My Second Belly Band Thread

[David Tilston]

OK, this time the object is to go fast. I started on Monday evening. I have now finnished grinding, and have about 60% of the metal plates out. I smoked my Dremel, so I had to stop. I guess I was trying to go too fast.

[Dave_L]

Looks like you cut out a pretty good section along the band?

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Dave_L

Looks like you cut out a pretty good section along the band?

Yup. I was shooting for an even 2", or so, all the way around. It should be wider, but I wanted to preserve the shoulders of the ridge, so I would have landmarks to grind to. Fibreglass joins should be on a bevel cut of about 2" on either side of the join. The bevel should go all the way through the thickness of the material till it is paper thin at the seam. This gives a large surface area to bond to. Ideally it would be beveled on both sides, (inside as well as outside). Producing a knife like edge, except the sharp point would be kinda furry with fibreglass fibers. The bandage that runs on the inside, over the metal plates makes that unnecessary.
The fill that I will put back into the groove that I cut will become part of the structure that way. To me it is kinda like a pressure weld, which requires a similar bevel.

Some subjective observations:
- The metal plates were thicker then on my 1973, (1972) 1300. This may be because of less corrosion, but some of them were doubled up as well.
- The bandage on the 4500 is way thicker then the 1300. There were many places, on the 1300 that I ground right through the bandage. There is only one place that happened this time. The reason this happens is that where the gap between the top and bottom half is large, the bandage ends up flush with the outside of the two shells. I am sure that the guy putting on the bandage thought this was ideal, but now for me to grind the two half's all the way through means grinding the bandage till there is nothing left.
- The fibreglass of the shell seemed much harder. It took longer to remove material.

Below are sketches I just did to illustrate. The first one is before I grind. The second is after grinding. The third one illustrates how I end up grinding through.

[David Tilston]

I found a replacement Dremel on kijiji:
Nail drill grinder and carbide bits like dremel - Calgary Power Tools For Sale - Kijiji Calgary Canada.

It is exactly like my old one, but it only has an on / off switch, no speed control. Whatever, I always use full speed anyway. This time, if it is too uncomfortably hot to hold, I will give it a rest.
A long time ago, I bought the Dremel All-Purpose Accessory Kit:
Dremel | 710-01 All-Purpose Accessory Kit | Home Depot Canada
I only used the cut off wheel. Well, I have now used the sanding drums, which the kit comes with a ton of. I cleaned out the sockets where the metal plates were, (see photos). I was never happy with my treatment of the sockets on my first belly band thread, (or lack of treatment). This time I think the end result will be much stronger. It is not that the Cantaloupe will be too weak. I think it will be fine. I just like this much better. The sanding drum kicks up as much dust as the grinder though, so the bunny suit is required.
Also, I lied in this post:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post394468
I show removing the top part of the cut plate first. The part with the rivet. This is wrong! The piece that is smaller, with no rivet should be removed first. Then the rivet doesn't have to clear the other half, when you pull it out. Much easier.

[David Tilston]

Since I will be glassing over the gap that exposes the plywood that the table mounts to, I will be removing the rotten plywood and replacing it. This means removing the window, and the plywood frame. I will also be putting in a new plywood frame.

[Dave_L]

I'd be tempted to use a hardwood instead of ply, oak?

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Dave_L

I'd be tempted to use a hardwood instead of ply, oak?

For which, the window frame, or table support, or both? What would be the advantage?

[Dave_L]

for all of it, holds screws much better and doesn't delaminate if moisture were to get in

[David Tilston]

So I pulled out the window, and the bottom of the plywood frame. I exposed the top of the ply wood I had seen in other postings. It was totally rotten along the seam, so I started cutting with an Olfa knife. I quickly discovered that the plywood, while rotten, is glued to both the inside fibreglass liner that supports the table, it is also glued to the back of the seam. I have been able to cut out most of what I now understand to be the top half of a mechanical join between the inside and outside layers. The bottom half is glued in way too well to get out. Cleaning out the rest of the wood and glue was kinda therapeutic, in a desperately running out of time way.
I should have just left it alone and glassed over the rotten wood. But now I have to put something back into the place of the rotten wood I pulled out. Ideally a strip of fibreglass 1” x 1/4”. I think Acklands sells such a thing, and I will enquirer with them on Monday. I will probably just use a piece of plywood, because I know I can get one.
I did get some glassing done. That was fun.

[David Tilston]

OK, so Acklands in the states has a fiberglass angle that I could cut down to the right shape:
DYNAFORM Angle, ISOFR, Gray, 1/4Tx1 1/2 In Legs, 5 Ft - Fiberglass Angle Stock - 4ATH8|870410 - Grainger Industrial Supply
But it is not available in Canada. It looks like a 1/4" sheet of plywood will have to do.

So, to try to explain what the wood was in the first place. When installed, it was about 2" wide, and fit into the protrusion in the fibreglass that the belly band sits on. It looks like it was glued to the inside fibreglass that makes up the dinette, and the lower shell. When the top of the trailer was put on, and the belly band was installed it was glued to the top as well, then screwed through the belly band into the wood. But the glue did not stick so good to the top half of the shell. It was separated when I opened it up. To detach it from the top shelf, I just ran a boxing knife blade between the shell and he plywood. It came apart. Digging out the glue, and remaining plywood, from the inside of the dinette fiberglass, was way more difficult.

[David Tilston]

Went to Home Depot and got a suitable piece of 1/2", (measured it, not 1/4") plywood for $1. My wife got into shopping, so we took so long I did not get anything done on the trailer. I am going to lunch now, and I hope to go home and put another batch of fibreglass down.

[Doug2000]

What will you be using to paint the fibreglass, I need to do some repairs, your trailer is the same as mine.

Nice work.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Doug2000

What will you be using to paint the fibreglass, I need to do some repairs, your trailer is the same as mine.

Nice work.

Doug, Sorry, I am not there yet. I was thinking of a good two part, epoxy type paint, as close to gel coat as possible. Since all I am paying for is the paint itself, I feel like I can splurge on the paint. We will see when I actually start pricing it out. But, that is for when I paint the whole trailer, (white?).
For the belly band, I am going to go to the body shop of a friend of mine. Aparently, they shoot it with some colour matching gun and sell you a can of spray paint for $20. I assume it is an automotive type paint.

For the repair of the previously mentioned mistake, I cut a 47-1/2" strip of 1/2” plywood 1-1/2" wide, the correct shape to go from where, what is left of the 1/2” plywood that was there to begin with, to the edge of the ridge that the belly band sat on. I coated the area with the polyester resin that I have been using to fibreglass with. And clamped that strip of plywood in. See pictures.

My awesome neighbor came through with the clamp.I hope the outside piece of wood doesn’t end up glued to the trailer. Updates tomorrow.

[Dave_L]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

.I hope the outside piece of wood doesn’t end up glued to the trailer. Updates tomorrow.

fwiw, in the future put a strip of clear packing tape over the 2x4 when using it as a clamping caul. Inhibits adhesion to whatever you are clamping

[David Tilston]

Well it came off fine, I figured that the amount of glue that would get to the wood was minimal.
There is about 2" where the shaved edge hangs out about 1/8" further then it should. Otherwise it is perfect. A bit of grinding and I am back to where I started.

[Doug2000]

Any updates, how'd it work out?

[David Tilston]

Worked out great! I didn't get any further on the belly band then I did the first time. It is painted with a coating of resin to seal the ends of the fibers. I also re-installed the door, and rear window.

Unfortunately, it is now at my dad's place in Ontario.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ver-60777.html

[SuCo]

Hi. Enjoyed your posts on belly band fix. Looks like you are doing a great job on it. Where do you get a new band? I am fixing up my 77 Trillium and would like to remove the old band before painting.. Thank you.

[David Tilston]

The plan is to just sand it flat, then paint it. I like the look with no belly band.

Randy Bishop found a self adhesive belly band.

[hrose414]

Sorry if it has been asked but I'm new to trilliums & I just got a 76' and need to do something about my bellyband since it's coming off on the front. If you remove the belly band does it loose some structural strength?