Hot glue as a filler, instead of bondo!!

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:25 am

I have nearly finished my GBA addon for the Mini-Platform system, more details soon.

I had to fill in gaps from about 5mm-10mm thick for the case sides, and the screw post holes. I don't have bondo, so expanded on my technique I touched on previously - Put in a strip of paper in the hole, then pumped in hot glue around it to fill the hole; cut off most of the excess with a craft knife, then heated a butter-knife from the kitchen (a spare one!) on the gas hobs for a few seconds, and smoothed the hot glue. Excess glue evaporates in the heat and the hot knife has the advantage of melting into crevices to fill small gaps, and leaving a smooth surface. You can also use the knife to shape curved surfaces, etc.

The result isn't completely perfect, you can't sand the surface to finish the last bit; wouldn't be good enough for spray painting for a mirror finish unless you did a really good job or filling small areas, however if you are painting the surface, especially if you are after a textured surface effect, it is absolutely ideal and a quick method - minutes to finish not hours!

Thought I would share this with you.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:04 pm

If you build your case correctly you shouldn't need filler in the first place. My first two portables I had to use a small amount around the front panels because my precision wasn't the greatest then. Now my panels fit together without glue.

lovablechevy · Post by **lovablechevy** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:11 pm

DO NOT DO THIS! people often forget to take into consideration the fact that hot glue will bend and move. in other words, it can crack any paint or anything you try to put over it. i tried to take this quick/easy route for the nes cart slot cover for the handyduo. i really wish i hadn't cuz it's taking a lot more time to fix it now. here are some pics for reference.

the hot glue

the cracking (on the upper part of picture)

different angle

sorry, i could never get a great pic of the cracking, but trust me, as soon as i'd be done priming and sanding, it'd crack. and i didn't even use just hot glue. the front part of the "grills" were filled in with bondo. it was just the back half filled with hot glue.

this would be the best pic of the major cracking. it was taken after i had majorly sanded everything back down so i could bondo properly.

i would NEVER recommend this as a method of use for hot glue. it will save you tons of time and sanity later.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:54 pm

Rekarp - Only using the bottom half of the GBA case meant that there was a gap all around the system as the top half wasn't included; I also needed the side to be straighter than the original.

loveablechevy - Indeed, the reasons I am getting away with the method are that I am using a textured finish (so the effect you mention isn't an issue on my system as I haven't gone for a smooth finish, like you achieve) and the other reason is that the paint is fairly thickly applied (with a coat of varnish to finish off). The sides are screwed to the base in two places to stop movement and the back piece of perspex prevents the system moving when carts are inserted or removed, as well as three 90 degree pieces of perspex joining the base to the cart slot. Thus, the hot glue is to just finish off rather than taking stress; and due to the textured finish, any imperfections are invisible anyway.

Hot glue sections are not easy to cut nicely and you can't sand them, that is why melting with a flat piece of metal is the only viable option.

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:44 pm

Rekarp wrote:If you build your case correctly you shouldn't need filler in the first place. My first two portables I had to use a small amount around the front panels because my precision wasn't the greatest then. Now my panels fit together without glue.

Not all of us use wood.

SonyPortableizer · Post by **SonyPortableizer** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:45 am

The Queen of bondo used hot glue??????
Nuff' Said

lovablechevy · Post by **lovablechevy** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:06 am

SonyPortableizer wrote:The Queen of bondo used hot glue??????
Nuff' Said

that was back before i was the queen of bondo. before i knew what i was doing. i wouldn't even dream of doing such a thing anymore. at least not for this. securing wires down? sure. it's great for that!

SonyPortableizer · Post by **SonyPortableizer** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:36 pm

O.K. sorry then

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:30 pm

Very nice technique! I recomend it for small apllications like filler.

Bondo for everything large.

SS

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:17 pm

Sorry, fill me in.

Why is she the queen of bondo?

Is it because she is LadaADA, or perhaps because she is the only girl here, thus the queen of everything. Or maybe it's because she's good at bondo?

lovablechevy · Post by **lovablechevy** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:04 am

Kurt_ wrote:Sorry, fill me in.

Why is she the queen of bondo?

Is it because she is LadaADA, or perhaps because she is the only girl here, thus the queen of everything. Or maybe it's because she's good at bondo?

i'm not LadaADA... i'm lovablechevy!

i'm not the only girl here, i'm just the only really active one.

it's because i'm awesome at bondo/epoxy work. and because i'm a girl.

i mean, just look at my bondo work!

Gordon1 · Post by **Gordon1** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:34 pm

anotherperson wrote:A tin of decent putty will only set you back about $15... Considering the price of the electronic components that's the best $15 you'll spend on your project.

Paint won't adhere to hot glue of course so it's not really appropriate for cosmetic or structural stuff.

exactly!

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:53 pm

Kurt_ wrote:Or maybe it's because she's good at bondo?

Have you taken a close look at some of her work?

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:36 am

anotherperson wrote:Paint won't adhere to hot glue of course so it's not really appropriate for cosmetic or structural stuff.

Wrong, paint does stick very well to both perspex and hot glue. See my GBA project for my Mini project - didn't need to use any primer, just painted directly to the surfaces.

There are lots of types of paints, some better than others; the type I use is "feature wall" (wall paint), adhesion to the glue / perspex is top rate.

lovablechevy · Post by **lovablechevy** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:28 am

anotherperson wrote:but hot glue is elastic... paint may dry on its surface but in any kind of use it will certainly crack and flake off especially when the glue is depressed.

exactly what i was saying and showing in my earlier post here.