Date:         Wed, 4 Dec 2002 17:53:31 +0100
Reply-To:     Robert Steven Fish <fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Steven Fish <fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT>
Subject:      POR Patch Report  - (For Plastic Repairs!!)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi all,

I have been using POR-15 on various surfaces for almost a year now... and
was so impressed with it that I decided to buy their "patch" material called
POR Patch.

I had visions of patching up rusty seams, or holes in the foot step area
with this goop.

I tried in the summer to use it on an area of the rear hatch with HORRIBLE
results.  Even though I wire brished the area and cleaned 2-3 times with
Marine Clean, and even hit the bare metal with their Metal-Ready product....
the POR Patch bubbled and ended up creating a sponge in a rusty area... no
good.

I got totally pissed, and was going to toss the stuff in the trash... and
then I re-read the instructions and it mentioned that it is not intended for
exterior body work.. OK, whatever... live and learn. I screwed up.

What it DOES work well on is PLASTIC REPAIRS!!  This stuff dries almost rock
hard, but just flexible enough to allow some stress (like for a screw being
tightened on it), and allows sanding and cutting with a sharp knife for
shaping.

I fixed a trashed skylight lever assembly cover (the one inside the Vanagon,
Where you turn the knob to open the little skylight on the poptop) with
GREAT RESULTS!!  The bolt holes on the plastic housing were all broken, as
the guy I got it from apparently felt that ripping it off was easier tahn
taking the bolts out... I put a strip of wide masking tape on the bottom of
the housing and gloped the POR Patch stuff on, making roughly the same shape
as used to be there.  I also coated over several areas that had bad
cracking.

I also used it last week because I have my fiberglass rear bumper off to
install a trailer hitch... I saw that the brackets attaching the bumper to
the car were literally dust... so I bought new ones, and proceeded to try to
remove the bolts with my ratchet... 3 came out, and one was completely
rusted to the metal threaded grommet that is inserted into the recessed area
in the bumper.  So I stripped it, making a larger hole, and managed to get
the threaded piece free.  I cleaned the hole, and packed it full of this POR
Patch, and pressed the threaded thing back in all the way.  Today it is
completely dry, I sliced the surface flush with a knife, and it is rock
solid!!

The version I have is clear... apparently they make a silver which has metal
threads in it.  Be certain that all is dry and dust and grease free... it
will adhere great if the surface is properly prepared.

Once I get my skylight housing thing sanded and sculpted to the correct
shape, I will try to paint it with the black POR-15 and then that part will
outlive all of us!

RSF

IMPORTANT!!! In order to reply to me, you must have the word "FISH"
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<º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{

Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf