Boler fiberglass repair advice..

[spaghettiroad]

Thanks these are all great products to be used. U tube is my visual friend and I'm trying to find a visual on the process because I'm not getting the steps involved in the process of recreating a curved mold with the piece missing ....

[Johnny M]

Originally Posted by spaghettiroad

Thanks these are all great products to be used. U tube is my visual friend and I'm trying to find a visual on the process because I'm not getting the steps involved in the process of recreating a curved mold with the piece missing ....

The foam will work well for this. The nice thing about making your mold with the great stuff expandable foam is that you can carve it with a knife to match the curve of the body to meet up to the broken edge. Just be sure to let it fully cure, my first mold like this I didn't let it cure long enough and the middle of the mold was still soft. Let the molds cure overnight before you do anything with them...

[FRED SMAILES]

After looking at your problem and reading some responses' I had to respond as well.

I have had almost the same prob on the back of my Boler.
This what I did unfortunately no pics, but I try my best to keep it simple.
First I ground down the inside area around the break with a 36 grit disc on a angle grinder. Then shaped cardboard to the exterior of the body making sure the curve was at least as sharp as the body contour and adhered it with packing tape to the body exterior.
Applied a couple 3 layers of glas directly to the body and cardboard and let set overnight.
Then ground off the cardboard, roughened up the glas I applied and took off the gel coat a couple of inches around the injury. Then applied a couple coats of glas and let set overnight.
The next day ground off excess roughed up the glas and finished with bondo and paint.
In your case if you don't get the curve perfect add more glas to the side that needs it.
Have you any experience with glas?
Fred

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Johnny M

Cardboard & great stuff expandable foam is great for making molds for fiberglassing on top of. ... The key ... is to use wax paper so the fiber glass will release from you molds as a substitution for the gel coat used in professional molds.

Great ideas

Originally Posted by spaghettiroad

I'm trying to find a visual on the process because I'm not getting the steps involved in the process of recreating a curved mold with the piece missing ....

Think CSI - footprint at a crime scene. Pour plaster into the footprint and you get a copy of what made the print. Then you can take the plaster mold and make more footprints in the ground. Most people learnt how to work with molds using play dough as kids.

[spaghettiroad]

Lol. I get the mold now , it's how to adhere it. I assume from the interior of the shell?

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by spaghettiroad

I assume from the interior of the shell?

That depends. if you made the mold from the exterior you place the mold on the exterior. Just slide over into position. Do the opposite if you used the interior.

Don't worry about the curve of the wheel well. Make your patch bigger and after it's set, cut/grind it to shape. One of those flap wheel discs on a grinder will shape it in no time.

Here is another analogy, when you patch drywall or do body work, you overfill and sand to shape.

[D White]

Originally Posted by FRED SMAILES

After looking at your problem and reading some responses' I had to respond as well.

I have had almost the same prob on the back of my Boler.
This what I did unfortunately no pics, but I try my best to keep it simple.
First I ground down the inside area around the break with a 36 grit disc on a angle grinder. Then shaped cardboard to the exterior of the body making sure the curve was at least as sharp as the body contour and adhered it with packing tape to the body exterior.
Applied a couple 3 layers of glas directly to the body and cardboard and let set overnight.
Then ground off the cardboard, roughened up the glas I applied and took off the gel coat a couple of inches around the injury. Then applied a couple coats of glas and let set overnight.
The next day ground off excess roughed up the glas and finished with bondo and paint.
In your case if you don't get the curve perfect add more glas to the side that needs it.
Have you any experience with glas?
Fred

something like the above idea is preferable to making a piece and sticking it on. I would screw a piece of galvanized sheet metal to the backside of the fender...that will give you the contour and fiberglass doesn't stick to it...grind the edge to a taper, then fiberglass 3 layers of mat, not cloth...after it sets, draw a line to fit the curve of the wheel well/fender and saw off excess....then sand, bondo, sand, prime and paint...you can do it....Fiberglass Dave

[spaghettiroad]

so sheet metal or whatever used on the backside is removed and replaced with fiberglass to bond once mold is in place?

[D White]

Originally Posted by spaghettiroad

so sheet metal or whatever used on the backside is removed and replaced with fiberglass to bond once mold is in place?

Yes....the NEW GALVANIZED SHEET METAL (not what ever) is the mold and is removed after the fiberglass work is done and you are done except for the finishing. The repair is made. It is the "mold" or backer for the new glass then is removed after the glass cures. Then you saw or trim to final shape. You can get a small galvanized piece of metal at any lumber yard or home depot in the roofing section. Ask for a "tin shingle"
Fiberglass Dave. I have a thread on fiberglass repair on this forum that may or may not help you.