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Old 04-16-2015, 04:02 PM   #121
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Name: Christian
Trailer: Escape 2017, 17B
Florida
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Dave, thanks so very much for this thread. I feel like I can tackle the repairs on my Boler now!

To Johnny, the roof on a Boler was never meant to support an ac unit. Many have had success with mounting a small unit near the floor in the closet or under one of the benches. Also there is a nice split unit someone put on the tongue of their camper. I suggest you stay away from roof mounts, as you know, they are troublesome.

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Old 04-16-2015, 05:04 PM   #122
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This is how Trillium did a factory roof mounted air conditioner. Note the supports in the kitchen, and the saddle that the A/C sits on.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-64763.html
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Old 04-25-2015, 08:04 PM   #123
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Hey Dave, thanks for the reply...Here is the only picture I have at the moment of the roof area, the roof was sagging a little when I removed the ac and plywood allowing water to pool up slightly rather than run off.

My thoughts were to fiberglass mat strips to the inside making a square around this area one layer at a time and continue the rear side and tongue side of the square area across to the sides of the trailer and have them blend in to where the sides meet the roof so it looks like it was molded that way when done.

I planned to accomplish this by putting slight pressure on the roof from the inside using temporary vertical wood supports & c clamps to shape the roof back to the dome shape eliminating the sagging and fiberglassing until I have enough mat in place to support the roof for the a/c weight. The other reason for the extra support is that I also would rather remount the a/c without the plywood.

As I said in previous post I thought about adding some wood strips to the fiberglass layers to add more strength or do you think that is not necessary?
Johnny you may consider a mobile unit. I picked up a Danby DPA110DHA1CP off kijiji for $60.00. It's 11000btu A/C, 9000btu heat and a dehumidifier. I'm going to mount it in the closet.
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Old 04-26-2015, 07:12 AM   #124
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Name: JD
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I bought a Comfort-Aire DVH9 heat pump mini-split to go on my rebuild of the 1986 16' Scamp. The compressor will go on the extended tongue and so far I am planning on installing the inside unit (16 lbs.) over the back window. This keeps the weight low and although I would prefer the compressor closer to the axle it is at least between the wheels and tow car and low. The mounting angle iron will be below the frame rails to lower the weight another 3".
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Old 04-27-2015, 08:41 PM   #125
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Name: Gardnpondr
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I have 3-4 teeny tiny holes in our fiberglass camper. I mean very small like where a rock hit it at a high speed or something. They are all the way through the fiberglass. Hubby bought a fiberglass patch kit to repair the two areas at the top where the awning was. I was wondering IF I could just put a dab of the fiberglass on these little holes and it work without the mat stuff since they are sooo small. Then also what kind of paint will we need to repaint these areas so they will match the other paint?



Once I started reading more on this thread I found where someone had asked about small screw holes. So I'll find some epoxy and hubby probably has some if I am remembering right. I think I saw some in one of my kitchen drawers. You have to mix the stuff.
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Old 04-28-2015, 07:57 PM   #126
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Trailer: '71 Boler, '87 Play-Mor II
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Originally Posted by David Tilston View Post
This is how Trillium did a factory roof mounted air conditioner. Note the supports in the kitchen, and the saddle that the A/C sits on.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-64763.html
Thanks David, good info on how they did this...still trying to figure out my dilemma on how to accomplish this on the Boler...

And we have considered the closed install as mentioned also but we have a refrigerator going in there and plans for a toaster oven & cabinet space...
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Old 05-03-2015, 04:54 PM   #127
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In general, does fiberglass resin stick to Bondo?


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Old 05-03-2015, 09:13 PM   #128
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In general, does fiberglass resin stick to Bondo?


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Like brown stuff to a blanket!,,, if prepped properly.
fred
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Old 05-03-2015, 09:32 PM   #129
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Great thanks! Wait, Like brown on a blanket? Is that good? ;0)


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Old 05-03-2015, 10:05 PM   #130
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Okay, so I have decided not to go back with the roof top a/c reinstalled, but I still have to fix the roof sag and do some other fiberglass repairs...now this may be a dump question but is fiberglass mat and 2 part epoxy repair water proof? I was thinking I could sand it, prime it & paint it, but I was told that is was not water proof but that it is porous and water could seep through...knowing that fiberglass molds are gel coated, should I gel coat over the repaired areas? Or is there another product to seal it with? Someone suggested an automotive protective coat of some kind? If I do get coat, is it hard to do, and is it expensive?
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Old 05-04-2015, 04:44 AM   #131
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Wait, Like brown on a blanket? Is that good?
Yes, that is as good as sticking gets. Bondo and other body fillers are just fiberglass (polyester) resin with filler powders pre-mixed in them.

One of the mysteries of the world, at least to traditional engineering types here in Britain, is how come in different circumstances brown stuff has both the highest and lowest known coefficients of friction:
- "sticks like **** to a blanket" is indeed as sticky as it is possible to be;
- "slides like red hot **** off a white hot shovel" is as slippery as it is possible to be (you should hear a hissing sound in your mind as you read those words, if you have any mechanical sympathy). Pucks of solid carbon dioxide are quite sticky by comparison.

It has never been entirely clear to me why anyone would have red hot **** on their white hot shovel frequently enough to know its coefficient of friction, but I suspect this may have been the drivers and firemen of steam locomotives who did not have any other toilet in the cab.

That may have been more than you wanted to know.....
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Old 05-04-2015, 07:31 AM   #132
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Okay, so I have decided not to go back with the roof top a/c reinstalled, but I still have to fix the roof sag and do some other fiberglass repairs...now this may be a dump question but is fiberglass mat and 2 part epoxy repair water proof? I was thinking I could sand it, prime it & paint it, but I was told that is was not water proof but that it is porous and water could seep through...knowing that fiberglass molds are gel coated, should I gel coat over the repaired areas? Or is there another product to seal it with? Someone suggested an automotive protective coat of some kind? If I do get coat, is it hard to do, and is it expensive?
Don't waste your money on epoxy...follow the instructions on this thread...wear protective gear, clean, sand with around 100 grit, fiberglass with mat and polyester resin, sand, clean, bondo, sand clean, prime, paint.
Easy, cheap. lifelong lasting and you can do it. Fiberglass Dave
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Old 05-04-2015, 10:04 AM   #133
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Don't waste your money on epoxy...follow the instructions on this thread...wear protective gear, clean, sand with around 100 grit, fiberglass with mat and polyester resin, sand, clean, bondo, sand clean, prime, paint.
Easy, cheap. lifelong lasting and you can do it. Fiberglass Dave
Okay DW, I am using the mat (Bondo brand) and this is what I am using with it: Bondo Fiberglass Resin - comes with a tube of hardener (see picture)...I don't see where it says if it is polyester on the container, is this what you are talking about? I used this stuff on a crack on my boat a few years ago and worked well, was water tight.
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Old 05-04-2015, 10:57 AM   #134
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That certainly looks like polyester resin and if the 'hardener' (catalyst) comes in a small tube, then that confirms it.

If you are trying to apply it overhead, there is a trick you can use. Get some moderately heavy plastic and wet out the glass mat on top of a strip of the plastic. Then lift the plastic-glass combo into place and press up - you need to slowly peel the plastic off, stippling the glass into place as you go, before the resin sets, but that is waay easier than trying to wet out glass overhead!
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Old 05-04-2015, 12:42 PM   #135
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This stuff is available from most boat shops. West Marine is the one in this link. Essentially silica dust that is mixed with resin to thicken it. The silica goes a long way toward making the stuff easier to work with on vertical or overhead horizontal surfaces.

WEST SYSTEM #406 Colloidal Silica | West Marine

One can also purchase short cut fibers and used with the silica can get resin to the consistency of peanut butter for filling corners beads when tabbing something in.
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Old 05-04-2015, 02:00 PM   #136
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Okay DW, I am using the mat (Bondo brand) and this is what I am using with it: Bondo Fiberglass Resin - comes with a tube of hardener (see picture)...I don't see where it says if it is polyester on the container, is this what you are talking about? I used this stuff on a crack on my boat a few years ago and worked well, was water tight.

Excellent....easy to find, easy to use, easy to give you a professional repair....GO TO IT!
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Old 05-06-2015, 10:08 PM   #137
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Okay, next question(s) for Fiberglass Dave, after my fiberglass repair/patching, what specifically to you recommend for a filler? Any particular brands? I have heard that Bondo brand filler dries too hard for sanding/shaping and can break off around the edges...

I am also replacing the upper dinette floor and forward upper floor under front bunk area due to hidden rot in plywood. I have the Boler off the frame and cut out the front floor flush to the edge of the body leaving the fiberglass layer underneath the old wood in place so the new plywood has something to rest on. Then I coated the old lower glass with polyester resin, placed the new wood in place and then glassed the top side to the body. Tomorrow I will begin to glass in the bottom side to the body/shell. Should I leave the old lower glass in place and glass over it again? I went with untreated plywood for the floor because I was unsure if the polyester resin would adhere to pressure treated plywood so I plan to put a complete layer of mat/polyester resin to the underside of the wood to protect it from the elements. I plan to do the same for the rear floor. I carefully cut the old floor out and used it as a template to cut the new floor. I will post some pics when I have a chance. Where is a good place to buy mat, resin and filler in bulk at an economical price?

Also I know I would love to see a tutorial on your filler/finishing work similar to your fiberglass tutorials (specifically techniques on blending filler to existing gel coat and contouring the filler to the existing body shapes)...
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Old 05-07-2015, 08:01 AM   #138
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Okay, next question(s) for Fiberglass Dave, after my fiberglass repair/patching, what specifically to you recommend for a filler? Any particular brands? I have heard that Bondo brand filler dries too hard for sanding/shaping and can break off around the edges...

I am also replacing the upper dinette floor and forward upper floor under front bunk area due to hidden rot in plywood. I have the Boler off the frame and cut out the front floor flush to the edge of the body leaving the fiberglass layer underneath the old wood in place so the new plywood has something to rest on. Then I coated the old lower glass with polyester resin, placed the new wood in place and then glassed the top side to the body. Tomorrow I will begin to glass in the bottom side to the body/shell. Should I leave the old lower glass in place and glass over it again? I went with untreated plywood for the floor because I was unsure if the polyester resin would adhere to pressure treated plywood so I plan to put a complete layer of mat/polyester resin to the underside of the wood to protect it from the elements. I plan to do the same for the rear floor. I carefully cut the old floor out and used it as a template to cut the new floor. I will post some pics when I have a chance. Where is a good place to buy mat, resin and filler in bulk at an economical price?

Also I know I would love to see a tutorial on your filler/finishing work similar to your fiberglass tutorials (specifically techniques on blending filler to existing gel coat and contouring the filler to the existing body shapes)...
I don't get into brands because Bondo brand is the most available and is ok. This entire thread is about repairing these trailers at home, easily with readily available materials. Used properly, any will work, some better and easier than others. We like Evercoat products for fillers. For your repairs, however you choose to do them, just follow the main rules...wear safety stuff, always sand and clean/dry all surfaces before applying the next step and it will work.

I had wanted to do a bondo, prime, paint thread but I ran into a problem with this thread that really isn't a problem, but is just really the nature of forums. Although I am not an expert at anything, I have owned a fiberglass shop for 39 years. It seems that when a question is asked of the author of a thread, it is answered by many people who may or usually do not know the answer to the question. These experts that chime in for the author of the thread really should start their own thread. Instead they spread misinformation that waters down the original thread and has, in many cases with this one, stopped people from trying. However, I know more people have been helped than not. I am always available by PM and help many people on a personal level this way. I have not figured out a way to solve this problem, so until I do, I won't be doing anymore self help threads, just helping by private message. Thanks...Fiberglass Dave
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Old 05-07-2015, 09:35 AM   #139
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That's kind of a shame Dave. I really appreciate this thread. I am sure I would find a Bondo thread just as valuable, since that is one of my chosen jobs this summer.

I have learned to take what people post with a grain of salt. I apologize for being one of the those who will chime in.
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Old 05-12-2015, 03:17 PM   #140
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Thanks Dave - You advice was very valuable to me and I appreciate what you gave.

Best,
Davie

Quote:
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I don't get into brands because Bondo brand is the most available and is ok. This entire thread is about repairing these trailers at home, easily with readily available materials. Used properly, any will work, some better and easier than others. We like Evercoat products for fillers. For your repairs, however you choose to do them, just follow the main rules...wear safety stuff, always sand and clean/dry all surfaces before applying the next step and it will work.

I had wanted to do a bondo, prime, paint thread but I ran into a problem with this thread that really isn't a problem, but is just really the nature of forums. Although I am not an expert at anything, I have owned a fiberglass shop for 39 years. It seems that when a question is asked of the author of a thread, it is answered by many people who may or usually do not know the answer to the question. These experts that chime in for the author of the thread really should start their own thread. Instead they spread misinformation that waters down the original thread and has, in many cases with this one, stopped people from trying. However, I know more people have been helped than not. I am always available by PM and help many people on a personal level this way. I have not figured out a way to solve this problem, so until I do, I won't be doing anymore self help threads, just helping by private message. Thanks...Fiberglass Dave
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