Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 18:59:00 -0500
Reply-To: Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
Subject: Re: fiberglass repair on poptop
In-Reply-To: <101901c90f82$c6b67060$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
All Right!! Another aficionado of Gougeon Epoxy. Baby powder is
also a good "viscosity" increaser as is corn starch, aluminum powder,
cotton fibers, carbon powder(if you like low friction surfaces), but
most of all adding most any thickener makes the epoxy
stronger. Chopped up kevlar strands are probably the strongest, but
the slurry doesn't sand smoothly if that's important.
West Systems is also great for gluing back those threaded anchors
that separate from the late model Vanagon "fiberglass" bumpers from
either damage or trying to remove rusty bolts and nuts.
DM&FS
At 01:11 PM 9/5/2008, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>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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