Glassing over a large hole in my "boat".

[pete c]

Getting close to Bondo time.

Does Bondo have any flexibility to it? If you whack the repair area, there is a bit of flex. Shouldn't have to go any thicker than an 1/8 of an inch.

I have read that I could just finish with a few coats of resin. Is this a more durable finish? It would require another layer or two of fiberglass, I think, but, that's not a problem.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by pete c

Getting close to Bondo time.

Does Bondo have any flexibility to it? If you whack the repair area, there is a bit of flex. Shouldn't have to go any thicker than an 1/8 of an inch.

I have read that I could just finish with a few coats of resin. Is this a more durable finish? It would require another layer or two of fiberglass, I think, but, that's not a problem.

bondo is probably a recipe for a sticky mess!

if you can put a board under the area to be repaired,cover it with cling film.

taper with a grinder the edges of the hole,prepare your chopped strand mat by tearing it into roughly the correct size for the hole,1/8" is probably 4 layers of cloth.

only mix 500g of resin at a time with 2% hardner 10ml,then progerresively laminate,the 4-5 layers,making sure you have no air bubbles,i find a roller is good for this type of work

[SkiprJohn]

Ok, sounds like you are learning how to glass by feel/experience, etc.. I've made mistakes with the stuff too but not the same ones you did. Sometimes reading a book does help.

Bondo is just a filler to make your job smooth. It does not provide any strength. It really is not very flexible. It is just a filler. Bondo sets up very fast in dry high temperatures so you should only mix up a golf ball size lump at a time. Use a flexible piece of plastic (spreader) to spread it on thin to fill small voids and to cover imperfections. If it sets up with ripples or with dents that's ok. Sand away the ripples after it sets good and mix up some more to fill in the dents and keep at it until the whole project is smooth. Ask your friend who will do the gel coat what you should do next. Maybe he has a filler that is better than bondo.
kind regards,

[pete c]

Well, after much filling and sanding and filling.... I have finally gotten to the finish coat phase.

Thanks for the recommendation on the book, John. The library finally got it in. Very informative. Wish I had it a few weeks ago!

Anyway, I have a few options. Gelcoat or a few different paint options. One is from these jamestown distributors, recommended by another Sunrader owner. It is called Interlux. Another option I read about is Rustoleum Topside white made for marine above the waterline applications.

I have decided to go with the Rustoleum for a few reasons. First off, it is right there on the shelf at the big orange box store and time is a factor. Also, it is inexpensive. I suspect that whatever route I go, trying match a 22 year old finsh is gonna be difficult, even for a pro. Using this stuff, I can go ahead and do the rest of the RV. There really isn't that many square feet as it has more window than wall. The largest area is the roof and I may just hold off to the spring to do that. Worst case, I am out about 50 bucks and a little time. Can always just sand it back down and try something else. I think it is worth giving it a whack.

I plan on using the roll and tip method and will cut it about 5% with thinner. I do have the recommended rustoleum primer I will use as a basecoat.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your help so far.

Pete

[SkiprJohn]

Try a little roll and tip on a piece that is not too noticeable. Timing is the key. If the paint dries quickly you need to tip it very soon after you roll. Like seconds soon. If it takes a while to dry then you can tip after covering a few square feet.
Good luck.

kind regards,

[pete c]

Yeah, I watched a video on it. I am going to start with a roof section which can't be seen from the ground. It is fairly cool here, this time of year which ought to help give me a few extra seconds.