Epoxy / JB Weld type of options?

[Fry]

O.K. I was hoping to get some advice on the available JB Weld / Epoxy type of products out there.

I need a product that has the following characteristics:

1.) Able to bond metal together.

2.) Become solid.

3.) Sand able.

4.) Paint able.

In the below picture you'll see the 1st set of side panels I created out of perforated steel plate, I have since made a set that fits a lot tighter. Anyway I was going to cover the side panel to frame seam after tacking it in with the welder, with a rubber hose similar in size to fuel line which would be cut down the middle leaving a flat side of tubing to be glued to the side panel frame seam area, with the half rounded edge providing a finished outward appearance. However my welds didn't come out so good and are very sloppy, the panels are in there but grinding them smooth and being able to cover them with the rubber tubing will be a Buddha Loves You, so I'm thinking if I got some type of epoxy or bondo or JB weld product I could apply that to the seam area smoothing it out like window caulking. This way it will hide the welds and I can make a consistent bead all the way around the perimeter of the seam. Again I need something thats able to be sanded, painted and will provide some type of additional bonding mechanism to supplement the crappy welds if they decided to go south.



So what product(s) would you recommend? Were can I get it? Thanks.

[laserred97gt]

Not sure how to say this without sounding rude, but possibly you should take a welding class at your local college.  It shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred dollars, and it is a skill that will last your whole life.

With proper welds, little to no cleanup should be needed.

I hope you don't find this offensive. 

[Fry]

Not at all, something I've been thinking about doing.

I can Arc, Mig and Tig. Problem is though that even with the Mig the material (Perforated Sheet) was really thin without a constant seam to weld in, plus I didn't prep the materials all that well and got a bit of contamination.

But yeah, I could use some education.

Now back to the topic at hand, any materials out there that will suit the bill?

[mojonixon]

I use to race radio control boats and we used to take the fiberglass resin and mix it up with chopped/ground fiberglass cloth(it looks like dust) to thicken it and used to fill in seams where the hull meats the deck, worked real well and sanded pretty easy, was quite strong too. You can make it as thick or loose as you want depending on the use. Any good fiberglass supply shop should have all of this stuff.

[beRto]

Why not just use JB Weld?

[DoD#i]

JB weld, plastic steel both fill the bill, as does the other suggestion for filled epoxy (which is what those both are). Bondo-glass would be another. You could also just use polyurethane construction adhesive, which behaves just like caulk because it comes in a caulking tube, and has been doing dirty work in autobody from at least 1994, if not earlier. It's even black and rubbery, though I'm pretty sure it also takes paint.

[Fry]

Poly construction adhesive takes paint? I've found most types of silicone type caulking to not take paint well?

JB sets up kinda quick, but if I were organized I should be able to go with it.

I just need something that will lay down a nice consistent bead and be able to be painted.

Thanks guys

[DoD#i]

Silicone doesn't. My recollection is that polyurethane does, because I recall that the guys who painted my last truck (so I can't just go look at it) used poly for several little things, and I think it took paint - on the other hand, if you wanted a black rubbery edge to begin with, so you could just put it on neatly and you'd be there.

[Fry]

Actually now that I think of it, a black rubbery finish wouldn't be all that bad....Looks like I'll wait til I paint the frame and panels before I apply it.