fiberglass repair

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Hi; :wave

I have been visiting here since Oct. I have learn alot. Thank you. Here is what pushed me to post.

In November, I found a poor, sad, 1976 Scamp. I wanted a Winter project to learn new things. So, be careful what you wish for you might get it.

I am looking for information on fiberglass repair. I have serched forums and checked Amazon for books. I need basic information and where to get supplies.

I have looked at Mike, Don, and Frank's work and say WOW.

thank you;
Pat G

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Pat;

You can get the supplies that you need at any marine supply. Just think of you trailer as a fiberglass boat. The library has good books on boat building and repair. I built a 32 foot fiberglass sailboat years ago and got all my information from the library.

Good luck

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Pat,

For starters, check out this website. They also have a great section for gel coat repair.

http://home.earthlink.net/~shymu/Contents.html

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Welcome! How rude of me.....:o
I should have done that first. ;)

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Hi again;:wave

Ron the library is a good idea. I don't know if our library has books on fiberglass I will check. Thank you.

Suz, I checked out the web address. That will give me a place to start. Thank you.

I think this little lady was a looker in her day. Now her outside has been painted with a brush. Her cabinets are yellow. There is a big hole in the back. I think the spare was pushed in, then a hole was cut to even it out. There are also five vents that were added.
She needs help.:reye2

Thank you again your angels:angel :angel

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For supplies, you might try West Marine for starters.

http://www.westmarine.com

At least you can get an idea whats out there.
Sometimes just a nudge in the right direction helps. Hope this does.

NOTE: I'm having a little trouble linking to the exact page I want. If you open the main page by clicking on the link above, then type is ''fiberglass repair'' in the search box. The first section with give you three choices, directly below that it will say 'show all fifteen.' Click on that and you'll see bunches of stuff.

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The outside of my Boler had also been painted with a brush. Getting off all the old paint was pretty hopeless - which was one of the big reasons I didn't bother trying to do any sort of 'proper' repair to the glass and gelcoat.

Since I knew I would be painting the outside (with Rustoleum - it was cheap and thick which did a nice job of covering a multitudes of minor flaws in the surface), I wasn't too concerned with just how perfect the repairs were. I covered the holes from the backside with a sheet of fiberglass, then built up from the front with glass, resin and finally body putty. Not exactly the most elegant of solutions - but it works and was easily within my range of talents and affordability.

mkw

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Make sure there is plenty of ventilation in the work area. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. Read all the labels and cautions on all containers before you begin.

If you have broken or cracked areas, remove any stress on the area. This may require the removal of something attached to the area. Then try to brace and support the area so it is as close as possible to normal.

After the above is completed the repair can begin. Now you can apply some small patches on the inside of the surface to hold it in place. Place small 2 to 4 inch patches all around the area. These patches are nothing but fiberglass cloth saturated with resin. Allow them to cure over night. Keep the are well ventilated while curing.

You should now be able to remove the braces that were used to hold the area in the correct shape. Nothing should move when the bracing is removed, unless it was in a bind. If it's not the correct shape your patches can be cut out and you must start over again.

If everything looks good place another layer of fiberglass over all of the cracks from the inside. There is a product called Marine Tex that is good for repairs. It's similar to body putty but much stronger. I have used it quite a bit. Use this product to fill all of the cracks from the outside. After it has cured it can be sanded, but it is very hard so keep it level with the surface. It's easer to add more than to sand this product down. This product will look almost like the original finish when completed.

Repeat the procedure for each area needing repaired.

To repair a small screw hole use the marine tex only.

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Hi;:wave

Suz, I checked out West Marine and that with the information I got yesterday is a good start. I hope to start fiberglassing in February.

Mike, did your Boler have the little buttons or plastic covers on the outside? My '76 has none. My range of talents is very narrow, so thanks for the advice.

Ron, thank you for the advice. Things are starting to get clearer. I think I will make a list of what needs to be fiberglassed get my supplies and wait for the time to be right. Good ventiation in a garage in Northern Wisconsin in January and February, I don't think so. It has wood heat.

Thank you, it is so amazing to have people from around the country help you in short order.:ola

thank you again;:)

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Pat G,

Those little buttons or covers are called screw covers and are available at any hardware store.

There are two pieces: the screw (or rivet) goes through one piece like a plastic washer with a rim, the other piece snaps onto the rim to cover the screw (rivet). Use clear silicone to keep moisture out.

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My '72 Boler didn't have a single cover. I suspect it just wasn't done then. Course - it means you want to pay special attention to sealing up not only around the rivet but also the little hole in the middle that's left.

mkw

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In case you aren't the do-it-yourself types ... don't overlook the fact that almost every town has a good "glass" man at a local body shop or boat dealer.

Fiberglass is an extremely economical "fix" at many of these shops ... particularly at a boat dealer during a "slow" period.

There are no expensive, back-ordered or obsolete parts to order ... just mix up some "mud" and get to work.

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Hi all;:wave

Morgan, you have a hardware store where you live. I am impressed. A full set of snap caps for a 13ft. Scamp 75 lg. and 20 sm. from Scamp is about $9.50. That is only the snap caps. A set of rivet, acorn nut, snap cap washer, and snap cap is .50 each from Scamp. I was told my someone, that the caps are used on plastic fences.

Mike, I was wondering when they started buting the snap caps on the little trailers. I have replaced all the snap caps on our 16 ft. There are screws instead of rivets on the 13 ft. I know I will be replacing the screws with rivets.

Charles, The reason I got the 13 ft. was to learn more about the trailer. Every time I work on the trailer I learn something new. So far, I have taken out the dinette, Taken out a tile floor, taken out a subfloor that was added and was rotten, taken out the front sofa, and sanded and painted part of the frame. I have more taking apart to do before I start putting it back together. The fiberglassing is that point where thing start going back together. I am looking forward to that point.:hap2

thank you

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Orginally posted by Pat G

Hi all;:wave

Morgan, you have a hardware store where you live. I am impressed. A full set of snap caps for a 13ft. Scamp 75 lg. and 20 sm. from Scamp is about $9.50. That is only the snap caps. A set of rivet, acorn nut, snap cap washer, and snap cap is .50 each from Scamp. I was told my someone, that the caps are used on plastic fences.

Pat,

I didn't know you were [b]that far in Northern WI :o No hardware stores, eh?

Actually, the prices from Scamp sound pretty good. I doubt I could get them cheaper at Ace Hardware. One advantage in buying the rivets from Scamp is that you know you're getting the right size. :thumb

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Hi Morgan;:wave

We did have hardware stores in town years ago just like drug stores. Both of them are gone. Store like K-mart, Walmart and Fleet farm came in and the little stores when out of business. This town is about 15 miles from home. Yes, the directions to our house did include after you leave the blacktop. In 2000 they put blacktop on the road past the house.

The internet is a great tool for those of us out in the boondocks. I have sent for a West Marine Catolog and checked prices. You also can get good advice from people all over the country.

I am looking forward to doing the fiberglass. I will be removing an old tv antenna and that will make at least 12 holes to fiberglass. I also think I will try to close two of the 14x14 vents.
Got to go, I try to work on the trailer 8 to 10 hours a week.:P

thank you;

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Pictures Pat ... we need pictures.

Keep us posted on your progress with pictures!

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:wave

I have pictures in the camera and in one of eight rolls of film sitting here on the desk. I will get them developed when I remember to take them with me when I go to town.

Charles, I will need a how to lesson in upload pictures.:red I have a scanner.

Thank you;:reye2

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number one. get them developed. :)
you might be able to get them on CD when you have them developed, then you wouldn't need to scan. but scaning is easy. raise the lid, put picture in face down, open scan or printer program. and scan. :) Charles can tell you better, probably.

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Please remember a few basics when working with damaged glass.

Temperature I have used West 207 down to 40 degrees F, but prefer to work at mid 50's to 70 degree for best cure results.

When working with cracked glass structure it is oftem best to stop drill the ends of the crack. This will relieve the fracture stop points and assist in preventing further migration of original fracture after you have done your best repair. Stop drilling is merely a hole drilled through the glass structure larger than the end of the fracture width at both ends of the crack, and then filled as you do your repair.

Keep you damaged fiberglass area clean and dry. Bonding agents do not like dirt, grease or loose fiber. Grind with agressive wheel or sand paper, then clean with acetone. Be very careful that any glass mat material and surface areas to be repaired are kept DRY. I store my glass cloth in open paper bags carried within an open top cardboard box. A humid day or heavy evening dew can ruin your material if it is stored in plastic bags given to you by the store, and it is very difficult to dry them effectively.

Patience, take your time and think of this as therapy. i pay myself the shrink's rate of $250.00 per each hour spent with glass and resins Where else can you form a smooth looking object with multiple rounded lines using transitionaly soft materials, watch the science of reactive agents at work, and then within minutes harness man's most wonderful creation "the power tool" to assist you iin the final steps of your artistic creation.

You have received good advice and consul from the postings to date. Isn't the support given by this community of glass lovers great. Fx.

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Good points Frank. Thank You.

I have repaired many fiberglass canoes. The worse had a hole the size of a basket ball after it fell off a car at 60 mph and hit a gaurd rail. The point you made, Frank, about “preventing further migration of original fracture” is critical.

To be honest, it was the hardest thing I had to do because it felt like I was making a bigger hole. On the canoe, I put a piece of formica pressed against the inside to hold the shape. When the canoe was finished it was truly amazing; strong and still light weight.