Shawn Collins, 3M senior technical services engineer, demonstrates the proper ratio of hardener to body filler and how to mix them.

Important notes (00:40)
Wear proper PPE: safety glasses, protective gloves, respirator and whatever else you need for the job. This video is intended for a professional setting such as a body shop or paint shop.

Get your mixing ratio in the right range (01:19)
The proper ratio is 2% hardener for the weight of the body filler, but it can vary from 1.5% to just under 3% depending on the temperature in the shop.

Weigh out your filler and hardener every so often (01:53)
This can be a helpful spot check, especially when the weather changes. Shawn shows what 2% looks like for various amounts of body filler.

Best practices for hardener (04:25)
1. Knead it really well to keep it from being watery.
2. Use fresh hardener. Try to keep it with the can of body filler it came with.
3. Dispense a little onto a paper towel first in case it’s still watery.
4. Use the same brand for both (3M™ hardener with 3M™ body filler).

Shawn demonstrates weighing (05:26)

Best practices for weighing (06:21)
1. Always close the lid on the body filler.
2. Don’t put the hardener directly on the filler.
3. Don’t weigh out too much at once.

You can draw a pattern for future reference (08:05)

The 2% can be adjusted slightly (08:23)
You might use a little bit less in the summer and a little bit more in the winter, but stay in the 1.5% to under 3% range.

Best practices for mixing (09:04)
1. Mix, don’t stir.
2. Keep flattening, and push all the air out as you flatten.
3. When you’re done, spread it in a thin layer over the board to get more work time.

Shawn demonstrates mixing (09:31)

Important note:
There are of course many factors and variables that can affect an individual repair, so the technician and repair facility need to evaluate each specific application and repair process, including relevant vehicle, part and OEM guidelines, and determine what is appropriate for that repair.

Products used in this video:

3M™ Platinum™ Plus Filler 01131
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/companyu...

3M™ Cream Hardener
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/companyu...

3M™ Disposable Paper Mixing Board 20382
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/companyu...

For more advanced tutorials, check out 3M Collision Repair Academy
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/collision...

You’ll find courses that will expand your knowledge, deliver practical procedures that you can use right away, and, in many cases, earn you ICAR credits.

Safety and Warranty Information

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/collision...

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