, too, use a metal putty knife(3") for mixing the filler. Here's where I'm different. I keep a single edge razor blade with holder handy for cleaning off the putty knife...and nope, that putty knife is never used for anything else but mixing filler. For the plastic spreaders, I waste filler. I leave enough on the spreader's leading edge so that when it dries/cures, I just bend the spreader and it pops off leaving no damage.

Although it's not a factor with hobbyists, having lacquer thinner on one's workbench in an unlabeled, open container such as a can with holes punched in it or the plastic ketchup bottle is an OSHA writeup...a major writeup at that. You can sometimes negotiate a major writeup down to only a $2K fine.

Vette, we use both at the shop I work at. They are labeled though. Just had an OSHA inspection last April (after I broke my toe with the frame rack) and the ispector said that he did remember going to a shop of this size (28 employees) without ANY citations.
Yes, I only use the putty knife for scooping the filler out of the can and the mixing. I use it and the plastic spreader to clean each one off while mixing so no unhardened filler is left.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"