BIG HOLE IN ROOF ( Boler ) - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-05-2013, 09:22 PM   #1
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BIG HOLE IN ROOF ( Boler )

Hi everyone , it's been awhile since i have signed on here , i have a question that's been bugging me for a few years . I have a 1974 Boler ; it was given to me by a nice old lady ; her husband passed away and she had no use for it . It was a true fixer upper . The guy cut a 2' x 3' hole in the roof , he used the camper as an observation station for astronomy . My question is how do i fix the roof with the compound curve with fiberglass for a perfect flush finish . I will upload a video tomorrow . Any help will be greatly appreciated .
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Old 04-06-2013, 07:05 AM   #2
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Hi everyone , it's been awhile since i have signed on here , i have a question that's been bugging me for a few years . I have a 1974 Boler ; it was given to me by a nice old lady ; her husband passed away and she had no use for it . It was a true fixer upper . The guy cut a 2' x 3' hole in the roof , .
I dont think it will be as bad as you think if you are willing to tackle it. There is a great thread on FiberGlass Repair that David White put together. Using the patch technique I feel it would work fine. Check this link
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ass-52498.html.

Im sure he will chime in but am thinking out loud to make a flat patch on the ground to approximate the size, let it cure of course and then mount it like he has done on the vertical holes that he shows how he fixed.
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Old 04-06-2013, 07:23 AM   #3
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Yo can also buy fiberglass sheets that can be cut to fit the hole and then patched in using mat and resin.

McMaster-Carr

A second alternative would be to buy a telescope.
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Old 04-06-2013, 07:31 AM   #4
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Thanks Tom, Learned something new. Wasnt aware that you could buy pre-made patches. Im almost ready to tackle mine soon. I sprayed the entire insides of mine with an acetone/xylene mixture to try and get the last segments of that stubborn contact glue off.
Perry there are a lot of good instructional videos on YouTube also under fiberglass repair. I have watched several hours worth from different submitters and have gotten some good ideas to work with. Good Luck and take Pictures for the forum of what you did.
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Old 04-06-2013, 08:03 AM   #5
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... I am thinking out loud to make a flat patch on the ground to approximate the size, let it cure ...
I'd suggest trying to match the curve on the ground or even on the roof using something flexible - then patching. Less likely to end up with a flat spot on the roof.
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Old 04-06-2013, 08:19 AM   #6
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I'd suggest trying to match the curve on the ground or even on the roof using something flexible - then patching. Less likely to end up with a flat spot on the roof.
Good point. If you could find a good spot on the roof with similar curvature, you could put a covering on it (clear packing tape or mold release wax?) and make a patch from mat and resin.
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Old 04-06-2013, 11:28 PM   #7
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Thank you all for great sources of information ; i will look into all suggestions .
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Old 04-07-2013, 09:58 AM   #8
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Grind the edge back 4 inches, then I would buy a piece of formica larger than the hole by at least 6 inches (the bigger the better because it will help getting the right shape), cover it with wax paper, and use some drywall screws and some scrap lumber and to push up from the floor gently to mimic the curve for support and screw the edges (outside of the ground area). Probably need a friend to help you. After your "mold" is fully supported, cut 3 pieces of mat, 1 to go clear out to the ground edge, 1 an inch smaller and the final one an inch smaller than that.
Saturate and fully roll resin in the 3 layers of mat going from large to small. Try to make it as smooth as possible. Use 36 grit sandpaper stapled to a piece of 2x4 to sand level after cured. It is best to sand sooner rather than later as the patch becomes harder the longer it cures. Filler is next, then primer and paint. This is a more difficult repair, but you can do it, just keep at it...if your not happy with it, you quit too soon is our moto here...couple more things...the screw holes need to be ground and filled with mat before filler, and you need to wear safety equipment as described in the thread....Dave (I am available by phone if you need to, just pm me)



I feel this description is to over simplified and poorly written....but I also believe you can do this patch better than I can describe it...please pm me for a phone conversation
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Old 04-07-2013, 10:22 AM   #9
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Dave for my education and not necessarily Perrys. I would grind the top surface area back around the perimeter (exposing FG) about 4 inches and then after my "form" is secured from the inside then I lay the resin coated mat down on the top and build it up. And then you build those 3 strips up or out to make a smoother surface plane around the perimeter of the mat that I laid down in the middle of the formica form.
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Old 04-07-2013, 10:25 AM   #10
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One more FG question. I see some Eggs that the FG is cream yellow;however, mine is black where I have been able to remove the contact cement from. Do I have to sand or do something to get to the "yellow" state or are some Fiber Glass constructions just a different color??? Hope thats not too dumb of a question.
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Old 04-07-2013, 10:38 AM   #11
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Dave for my education and not necessarily Perrys. I would grind the top surface area back around the perimeter (exposing FG) about 4 inches and then after my "form" is secured from the inside then I lay the resin coated mat down on the top and build it up. And then you build those 3 strips up or out to make a smoother surface plane around the perimeter of the mat that I laid down in the middle of the formica form.



Yes, I see I was not clear...the formica goes on the INSIDE of the hole and needs support from the inside with scrap lumber....sorry....Dave
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Old 04-07-2013, 10:47 AM   #12
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One more FG question. I see some Eggs that the FG is cream yellow;however, mine is black where I have been able to remove the contact cement from. Do I have to sand or do something to get to the "yellow" state or are some Fiber Glass constructions just a different color??? Hope thats not too dumb of a question.
I would need lots more information, but the black sounds like an applied coating of something like paint or glue???? There is black resin used in making molds and parts, but I have never seen it in the trailer industry....course, who has seen it all right???
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Old 04-07-2013, 10:51 AM   #13
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Yes, I see I was not clear...the formica goes on the INSIDE of the hole and needs from the inside with scrap lumber....sorry....Dave

The mat needs to be bigger than the hole and the formica will be removed after cure....I see that I have poor writing skill and have left much information too simplified....sorry...I hope the original poster would pm me and we'll go over it on the phone....
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Old 04-07-2013, 12:52 PM   #14
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No it made sense and your writing skills were fine. I wanted to make sure that the gelcoat on top was removed 4 inches all the way around and of course on the bottom side has to be down to bare FG. I was just drawing a big picture in my mind. As you have indicated several times if it isnt right then cut it out and start over. Thats the beauty of FG to paraphrase you.
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Old 04-07-2013, 12:59 PM   #15
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I would need lots more information, but the black sounds like an applied coating of something like paint or glue???? There is black resin used in making molds and parts, but I have never seen it in the trailer industry....course, who has seen it all right???
Dave if you get a minute to look at my Casita restoration pictures on photobucket you can see the black I am referring to. For some reason they are backwards timeline wise. You can go to page 2 at the bottom.
GMikea's Library | Photobucket

If there are any other Casita owners out there who have done renovation have you the same color FG shell interior?

thanks
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Old 04-07-2013, 03:05 PM   #16
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I would need lots more information, but the black sounds like an applied coating of something like paint or glue???? There is black resin used in making molds and parts, but I have never seen it in the trailer industry....course, who has seen it all right???

I am going to take a few pictures and it appears as though when I chip the gelcoat off from the side of the trailer where I am going to patch some vent holes that I see black FG on that side too. Again I will take a dremel and clean it out and snap a few close ups.
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Old 04-07-2013, 06:56 PM   #17
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to redo the roof you could use another boler. put done a sheet of plastic/tarp and put your fiberglass right on top and the good boler roof should work as a mold.

in my mind it should work. i notice you in ontario, if your near peterborough you use my roof. I was going to try this method with my other boler that has the roof caved in when it gets warmer.
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Old 04-07-2013, 07:54 PM   #18
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Thanks so much Dave , I will call you on Skype to your phone as soon as i am able , it will be sometime this week , i will post pictures of what i have been talking about .
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