desprit dan wrote:I've used polyester spray filler several times, and in all cases found that it takes days to harden up sufficiently to be sanded......
........Plastic padding used to do a flexible filler, it was impossible to sand smooth, as it was too soft; unfortunately,there is no quick fix.
Not being rude, but are you sure you put the activator in?
I've Used "U-Pol Reface" spray filler, in good weather and the only problem I had was getting it out of the gun before it cured. It dries and behaves much the same as conventional filler paste and is sandable in a short time. A trade aquaintance of mine used it on most of his everyday body repairs.
You are perfectly correct that all the coats should be left as long as possible to thoroughly dry and harden before susequent coats are applied. If you need to paint an Elan in a hurry, my advice is
don't!Yes, you are thinking of so called "Plastic Padding Elastic". There have been lots of fillers over the years making all sorts of bold claims but in my experience of using many kilos of them they are all much the same. Some are finer, some sand easier and some pinhole less but they are all designed to be the final shaping skim over proper repairs (be they on glass or steel)
We all have to do quickie trade repairs to earn a living but if it's a car you value and you want it to last there is only one way to do it and that's properly.