Bondo mix color... different answers?

[payment_due]

I've searched around, here, google and a few other boards and have gotten some conflicting answers. The most common is that when bondo is mixed with hardener, it turns pink.  Others say it should be green! Still others say dark red. I got some Bondo-Glass the other day and mixed a very small batch to patch a small notch in my cab. When I mixed it, the substance turned dark red, almost maroon.  It's currently curing right now so I'm not sure how well it will turn out but is there a difference in 'ready-color' when it comes to Bondo and Bondo-Glass?

[Todd H]

I just finished rebuilding some corners on my Dynamo cabinet with bondo. When mixed mine was pink, which made sense since the bondo was white and the hardner was red. I made sure this was correct by asking my uncle, who used to own an autobody repair shop. You didn't use too much hardener did you? It only takes a small amount.

[payment_due]

Well the weird thing is that my bondo (which is Bondo-Glass) is dark green in its first form.

I figured I used too much hardener for my first attempt, so on my next for my other repairs I just just a tiny bit, and the stuff was still dark green.

[Todd H]

Could just be a difference between what I used and the Bondo Glass. I know with the bondo I used it cured pretty fast (so fast that you have to make sure to start using it immediately) and hardened really well. If yours does the same then I wouldn't worry about it.

[SnApRoLl]

Normal Bondo with the gray resin and red hardener should be just a hair darker than a pink Crayola crayon when mixed.
You don't want it to be red when mixed because it will be mixed too "Hot" in fact you will feel heat fairly quickly from the chemical reaction between the resin and hardener if you mix in too much hardener. Also if you mix Bondo too hot it will be brittle when it dries and end up cracking over time. Trust me!! I have had this happen to me when doing body work on some old cars I had. Also if you mix it too pail or too "Cold" it will take a long to time to set and even then it will never set properly and it will have a rubbery consistency and will never sand right! Also, you should allow Bondo cure over night and keep it out of a moist atmosphere because that stuff will soak moisture up like a sponge and it will ruin it!!

Hope this helps,

Shawn

[mountain]

Normal Bondo with the gray resin and red hardener should be just a hair darker than a pink Crayola crayon when mixed.
You don't want it to be red when mixed because it will be mixed too "Hot" in fact you will feel heat fairly quickly from the chemical reaction between the resin and hardener if you mix in too much hardener. Also if you mix Bondo too hot it will be brittle when it dries and end up cracking over time. Trust me!! I have had this happen to me when doing body work on some old cars I had. Also if you mix it too pail or too "Cold" it will take a long to time to set and even then it will never set properly and it will have a rubbery consistency and will never sand right! Also, you should allow Bondo cure over night and keep it out of a moist atmosphere because that stuff will soak moisture up like a sponge and it will ruin it!!

Hope this helps,

Shawn

I suggest reading the directions and adding a little more if you want it to cure faster. If you are just repairing some side damage, mixing it "hot" will be fine. I always mix it hot and from the time I am mixing it until the time a I start sanding...about 20-30 minutes.