Plastic Spreader

The basic spreader. Flexible enough to follow a hull curve, stiff enough to pull filler flat, and cheap enough that a kicked batch costs you a tool you were going to throw away anyway. Three widths so you can match the spreader to the repair instead of fighting a 6 in blade on a 2 in gouge.

• Available in 4 in, 5 in and 6 in widths
• For epoxy, polyester, body filler and fairing compound
• Flexible blade follows compound curves
• Wipes clean with acetone if you catch it before the resin gels

Hold a shallow angle and pull in one pass. Working filler back and forth pulls it out of the low spots you were trying to fill. Buy them a handful at a time rather than one at a time, because a fresh, unnicked edge is what makes a fairing pass read flat.