Tips on recreating OEM seam sealer

Diesel42 · 05-27-08, 10:24 PM

My bodies completely redone and now in epoxy primer, The vertical area just behind the driver/passenger doors(where rockers meet/join) the rear quarter panel and where the cowl meets the upper cowl(just below the windshield frame has factory seam seal which almost looks like it squeezed out durong the attaching of the panels. I left these areas open rather than cover over them with body work so that it remains factiry look. My question is how have the resto guys recreated this look with a tube of seam sealer without it looking poor? I need to recreat a perfect bead across all the areas. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks

Project60 · 05-28-08, 07:04 PM

I haven't tried it myself, but I read about it in Buck's restore threads. He puts tape on either side of the seam, lays down the seam sealer, then uses his finger to smooth it out. When he is done, he pulls the tape up and gets two perfect edges with a smooth center.

Hope it helps...

Wile E Coyote · 05-28-08, 08:12 PM

Buck's got it. That sounds like it'd do great for a DIY trick.
I wish I'd done that for my seam sealing adventure. It took a few tries to look acceptable, and it never looked as good as factory.

Diesel42 · 05-28-08, 10:06 PM

Yea that's what i,m worried about. The factory look has a rounded seam. The tape is excellent for creating the outside lines but i don't want a square seam but rather a round bead. I was thinking of using the tape, then creating a half round shape by using a small chainsaw file and filing a half round from a wooden paint stirring stick. Rather than using my finger, hopefully this would give a nice consistant bead then pull off the tape. What do you guys think?

cruiserbrett · 05-29-08, 07:34 PM

i found the seam sealer shrinks a bunch so a bottom coat filled the gap, but dried and shrank into the gap. a second layer with a steady hand and small tip opening filled the first layer and shrunk down to a nice bead.

Diesel42 · 05-29-08, 10:59 PM

Good point, i'll keep that in mind.Thanks guys

webelk6 · 06-04-08, 07:46 PM

If you can assimilate applying seam sealer like laying a bead of caulk, it may help. Cut the tip(if using a caulk gun) at a perfect angle. Carry a rag at all times, and after every run, wipe the tip to keep it clean. Also keep a steady pressure on the trigger and moving the gun at exactly the same speed while laying the bead.
Good Luck
Scott

05-27-08, 10:24 PM	#1
Diesel42 IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 417	Tips on recreating OEM seam sealer My bodies completely redone and now in epoxy primer, The vertical area just behind the driver/passenger doors(where rockers meet/join) the rear quarter panel and where the cowl meets the upper cowl(just below the windshield frame has factory seam seal which almost looks like it squeezed out durong the attaching of the panels. I left these areas open rather than cover over them with body work so that it remains factiry look. My question is how have the resto guys recreated this look with a tube of seam sealer without it looking poor? I need to recreat a perfect bead across all the areas. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks __________________ 1983 BJ42 1978 FJ40-Sold 1975 FJ40-Sold

05-28-08, 07:04 PM	#2
Project60 IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Thornton, CO Posts: 479	I haven't tried it myself, but I read about it in Buck's restore threads. He puts tape on either side of the seam, lays down the seam sealer, then uses his finger to smooth it out. When he is done, he pulls the tape up and gets two perfect edges with a smooth center. Hope it helps... __________________ 83 FJ60, major project in progress Check out status of the build: http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/128847-83-fj60-build-up-thread.html

05-28-08, 08:12 PM	#3
Wile E Coyote IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lake Havasu and Kingman, AZ Posts: 1,145	Buck's got it. That sounds like it'd do great for a DIY trick. I wish I'd done that for my seam sealing adventure. It took a few tries to look acceptable, and it never looked as good as factory. __________________ ="Are you gonna sit there on that friggin computer all day or what?" The desert dwellin, roadrunner chasin, soooper-genius! '90 FJ 62, '08 Scion head unit, chopped quarters and rockers, bedlined exterior, and mostly stock. My soft wheeler and DD. '85 Dodge Ramcharger a little built, and a little beat. My hard wheeler.

05-28-08, 10:06 PM	#4
Diesel42 IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 417	Yea that's what i,m worried about. The factory look has a rounded seam. The tape is excellent for creating the outside lines but i don't want a square seam but rather a round bead. I was thinking of using the tape, then creating a half round shape by using a small chainsaw file and filing a half round from a wooden paint stirring stick. Rather than using my finger, hopefully this would give a nice consistant bead then pull off the tape. What do you guys think? __________________ 1983 BJ42 1978 FJ40-Sold 1975 FJ40-Sold

05-29-08, 07:34 PM	#5
cruiserbrett IH8MUD Lifer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,213	i found the seam sealer shrinks a bunch so a bottom coat filled the gap, but dried and shrank into the gap. a second layer with a steady hand and small tip opening filled the first layer and shrunk down to a nice bead. __________________ Brett Lotsa cruisers and little time.

05-29-08, 10:59 PM	#6
Diesel42 IH8MUD Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 417	Good point, i'll keep that in mind.Thanks guys __________________ 1983 BJ42 1978 FJ40-Sold 1975 FJ40-Sold

06-04-08, 07:46 PM	#7
webelk6 Brewers in '08! Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: God's Country Posts: 680	If you can assimilate applying seam sealer like laying a bead of caulk, it may help. Cut the tip(if using a caulk gun) at a perfect angle. Carry a rag at all times, and after every run, wipe the tip to keep it clean. Also keep a steady pressure on the trigger and moving the gun at exactly the same speed while laying the bead. Good Luck Scott __________________ 04/75 fj40 slowly under resto...... build thread http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/99015-04-75-frame-off.html '94 FZJ80 (DJ81) with 14k gold emblems(wifes) '06 Tundra/Work Truck Model Iforce V-8 ( paint/estimating rig)

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