You Can Repair Fiberglass

[rabbit]

By it's very nature, heavy bundles of strands, surface offset of warp and woof, cloth is harder to wet out, harder to remove all air from, sensitive to deformation from snagging when draping, just plain stubborn about lying down! Fabmat is the ticket. I never liked removing dry voids from cloth layups and you will be if you try sticking it in the kind of itty bitty depressions talked about here.

jack

[dylanear]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

My Bad.
Your profile reads California, I assumed you might be close to some water.

Yes, I suppose it does. And my legal address is in California, but I haven't lived there for more than a few months at a time since '08. I'm a rolling stone these days. NM now, soon to be BC.

I'm sure there's mat to be had in Albuquerque, I just need to keep looking.

[Perk]

Dave,

I would appreciate your suggestions on two sites on my U-Haul that I need to have addressed. I uploaded three pictures in my album so you have an idea as to what the damage looks like. Photos 24 and 25 are of the right rear tail light area and photo 42 is a running light on the rear of the trailer. I appreciate your help. I will travel tomorrow to NM and pick up my trailer from a RV service center where an electrical challenge was being resolved. I anticipate removing the rt rear tail light to better understand what damage there is and will take additional photos.

Thanks

Perk

Originally Posted by D White

Actually, I was hoping for questions just like yours, and I hope I was of some value in your quest to improve your trailer and expand your ability to do it yourself. One sucessful do it yourself project also gives you confidence to do more and more.

[D White]

Originally Posted by Perk

Dave,

I would appreciate your suggestions on two sites on my U-Haul that I need to have addressed. I uploaded three pictures in my album so you have an idea as to what the damage looks like. Photos 24 and 25 are of the right rear tail light area and photo 42 is a running light on the rear of the trailer. I appreciate your help. I will travel tomorrow to NM and pick up my trailer from a RV service center where an electrical challenge was being resolved. I anticipate removing the rt rear tail light to better understand what damage there is and will take additional photos.

Thanks

Perk

Easy repair here....remove the tail light assembly, re read the previous repairs in this thread...SAFELY grind the edges of the cracks and relocate the pieces with tape on the back or something to realign them...then glass away. Since this was caused by a hit of some sort, you don't need to worry about stress cracks reappearing, so bondo will work on those...I might just leave those (stress cracks), and just glass the cracks and breaks in the smallest way, fill in the smallest way, and touch in with a small paint brush. Maybe new decals would cover alot... Trailer Dave

[Perk]

I love your confidence and experience. I will give it a try and get back with you if I have any challenges. It will be a while as it is second or third on my list of have to do ... but I will continue to study and think on it in preparation. Thank you.

[Nate R]

I bought my resin and fiberglass mat this weekend. How do I know what weight glass I should use? I see plenty of mention of using 3 layers of mat, but what weight? 1.5 oz glass? .75? 6oz?

[D White]

Originally Posted by Nate R

I bought my resin and fiberglass mat this weekend. How do I know what weight glass I should use? I see plenty of mention of using 3 layers of mat, but what weight? 1.5 oz glass? .75? 6oz?

The thickness is your choice, you just need about 3/16 of an inch cured or better to match most trailers. Also, the lighter the mat, the easier to completely saturate or "wet" out. A good middle weight would be my choice which should give the right thickness with 3 layers in one layup...Dave

[rdickens]

Some of you might find some of the composite/fiberglass tutorials (Hints for homebuilders) on the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) website useful?
http://www.eaavideo.org/channel.aspx?ch=ch_hints_composite

In the above link, there are a variety of video tutorials on various kinds of materials and layup techniques/hints.

For repairs in recessed areas, tight corners, and/or overhead repairs, the section on Homemade PrePreg (in a plastic bag of all things ) might be of some interest?
http://bcove.me/s6bztad7

Although you may find materials locally or find them cheaper at other sites, there is a bewildering array of fiberglass cloth and resins/epoxies available at Aircraft Spruce and Specialty or Wicks.

In years past, I've taken some of the Composite Workshops when I have occasionally attended the EAA AirVenture air show at Oshkosh, Wi.

Good luck with your fiberglass repairs and/or construction!

Ray

[RogerDat]

Tabbing in a floor wonder if I should go with chopped mat (less strength but more flexible for the curves) or woven cloth. And if chopped mat what weight?

I think Scamp originally used mat for the floor to shell seam but no idea of what weight. Also considering I'm a rookie at FG repair if cloth is inherently stronger I thought it might be more "forgiving" of my lack of skill.

[morgynm]

I'm so happy this was bumped up! I have some repair to do this weekend.

[D White]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

Tabbing in a floor wonder if I should go with chopped mat (less strength but more flexible for the curves) or woven cloth. And if chopped mat what weight?

I think Scamp originally used mat for the floor to shell seam but no idea of what weight. Also considering I'm a rookie at FG repair if cloth is inherently stronger I thought it might be more "forgiving" of my lack of skill.

USE MAT ONLY...cloth is much harder to use, not needed, and causes problems

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by D White

USE MAT ONLY...cloth is much harder to use, not needed, and causes problems

Any suggestion on what weight of mat? The seam FG appears to be a fairly thin layer. Looking online I see 1.5 oz. chopped mat seam tape. And for cloth mat everything from .9 oz. up to 2 oz.

It looks like buying sheet and cutting into strips is cheaper but have to wonder how easy that stuff is to cut into strips. Scissors or razor knife or ?

[Nate R]

It will cut fine with scissors, just tends to dull them quickly.

[Spanke]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

Any suggestion on what weight of mat? The seam FG appears to be a fairly thin layer. Looking online I see 1.5 oz. chopped mat seam tape. And for cloth mat everything from .9 oz. up to 2 oz.

It looks like buying sheet and cutting into strips is cheaper but have to wonder how easy that stuff is to cut into strips. Scissors or razor knife or ?

I used scissors for cutting mat. Eventually they will lose sharpness, but it took awhile. I bought the mats at an Auto parts store - Bondo Brand. The mat cuts really easy and you can make strips or small pieces no problem.

I had never worked with fiberglass before, but this thread by Dave gave me the knowledge and confidence to try it myself. It worked great!

THANK YOU DAVE!

Spanke

[David Tilston]

Yes, Thanks Dave!

[D White]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Yes, Thanks Dave!

My thanks comes from you people getting out there and trying your own fiberglass repairs. I love it when someone just tries it and figures out that ANYONE CAN DO IT and they should do it on their own. No pro needed as we say here....course let's keep it our little secret for a few more years as I still need to eat, haha

Fiberglass Dave

[RogerDat]

Since I'm going to borrow DW's scissors no problem there with them getting dull.
I picked up 3/4 oz. mat for my shell to floor tabbing. But was surprised that the package said for polyester and epoxy. I thought most mat did not work with epoxy.

Also picked up some West Marine #405 silica filler (filleting blend) to make thickened resin for the belly band seam repair.

[pilot04]

What was the recommended weight for the fiberglass mats? Also, where in the Seattle area can I get these mats and supplies. I'm learning how to repair as we are starting to look at a small FGRV in the next year.

[D White]

Originally Posted by pilot04

What was the recommended weight for the fiberglass mats? Also, where in the Seattle area can I get these mats and supplies. I'm learning how to repair as we are starting to look at a small FGRV in the next year.

Don't worry about weights...that once again was someone overthinking and also more applies to cloth which you should never use. I wrote these repair steps taking into account what is readily available at the box stores and that makes it so anyone can do it. We would do a lot of things here at the shop different for many reasons, but you don't need to, to repair your trailer yourself cheaply and with pro results using easily obtainable materials. Thanks...Dave

[pilot04]

Thanks Dave! I'll look at the local shops for the supplies and not worry about weight of the mats.