Friday, 8 February 2013

REVIEW: Dinitrol 6030 Metalised Body Filler


Special thanks to Mart and his Mustang - 1966 coupe V8 289. Thank you for sharing your review to the Frost community.
(Visit the original blog at http://onemanandhismustang.com/ )

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Dinitrol 6030 Metalised Body Filler

£20 – £30 for 2kg paste + 50g tube of hardener.

   

Background:

Bit of a stupid statement really. I suppose the only way I can give background is on the choice I made. I long time ago I had an old Audi 100 Avant (early ’80s), that went rusty on the aerial mount on the front wing. I purchased the Isopon P38 mix. Again it was mix it up and fill it up job. Yeah it worked but the rust came back trough the filler and sort of fell out the hole along with the rest of that part of the wing. Yes I did use rust treatment, Halfrauds own version, it was rotten as the wing and didn’t work obviously. I swore never to use Isopon again. I was looking on the net and there is much talk of the wing in a tin, Bondo. I have tried to get it here in the UK, without success and keep being pointed to the over priced Isopon. I use Frost for my restoration products and they had a few fillers on there. Dinitrol 6030 Metalised Body Filler (it will just be called Dinitrol going forward, I really can’t keep typin’ that little lot out). I spoke to Frost and they assured me it was good. I looked everywhere for reviews and nothing. So I decided to bite the bullitt and get some, was it any good?
There was no box, just the what it came in, a box with a lot of other stuff. There was the tin and there was the hardener shrink wrapped together. The size I got was the 2kg tin, I’m not sure if there are other sizes, but I reckon I will need this little lot for a start. Price, yeah it’s quite expensive but on a similar cost to P38. Now the book of words (or instructions) for this are impressive, it’s a two-part polyester vacuum processed product. What that means is it should be smooth and no pores (air pockets).

In the box:

There was no box, just the what it came in, a box with a lot of other stuff. There was the tin and there was the hardener shrink wrapped together. The size I got was the 2kg tin, I’m not sure if there are other sizes, but I reckon I will need this little lot for a start. Price, yeah it’s quite expensive but on a similar cost to P38. Now the book of words (or instructions) for this are impressive, it’s a two-part polyester vacuum processed product. What that means is it should be smooth and no pores (air pockets).
Dinitrol paste Dinitrol back Dinitrol hardener



Mixing:

Opening the tin will great your nose with that classic epoxy resin smell. Next was the colour, I say that because I was not sure what to expect, it was silver in colour. I expect the high levels of aluminium in the past had something to do with it! The surface had a little oil separation which was soon sorted out by the stirring of the paste until it had all gone. The consistency of the past is fairly thick, but not thick enough to support the applicator on its own when there is a little amount in the mixing tray. I use old take out plastic trays which are perfect for the job. I have used this one before and it still has the old batch of  filler stuck to the bottom of the plastic. Now this tray was non treated and shiny. The relevance being that I tried to crack it off the plastic to get a clean surface. That were not happening! I tried with a pallet knife, same, I couldn’t get it off. This made me smile as things were looking good from about two months ago where I used it on the headlight buckets. I purchased a set of three spreaders or applicators to use. The tiny ones are useless and give an uneven spread on larger surfaces. Treat yourself to a decent set.
needs a mix for the seperation fully mixed paste mix tray - not the old filler that I tried to get off!
It was stuck solid on the bottom



Take out an approximate amount of the paste required into the tray, and seal the tin back up. Next take the hardener and apply a small amount to the paste approx 2%. Not enough and it will take days to dry and remain sticky and clog the sander up. Too much and you have about two minutes to use it. The correct amount will give you six or seven minutes of mixed tub life to spread it. The hardener is bright pink to go with the silver paste. Any more colours and Andy Warhol could create the next best thing!
paste amount hardener mixing




Mixing in the paste still stays as silver. It does not change consistency at all. It just feels right like how a good paste should be, if that makes sense. Now get this: according to the book of words (instruction guide), this filler is able to fill cracks or dents to a depth of 10mm in vertical panels. Now if you have a dent that bad you should be banging it out to start with.

Application and Spreading:

Lifting the paste out does not drip or string away from the applicator. Placing it on the surface you are able to spread it with incredible precision. You can make it as thick as you like, or as thin as you like. There are no bubbles to burst, just a nice smooth creamy feel to it. You would think that with all the aluminium in their that it would be granular, but it’s honestly not, the eyes deceive you. I have gone a little over board with the application on the pictures here as I am also doing this as part of my Bumper Stone guard work which can be found here. The reason for the mess is to show how it works on the sanding and the results.
Dent from spanner? Application Dent filled
All over the dent Stamp marks from the underside Stamp marks being covered
Stamp filled Super fine fill

 Sanding:

When you sand this stuff down it is so easy. The sander will touch the filler and it goes away to an ultra fine white powder. This will sit in any low spots and show you where they are. If they are to low leave and apply a second coat. But, if you get this right, you only need to apply lot. Am I mad to say that? Nope, look at how I layered the filler on, just to prove the point I didn’t spread it out to well either. You can get it ULTRA fine while spreading, so fine you can see through it as the picture shows. They say you can start sanding after twenty minutes in ideal conditions. I left mine overnight in the utility room and sanded the next day. Perfect results.
Out came the Dewalt sander (review here), I will let you into little tip I have for you;
I keep my discs in a tub labeled up, so I don’t mix them up and I know what is where without having to huint for them. I found this tub in a stationers for a less than £1 on offer. I thought I would give it a go for that price. The dividers are card thats all. 10 mins to knock up and plenty of time saved. Or am I sad, maybe OCD?? let me know with a comment :-)
The sanding started with the 180g (grit), and done a quick run over the worst parts. It soon took it down to a workable level.Tip: The powder does tend to be so fine it will sit on the disks and fill them up. I use an old wire brush just to brush the build up off, which comes of real easy and then I start again.
The filler does not eat away at the discs and a constant changing of discs is not required. I then went up to the 240g and then the 320g. At this point running your fingers across the surface and it feels like glass. I mean its smooth. Yes there was a bit of bare metal exposed and there was a depth of filler. This is to level it all out. I got that result in about an hour!
first pass with 320grit, mirror finish 320grit on stamp

Results: 

How can you measure the results? Does it fall out or crack? Does it shrink? Does it sand?
The filler does not shrink, It does not crack and it sands smooth. I mean real smooth. The fact that it feels like glass and that is with only the 320g must say something. I have 400g to use as well but I didn’t need it. I will use that on rubbing down the high fill primer.  I mentioned that I could not get the previous use of filler of the bottom of the tray from plastic. I twisted it, bent it and chiseled it with a spreading knife, it stayed on. Under normal circumstances I don’t expect this stuff to crack peel or fall out. I have used it previously on my headlight buckets and they stayed in the shed over the -16deg we recently had weather wise. They are still as good as the day I put the filler in.
I love this stuff, I would serious recommend that if you want a quality filler, this will not let you down.

Rating: 10 out 10

What did it look like with the primer? Like new, thats what I looked like!
Second thin coat of high fill primer What dent?

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Eastwood Soda Blaster - just what you need for a new look!

Frost thank all our customers and friends for your support throughout 2012 and wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!! 
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If you are fan of TV car shows (especially Fifth Gear), you must know Jonny - an automotive journalist and TV presenter!
Few month ago, Jonny contacted us and got our attention with his fantasic new project: Enfield 8000 - A Great British Electric City Car! Shorter than a Mini but they cost a lot more in 1975 - The Enfield also was known as a lightweight, green, very rare car (only about 108 or 120 were made). Therefore, after Jonny told us about his idea, we was so excited to see the return of history!

ORIGINAL ENFIELD 8000 TECH SPEC

BODYSHELL: Handbuilt aluminium two-seater
CHASSIS: Square-section tubular steel space frame
SUSPENSION: Coil-over McPherson strut front, four-link rear axle
MOTOR: 8hp / 6kw / 150amps
BATTERIES: 8 x 12v 55-amp hour lead acid batteries
TOP SPEED: 40mph
PERFORMANCE: Erm. Well, 0-30mph in 12.5 seconds
RANGE: 35-55 miles, depending on climate and quantity of hills
WEIGHT: 975kg (a lot for such a midget - over 300kg is batteries)
LENGTH: A mere 2.84m / 112" (a Mini was 3.05m / 120")
WHEELBASE: Just 1.725m / 68" (a Mini was 2.04m / 80.3")
FUEL: 240v mains Economy Seven

Want to know more about the Enfield? Click here...
Want to know more about Jonny's car? Click here...  


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(Smith, J., 2011, Jonny's Flux Capacitor Blog, Internet source: http://www.flux-capacitor.co.uk/blog.php  

I Hate That Blue Paint

It was time to collect the Enfield from Webster Race Engineering and begin stripping the bodyshell of 30-odd years of paint, filler and primer. Webster had finished everything bar the front brakes.
They’d fitted new hard brake lines, fabricated a new master cylinder reservoir and plumbed in a Moroso line-lock. The latter is for gripping the front wheels when you want to warm the rear rubber. A big naughty smoky poetic burnout.
The paint and bodywork was going to be taken care of Tim at Roadhouse Retro (www.roadhouseretro.com) in Stamford. He’s a good mate and is not only immensely talented, but also has such an infectious passion for the history behind each old car that passes through his workshop. The craftsmanship he did on my ’73 Ford Taunus coupe and ’68 Charger were second to none.
The Flux Cap was put on a dolly, as the back axle still hadn’t returned from the powdercoaters. This was a blessing, as it’ll be easier to paint the newly fabricated rear suspension and chassis mods.
With the weather baking hot, we decided to crack on with paint removal. As opposed to using solvent based chemicals, I decided to try stripping using a soda blaster. Borrowed from FROST  (www.frost.co.uk) the blaster connects to a compressor and basically fires out bicarbonate of soda powder from a nozzle.
It’s no harm to lungs or the environment, which is why I was happy to blast away outdoors. Although breathing apparatus and a cap for your head is recommended. Once I got in the zone, the soda blaster seemed perfect at bringing back the bodyshell to its pure bare aluminium skin, especially in the creases where a conventional sander couldn’t reach.

You can see from the pics that I’m doing the gutters and panel creases first. Because the whole bodyshell was hand made from aluminium we’re finding where all the joins and rivets are. There’s a fair wad of filler in places, and I’ve unearthed some holes in the sill but we’re hoping that the big strip goes smoothly. The sooner that NHS blue paint disappears the better!
Hell, even that (totally obsolete and totally priceless. Probably) windscreen came out without drama.
(Jonny Smith - To read full blog, click here  

Monday, 30 July 2012

Frost Heavy Duty Citrus Degreaser

This industrial degreaser will remove stains, coatings or deposits of oil, grease and dirt. Frost Heavy Duty Citrus Degreaser leaves little or no deposit and does not cause corrosion of metals. Aerosol jet can get into difficult corners.

It is marked 16/20 by Practical Classics Magazine (August, 2012) - Do you dare to try? Click here...

Thursday, 26 July 2012

Have you seen a classic Rochdale Olympic?

Eight classic Rochdale sports cars gather to welcome Olympic Torch runners on their way to the 2012 Games in London 

By: Paul Duchene

When the Olympic Torch passed through the Lancashire town of Rochdale last month, on its way to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the city had a chance to celebrate a 52-year anniversary.
In 1960, Rochdale Motor Panels was on the crest of a wave with the smash-hit GT model, and named the ground-breaking new monocoque car after the Rome Olympics taking place that year. The Rochdale Olympic was only the second true glassfibre monocoque road car ever made (the first was the Lotus Elite), and about 400 were built between 1959-72.
Torchbearers perform the historic handover in front of the Rochdale cars (Photo courtesy of Malcolm McKay)

Fifty-two years later, the Olympic torch arrived in Rochdale and members of the Rochdale Owners Club overcame local flooding and the wettest day of the year to enjoy the celebrations. Eight brightly-coloured Rochdales drove from all over the country to form the centre part of the town’s celebrations, and Rochdale’s Cultural Trust, Link4Life, hosted a dinner for ROC members, past workers, and families of the original designer and owners.
The cars were displayed in front of the Town Hall for the day, and went on to form part of the Olympic procession through the centre of town. Looking surprisingly modern, they received the warmest of Lancashire welcomes, especially from the many people who had known the firm and its workers years ago.
Designed by Richard Parker – whose widow and daughter made the trip from Bristol to be part of the day – the Rochdale Olympic was named after the 1960 Rome Olympic Games and was built in the town by Rochdale Motor Panels from 1960 to 1972. The company pioneered glassfibre car construction, making aluminium car bodies from 1948 and glassfibre from 1954.
Chairman of the ROC, Ron Scarfe said, “It was an unforgettable day and a chance also to meet family members of Frank Butterworth who founded Rochdale Motor Panels with Harry Smith in 1948 along with employees of the company.”
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(Reference: Duchene, P., (2012), Rochdale lights torch to its Olympic past, hagertyinsurance.co.uk, [Online] Available: click here)

Monday, 25 June 2012

Testing Time

( Grace P., 2012, The Royal Enfield, Issue 2)
- Running rich or feeling lean?
- We test a nifty gadget for checking carburetter settings 

Tingkering and fettling, they are lovely words aren't they? They imply a sense of competent non-threatening servicing, to be enjoyed with a mug of strong coffee and dulcet tones of Radio 4 serenading in the background, within a snug and purposeful shed
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Hold that thought for a moment. It’s wonderful when your motorcycle is working perfectly and requires no major maintenance work. One’s leisure time can then be spent perfecting its running and keeping its cosmetics in shiny good order. Bliss. No rush to get that engine back together from an exploding big-end, or that clutch replaced before the annual club summer rally and ‘drinkathon’; instead, some quality fettling time, with little risk of failure and ridicule from your chums.

One such fettling task is adjusting the carburetter on the old faithful, a nice tweaking job if you have the right tools. 

Many people suggest using a ‘plug chops’ technique to set up the fuelling on old motorcycles. A technique that involves riding the motorcycle under load at four different speeds between idle and full throttle, then, killing the ignition abruptly and coasting – hopefully – quite elegantly to halt. Next, scalding your fingers by quickly pulling the hot spark plug and examining its burnt colour, and finally refitting a new clean spark plug for the next run. So that’s 4 runs with 4 different throttle openings and 4 new spark plugs, one for each run. Are you still with me?
Not an easy or safe task, and to be honest, not that useful these days with our unleaded petrol and all its additives.
Alternatively, for a relatively small sum of money it is possible to purchase a Colortune kit to actually look inside the combustion chamber, gasp, and thus see the actual colour of the combustion flame front. It becomes easy to understand and adjust the fuelling, noting the visual effect that adjustments have on the colour (and therefore fuel/air ratio) of the combustion.
I obtained my Colortune from www.frost.co.uk who also stock low cost adaptors, so it can be used on other vehicles too. The 14mm size is usually the most useful one. Before using the Colortune kit and making adjustments, firstly warm up the motorcycle so it can idle without using choke, and then remove the spark plug. As you can see from the example in the photo, this motorcycle seems to be set up fairly well anyway, with the plug electrode displaying a nice beige tone.

If the plug is dry and sooty then you may have a fault with excessive fuelling; if it is oily then it’s possible that engine wear may make adjustments difficult. 

 In place of the normal spark plug you screw in the special Colortune Transparent plug. It only needs to be just a fraction more than finger tight to take care not to over-tighten it! Next, screw the HT extension lead into the Colortune plug whilst the other end connects to the spark plug cap. The insulator on the Colortune plug is glass rather than ceramic – the area around the white centre – so you can look down into the centre of the plug and actually see the combustion taking place.
With the engine running just above idle speed you can clearly see and orange glow on the inside of the spark plug.

 Just a fraction of a turn anti-clockwise on the air-screw on the side of the Amal Concentric carburetter enables you to trim the colour of the combustion to the correct blue hue.
Too far and the colour will turn white, indicating and unwanted lean burn situation. 
 
You can use the Colortune to check the combustion at other engine speed too, rather than just at idle. The instructions that come with the kit describe what to expect at various throttle opening, to perhaps diagnose an incorrect main jet or slide, or even a defective accelerator pump on such equipped carburetters.
I tend to prefer using my experience and ‘feel’ to set these up, or if it’s a very complex problem by using a Dyno rolling road with an air/fuel ratio print out at a local specialist.
However, for most simple classic motorcycles the Colortune should be more than adequate. It’s especially useful when faced with twin carb equipped engines. Each air-screw can be set spot on using the Colortune, then, the idling balanced using an air gauge.

When you are finished, simply give the Colortune plug a clean with some brake cleaner using the small brush provided in the kit, then pack everything safely away for the next time it is needed. I use and old wooden wine box to ensure all the various parts are kept together.

“Look after your tools and they will last a lifetime” as my old dad used to say.
Using the Colortune kit is a rewarding yet simple bit of fettling, when carried out in the comfort of a well-ventilated shed.
Go on, treat yourself to another cuppa with the feeling of the job well done! 

Paul Grace
(Full Magazine is available at: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/402366)