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Old 05-19-2011, 08:21 PM   #21
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Post Definition: Gel Coat

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Originally Posted by LurkerDan View Post
I have done enough reading to know that I'm supposed to "gel coat" the trailer or it has gel coat on it (?), but I don't really know what that is. Is it like paint? Like caulk? Do I just get a tub of "gel coat" and slap it on those cracks/"holes"?
I got this definition from http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f54/paint-22670.html ; a Legacy Post. I think it's a good explanation for a total

gel coat: Gel coat is an opaque, colored top coat applied to fiberglass. It is intended to give a smooth, uniform surface to the blotchy, ugly fiberglass. It is relatively soft, and scratches pretty easily, so use cleaners with care. Trailers are built outside first -- The gelcoat is applied to the mold (which should be slicker'n goose grease to get a shiny finish) and then the fiberglass is hand-laid or gunned (reportedly there's a difference between Scamp and Casita on this, but I dunno for sure) to the gelcoat. After the shells are removed from the molds, the rest of the stuf, like floors, wiring, insulation, carpet, cabinets, etc. are added. Gelcoat and clearcoat are two completely different animals except that they are usually (Corvettes not withstanding) the outside layer.
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Old 05-20-2011, 07:58 AM   #22
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when backing your trailer place one hand on the bottom center of the steering wheel. Your trailer will move in the same direction as you move this hand.
Lee this was without a doudt the **best** advise I as a newbee was ever given! Until someone told me this I hated having to back up - now its easy.
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Old 05-20-2011, 05:10 PM   #23
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Lee this was without a doudt the **best** advise I as a newbee was ever given! Until someone told me this I hated having to back up - now its easy.
Carol Until I discovered this little trick in a trailering magazine watching me park our trailer was the primary source of entertainment in any campground that I visited. Lee
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Old 05-21-2011, 12:05 AM   #24
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Dan, I see you already have some answers for your issues depicted in your pic's. (I so don't know how to do most of this stuff, so I can't give you an opinion on which way is best. But there are many helpful people here that you will get guidance for most any project.) As far as fiberglass repair, any boat shop can do it as well............


I just saw your in Boulder, I am in Greeley so I thought I would pass along 2 Rally's happening here in Colorado this summer/fall.


http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...1-a-45152.html


http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...1-a-45083.html



Try and join us. Even if you don't have your trailer done. It will be fun.




As for Gel Coat, you might want to check out this topic. Members using a different product and having success doing so.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ell-43004.html
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Old 05-21-2011, 09:03 AM   #25
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Thanks Robin! I had seen the Camp Hale one, and was interested, but it is midweek which is tough for us weekend warriors. But the Cherry Creek one in September is very possible. We'd love to meet some locals or semi-locals!
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Old 05-21-2011, 09:46 AM   #26
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Dan, There are locals but even our first Rally we had egg'ers from outta state. You guys should join us, it will be fun. And you will get lot's of ideas how to make your trailer the perfect trailer for you. Plus it really is fun!
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Old 05-22-2011, 10:31 AM   #27
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Propane: the camper has a stove and heater (no fridge), I have not checked those yet (was told they worked by the seller -- who seemed like an honest guy -- but we didn't have a tank to hook up to check). Guess I should check them. I'm assuming that the RV place can check out the system for leaks too, right?
Well, hooked up my propane tank and they seem to work! Took a while for them to fire up, I'm guessing it took a while for the propane to fill the line? And the furnace was kinda noisy/squealy, but they both work!

The furnace turned on as a fan first, then eventually heat kicked in. And when I turned it to "off", it kept running for a little bit. Is that normal? To make sure that the propane is burned off and the heat dissipated?

Also, should I get a battery operated CO2 detector? Something else?
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Old 05-22-2011, 11:01 AM   #28
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Cool

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Originally Posted by LurkerDan View Post
Took a while for them to fire up, I'm guessing it took a while for the propane to fill the line?

And when I turned it to "off", it kept running for a little bit. Is that normal? To make sure that the propane is burned off and the heat dissipated?
It does take a completely empty gas line a couple of minutes to "charge" kind of like a fire hose or other water hose takes a while to push all the air out as it fills.

That's exactly how my heater works. The fan continues to run after the gas is turned off to cool the heater. It prevents contact burns that way.
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Old 05-22-2011, 11:07 AM   #29
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Post Definition: Rat Fur

I got this from http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...fur-34803.html.

Rat Fur is the nick-name we've applied to the marine carpet-like material that Scamp has been using since the late '80s as a wall covering (it is glued to a layer of Reflectix, which is glued to the fiberglass -- Reflectix is a layer of plastic bubbles sandwiched between two layers of reflecting foil).

Prior to Rat Fur, Scamp used a thick layer of Ensolite foam glued to the fiberglass; that is nick-named Elephant Hyde.
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Old 05-22-2011, 11:17 AM   #30
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Post A respected teacher, no longer with us.

I always filter my advanced searches for Newbie topics with the "Search by User Name" function, to type in a specific person's name to limit the search to that person's posts or topics.

Pete Dumbleton was a patient explainer of all things FGRV to new members.
While he recently lost his long battle with Tongue Cancer, his spirit lives on in our archives.

Safe travels, old friend.
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Old 05-22-2011, 06:16 PM   #31
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"My problem is that I am so overwhelmed with the whole thing."
You are not alone. I feel that way about every other day with my Scamp project.

I just keep telling myself that a journey of a thousand begins with one step.
(Confucius? I don't know for sure)

There is so much I want to do to mine that I get distracted. I am working on choosing one project and seeing it to completion and before I know it, it'll be finished..._________

Leaving a blank space for the wise acre comments
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Old 05-22-2011, 08:12 PM   #32
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Dan, I find that when I first turn the propane on it helps if I light the stove before anything else. It does take a minute or two to fill the lines. Some times it takes more than one attempt to get it to light - but once you get it light the first time you should have no problems after that.

My heater also acts the same way.
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Old 05-22-2011, 08:13 PM   #33
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Glad to know that my heater and stove both work the way they're supposed to!
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Old 05-31-2011, 09:05 AM   #34
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"bag awning" is another term I have come across that I don't completely understand.
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Old 05-31-2011, 01:03 PM   #35
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Hi: LurkerDan... Quite simply it's an awning that stays attached to your trailers awning rail...enclosed in a bag. It kinda hangs in there poles and all, and you open the bag, pull it out, and tie the polls to the ground with ropes and stakes. Interwest Sports sells a lot of them.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 05-31-2011, 03:55 PM   #36
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Thanks, Alf. I did not know what that meant either. We use a First Up, so we don't worry about an awning, but I always wondered what kind of awning was.

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Old 05-31-2011, 06:02 PM   #37
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Our pop up had one. Tripping over the rope was a problem on the one we had.
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Old 06-01-2011, 09:51 AM   #38
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Thanks Alf!
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Old 08-02-2011, 10:10 AM   #39
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Change for a nickel, Danno?

Forgive the thread hijack.
Another Colorado Newbie Egg Jong dummie here.
Learning a lot form this thread and others.

(One tip I can pass on I don't think has been mentioned; you can easily find propane leaks by spraying soapy water on all the connections and looking for bubbles.)

Think you're overwhelmed? Wait till you see ours! At least you have the heater. we have basically an empty egg.
Glassed in cabinets and most of the stove are there, no walls, ceiling, no pads or curtains. Starting from scratch, woo hoo!

Hoping to have it in a roughly camping-ready condition for the annual sand dune trip this year! Hoping maybe we can both tow our "projects" down there!
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Old 08-02-2011, 06:15 PM   #40
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Houston we may have an infestation; 3 maggots, run for the hills! Welcome Bondo. Will you guys be up and running for this- Stage 2 | USA Pro Cycling Challenge
Be nice to see a collection of glass-on-the-pass TDF stylie.
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