Guide content
Two body fillers come up over and over in any working refinish shop's supply order: Evercoat Rage Gold and US Chemical & Plastics All-Metal. New body techs sometimes ask which one is "better." Experienced techs already know the answer: they're for different jobs. Most working shops keep both on the shelf.
This guide breaks down what each one is, when to reach for which, and how to think about the trade-offs. AutofxMart is an authorized distributor of both Evercoat and USC, and we ship both same-day from California.
TL;DR — when to use which
- Rage Gold for the body filler workflow — general surface repair, dent fill, panel work
- All-Metal for joints, welds, edges, and anywhere strength-against-flex matters more than easy sanding
- Most working shops keep both — Rage Gold in the gallon and All-Metal in the quart
If you can only buy one, Rage Gold is the safer general-purpose choice. If you do collision work with weld repairs, you'll want All-Metal too.
What is Evercoat Rage Gold?
Rage Gold is Evercoat's premium polyester body filler — the workhorse most pros default to for general body work. It's been the working shop standard for two decades.
Key properties: - Sandability: Evercoat formulates Rage Gold with Hattonite, an ingredient that reduces heat and friction during aggressive sanding. The practical effect: Rage Gold sands faster and stays cooler under a DA sander than competitors. For repetitive sand-and-shape work, this matters. - Adhesion: Rage Gold includes ZNX-7, an adhesion promoter that bonds well to galvanized steel, aluminum, and properly prepped OEM-painted panels — relevant for modern collision work where most panels aren't bare steel. - Working time: ~3–5 minutes at 70°F (20°C); cures to sandable in ~15–20 minutes. - Temperature sensitivity: Working time roughly halves for every 20°F temperature rise. In a 90°F shop on a summer afternoon, you have 1–2 minutes of working time. Mix smaller batches. - Pinhole resistance: Lightweight, smooth formulation that pinholes less than budget fillers.
Where Rage Gold is the right choice: - General dent and surface repair on body panels - Skim coats over filler primer - Hood, fender, door, and quarter panel surface work - Final block sanding before primer
Where Rage Gold falls short: - Joints between two welded panels — Rage Gold can crack under flex - Repairs at panel edges where it'll get bumped or stressed - Direct over bare metal in high-stress areas — pair with a metal-strength backer
What is USC All-Metal?
USC All-Metal is a different beast. It's a metal-reinforced polyester filler designed specifically for high-strength applications.
Key properties: - Strength: All-Metal contains aluminum particles in the polyester resin matrix. The cured result is materially harder and more flex-resistant than standard body filler. - Sandability: Harder to sand than Rage Gold. Most techs use 36 or 80 grit on a DA to rough-shape All-Metal, then switch to Rage Gold or a glazing putty for the finish coats. - Adhesion to metal: Excellent adhesion to bare steel, including welded joints. The aluminum content gives it more "tooth" against the substrate. - Working time: Similar to Rage Gold — 3–5 minutes at 70°F. - Shelf life: Short. USC explicitly recommends buying All-Metal in quarts rather than gallons. The metal content can settle and the resin can stiffen in the can over months. Buy what you'll use in 60–90 days. - Cost: ~20–30% more per ounce than Rage Gold.
Where All-Metal is the right choice: - Welded panel joints — anywhere two pieces of metal meet that flex - Edge repairs — outer edge of a fender, lip of a rocker panel - Cab corner welds, quarter panel weld repairs - Anywhere strength matters more than smooth sandability
Where All-Metal is overkill: - General surface dent repair (just use Rage Gold, save the All-Metal for jobs that need it) - Hobbyist DIY work without weld repairs - Thin skim coats — All-Metal is meant to be the foundation, not the finish
The right workflow uses both
The professional pattern for a welded panel repair:
- Grind the weld smooth. 36–60 grit Cubitron II on a 5" DA.
- First fill — All-Metal over the welded joint and any bare metal. Apply ~1/16" to ~1/8" thick, focused on the welded area. This is the structural layer.
- Sand All-Metal to rough shape. 80 grit on the DA, then 120.
- Second fill — Rage Gold over the All-Metal and adjacent panel. This is the surface layer. Apply ~1/16" to feather across the original panel surface.
- Sand Rage Gold to finish. 80 → 150 → 220 → 320 on the DA.
- Final glaze (optional). Evercoat Z-Grip or 3M Acryl Putty to fill any remaining pinholes.
- Primer and paint.
This stack — All-Metal for structure, Rage Gold for surface — gives you the strength of metal-reinforced filler at the joint and the sandability of premium polyester filler at the surface. Trying to do both with one product compromises one or the other.
Side-by-side comparison
| Evercoat Rage Gold | USC All-Metal | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Premium polyester body filler | Metal-reinforced polyester filler |
| Best for | Surface dent repair, general body work | Welds, joints, edges, structural |
| Sandability | Excellent (Hattonite-formulated) | Harder, rough-shape only |
| Working time at 70°F | 3–5 min | 3–5 min |
| Cure to sandable | 15–20 min | 15–20 min |
| Adhesion | ZNX-7 adhesion promoter for galv steel + aluminum | Aluminum content bonds to bare steel |
| Strength | Standard for polyester filler | Materially higher — flex-resistant |
| Pinhole resistance | Excellent | Good (rough sand expected anyway) |
| Shelf life | ~1 year sealed | 60–90 days; buy quarts, not gallons |
| Cost (gallon) | ~$32–38 typical | ~$45–55 typical (and you should buy quarts) |
| Reach for when | Doing general body work | Welds, edges, repairs needing strength |
Common mistakes
1. Using All-Metal for general dent repair. It works, but it's expensive overkill and harder to sand. Save it for the jobs that need it.
2. Using only Rage Gold over a weld. Without a metal-reinforced backer, the filler can crack along the weld line under panel flex. Cars flex. Customers come back.
3. Buying All-Metal in gallons. Even at a busy shop, gallons of All-Metal tend to thicken in the can before you use them up. Buy quarts and reorder.
4. Sanding All-Metal with fine grit. It's hard. Start with 36 or 80 grit. Don't burn your DA pad trying to make 220-grit do the job.
5. Skipping the glaze step. Both Rage Gold and All-Metal can pinhole on aggressive sanding. A thin coat of Evercoat Z-Grip or 3M Acryl Putty over the sanded filler eliminates the pinhole risk and gives primer a perfect surface.
Where to source both
Both Rage Gold and All-Metal are sold through authorized distributors. AutofxMart carries:
- Evercoat Rage Gold — gallons, quarts, and the broader Evercoat line including Rage Ultra, Rage Xtreme, Z-Grip Glaze, Light Weight, and Z-Grip Liquid Glaze
- USC All-Metal — quarts, plus the broader USC line including Magnum, Power Glaze, and the Smart Stick adhesive system
Both ship same-day from South San Francisco on orders placed before 3pm Pacific Time. For West Coast shops, that means ordering Tuesday afternoon for Wednesday delivery — fast enough to land before a Thursday paint deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Rage Gold for welded panel repairs?
You can but you probably shouldn't. Rage Gold lacks the flex-resistance of a metal-reinforced filler like USC All-Metal at panel joints. For welded repairs that will see panel flex (most welds), apply All-Metal as the first layer over the weld, then Rage Gold over the top for the sandable finish.
Why does All-Metal have a short shelf life?
USC All-Metal contains aluminum particles in the polyester resin. Over months, the aluminum content can settle out of the resin and the can can stiffen. USC explicitly recommends buying quarts rather than gallons so you use it within 60–90 days while it's still in optimum condition.
Is Rage Gold the same as Rage Ultra or Rage Xtreme?
No — these are different Evercoat products. Rage Gold is the original premium polyester filler. Rage Ultra is a lighter-weight, even smoother-sanding variant. Rage Xtreme is formulated specifically for adhesion to OEM coatings and substrates including aluminum. For most general work, Rage Gold is the right baseline; Rage Xtreme is the better choice for direct application over modern OEM e-coat or aluminum panels.
What grits should I use to sand body filler?
For Rage Gold: 80 grit on the DA to rough-shape, 150 to refine, 220 to finish, 320 for the final pre-primer pass. For All-Metal: start at 36 or 80 grit because it's harder; if you need a smoother finish, switch to Rage Gold for the top layer rather than trying to fine-sand the All-Metal directly.
Does AutofxMart sell both in retail quantities?
Yes. AutofxMart sells Rage Gold and All-Metal at distributor pricing without trade-account requirements or minimum orders. DIY restorers and small shops get the same SKU and price as larger pro accounts.
How long does Rage Gold take to cure before sanding?
At 70°F (20°C) and properly cream-hardener-mixed (~2% by volume), Rage Gold cures to sandable in 15–20 minutes. In warmer environments (90°F+), cure is faster — be ready to sand within 8–12 minutes. In cold shops (below 60°F), cure can extend past 30 minutes; consider warming the panel or using a heat lamp.
Can I use these fillers over rust?
No. Both Rage Gold and All-Metal require sound substrate. Mechanically remove rust to bare clean metal (sand, blast, or grind), then apply an epoxy primer over the bare metal before filler. Skipping this step is the most common cause of filler failure — the rust continues spreading under the filler within months.
The honest verdict
This isn't a "which one is better" question. Rage Gold and All-Metal are designed for different jobs, and most working shops use both. If you're new to body work, start with Rage Gold and learn its sanding characteristics — it's the foundation skill. When you start doing weld repairs, add All-Metal to the shelf for the structural layer.
If you're a DIY hobbyist doing surface dent repair on a project car, Rage Gold alone is fine. If you're a working shop doing collision repair with welds and edge work, you need both.
Either way: buy from an authorized distributor, check the dating, and don't try to substitute one for the other.
Samer Dwaikat is the founder of AutofxMart, an authorized distributor of Evercoat, US Chemical & Plastics, and other professional auto body brands. AutofxMart ships same-day from South San Francisco, California. Questions: support@autofxmart.com, (415) 798-6167.
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