Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 11:11:05 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: fiberglass repair on poptop
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If it's just a 5/16th inch hole that's going to be cover by a large diameter
washer anyway, I'd just use two-part epoxy, like JB Weld.
No need to get 'all technical' .........just a good material that's strong
and lasting.
I think JB well will bond to fiberglass well enough.
oh.........here's a great trick - to give any two-part mix material for
'body' ..............mix fine sawdust into it to make it thicker so it'll
stay where you want ( though JB Weld does that anyway ) ......or
micro-balloons,,,,,,,,tiny pieces of Styrofoam-like material that's for
making fiberglass resin thicker, so it's have some 'body' ........or flour
even.............but I think ordinary ole JB weld by itself will be simple,
strong, appropriate tech, etc. I often mix WestSystem marine epoxy and
teak sawdust. That combination of materials is so rugged and durable, I
patch concrete with it .
I could-should to the gas strut thing too for a Westy top or two of mine .
Got a link that you can post easily, for the kit ?
thnx,
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joy Hecht" <hecht.joy@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 4:15 PM
Subject: fiberglass repair on poptop
> Hi folks,
>
> I've got a hole in my poptop that I'm looking for a way to plug. I
> ordered
> one of the poptop strut kits, followed the instructions, and it turned out
> the struts that came with it were shorter than the dimensions given for
> the
> holes to attach them. I attached the first strut andchecked that all was
> well before drilling the second hole, and found the problem.
>
> The hole should center at a spot 5/16 of an inch away from the existing
> hole. I've emailed the person who assembles the kits and asked him to
> send
> me struts long enough to match his instructions, but if I can patch the
> hole
> and drill a new one, that might be better. And probably quicker.
>
> The kit includes large fender washers that go on both sides of the hole in
> the poptop, and they would cover the patched hole as well providing some
> support.
>
> Does anyone have suggestions for how to do this? Ideally I'd like to put
> in
> a metal plug the dimensions of the hole (5/16") and the depth of the
> fiberglass. But I'm guessing a fiberglass plug, or one of some other
> material, might be more realistic.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> And if you're thinking of buying one of those kits, pmail me and I'll
> explain more precisely what is wrong with the instructions so you don't do
> the same thing.
>
>
>
>
> Joy
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