Fiberglass/rotting questions

[Andy Illes]

Hi guys.

Been meaning to ask this since I got back from NYC.  While up there I had to park Fred on the street and what obviously had to be a good sized truck smacked him in the protruding part that surrounds the the tail lights.  The fiberglass is cracked on both the upper and lower corner with somma the gel coat popped off.  I have basically the same thing at both front bottom corners of the coach.

I've worked with fiberglass only a little, and never with gel coats.... have any of you?  What's the best way to fix that?  I've Googled it but must be putting the wrong search-string in.  All ideas appreciated.

Another one.  Since I've had Fred, periodically rotted pieces of wood will drop from the rear bumper area.  Some owner along the way had drilled about 5 holes through the fiberglass "deck" back there, dunno why, but water obviously got in.  What's supposed to be in there?  Is there a coach frame diagram?

Thanx... Andy

[Andy Illes]

I just re-read egibbons' old "Rattle can paint restoration" post, so I know what to do with the fiberglass, unless someone has better suggestions than his.

I'd still like to know about the wood though.

Thanx.... Andy

[Rodney]

Hi Andy,
the 2 part epoxy methods are good for some repairs. yon can also use a product called Fusor by Druamix and can be bought at autobody repair supply stores. The product is kind of spendy so for larger repairs using the fiberglass mat and or cloth and resin is by far the most cost effective way to go. Regardless or which repair you go with the repair area needs to be completley dry and clean. A person needs to take precautions when working fiberglass as it can be very harmfull. If you need to grind or sand the glass you need to treat it like POISON and wear a good resprator and cover every part of your body well including your eyes. I wear and old paint suit and wear a good pair of latex gloves and tape sleves and legs and any opening before I begin grinding or sanding. the prepration for the glass work is most important you can re glass the old broken and frayed glass on the coach and bond new pieces of wood where needed. a screw or two can hold the wood in place while the resin drys. some times it takes more than one session to get the strenght of the glass as needed. Working the repaired are by painting the activated resin on the repair area well geting it in to the old glass for a good bond and while that is still wet lay a piece of mat over the area and work in more resin after that if the repair is not needing more fill lay a peice of cloth over the mat while the resin is still wet and using a roller work the area to get all of the air bubbles out of the glass go past the repair area in to non damaged glass for a good repair. Before mixing the resin have all of the mat and glass cut to fit the areas and have everything handy before you begin and wear protection for hands and eyes and a resprator if so inclined, don't work in direct sunlight and protect the areas around your repair that you don't want to get resin on. after you have the glass laid up you can take some wax paper and carefully cover the wet mat. cloth and resin and smooth out the repair with your hands for a really nice looking repair. Always try and do your repair from the back side of the panel letting the resin ooz out of any cracks on the surface. working glass isn't rocket science and after you understand the basics it's not to hard. I recently fixed a 4 foot sq.area on the top of my clipper with a gallon of resin and several sq ft of mat and cloth, after it had dried it was so Smoooth I simply painted over it with snow seal. total repair time less that 4 hours not counting dry time.
hope this helps
Rodney

[Andy Illes]

Hey, thanks for the additional tips Rodney.... very helpful   I might tackle it during the week.  I already bought mat, cloth and resin, and a can of Bondo and tube of spot putty... along with a few cans of that Krylon 1540 that's supposed to be a good match for the body color (haven't tried a test spot yet, so dunno.... but I'm all set to go

Any idea of what wood's supposed to be in the back?

[Rodney]

from the looks of the wood I took out of my Clipper back there they used scraps of what ever was handy?
I would use good solid fur or pine "Iwouldn't use anything to expensive as the strength will come from the glass as you build it back up the wood is for shape and reinforcement while laying the glass.
there are lots of little tricks when using glass one is to tare and feather the mat glass material rather than cutting it. this  will give a smoother transition to the surface you are working and after your mat work is done lay the cloth beyond the mat. since the resin is liquid when painting it on have any holes and areas that the resin run out plugged. I use dura glass { a fiberglass material you use like bonbo} bondo will work but  you have no strength with it. you can also use duck tape to build and shape areas and stop the resin from getting away from the area you are working. be sure and prime the repaired area first before you use your paint.
good luck
Rodney