Could Use Some Advice on Fillers

[DiverChick71]

So I am grinding into some of the cracks on Thursday, to start the repairs. I may post some pictures for advice as I'm not sure what I'm looking at. Prepared to glass if needed but I've never glasses anything before. It's very soft and pretty...fiberglass cloth. :-) judging by the headliner, it loses that after it's wet, huh.

[brutb]

DC71, photos of the areas you are grinding and photos of the types of cracks you are repairing will get you better advice on the proper way to repair them... Before you start grinding away. Just my opinion...

Glass cloth does not have strength UNTIL the expoxy is applied and set. If you have never used it, it is best to make up some test batches and use it to trying bonding some wood pieces together, filling some holes drilled in the wood or scrap pieces of fiberglass. Mix some with you choice of filler material and see how it fills and sands. Remember mixing and filling are the easy parts, the really tough work is in sanding and fairing the newly applied areas to the old structure. If you are going to be using fiberglas cloth and resin on large areas of the deck check in to using peel ply(rayon cloth I believe) to reduce the amount of time spent sanding and to give a smoother surface for the next layer....

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

So I am grinding into some of the cracks on Thursday, to start the repairs. I may post some pictures for advice as I'm not sure what I'm looking at. Prepared to glass if needed but I've never glasses anything before. It's very soft and pretty...fiberglass cloth. :-) judging by the headliner, it loses that after it's wet, huh.

Whatcha grinding with?

[DiverChick71]

Brutb- thanks! Good idea on the practice materials. I'll take some pics tomorrow and post (if I can from the phone).

Minaret- I have an angle grinder and a dremel with a 902 attachment--the bullet shaped grinder tip. Any other suggestions?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

Brutb- thanks! Good idea on the practice materials. I'll take some pics tomorrow and post (if I can from the phone).

Minaret- I have an angle grinder and a dremel with a 902 attachment--the bullet shaped grinder tip. Any other suggestions?

For grinding most cracks the angle grinder is too big (and too powerful in the hands of a novice). The dremel is too small and weak to be good for much of anything. Get a 1" Roloc disc setup, and a 2", with a bunch of 24 grit discs to match. Then, unless you have air, chuck them into your best cordless drill in high gear. Much better control, do most prep grind with 1" and finish with 2" flat. This will give you nice 1 1/4" or so perfectly tapered crack grinds for cheap with minimal risk. If you have lots to do get a compressor and right angle pneumatic with regulator for Rolocs, it'll pay for itself.

[DiverChick71]

Really? The dremel has a cord and goes up to 35,000 RPM...it seems really powerful. I like it because it's small and easy to control.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

Really? The dremel has a cord and goes up to 35,000 RPM...it seems really powerful. I like it because it's small and easy to control.

Lots of RPM, zero torque. You can stop it with your fingers. Rolocs only cost a few bucks, and they grind the right shape quickly with proper tooth. A dremel bit leaves no profile. Poly or epoxy? Glass type?

[DiverChick71]

Like this?

[DiverChick71]

The guy I talked to recommended 10 oz e-glass and epoxy.

[s/v Jedi]

You can check if you can find a couple of "stripper discs" for the angle grinder. They are meant to strip paint from metal, look like very rough Scotchbrite, but work very well to grind out cracks, blisters etc.


The cloth with epoxy sounds good.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

Like this?

Attachment 68110

Yes, basically. Lots of different types, lots of tricks; like putting a 2" disc on an 1 1/2" soft pad for prep grinds. But basically all you need is a 1" and a 2" hard with discs. Much more aggressive grinding with more control.

[DiverChick71]

Well darn. Called Lowes and Home Depot. No luck on the Roloc. I also looked on Harbor Freights website and they had some sanding accessories but not specifically a roloc. Any other suggestions before I order from Amazon? Score on the free shipping with Prime that I got the same time I bought the boat, but it still won't arrive before we head to the boat bright and early.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DiverChick71

Well darn. Called Lowes and Home Depot. No luck on the Roloc. I also looked on Harbor Freights website and they had some sanding accessories but not specifically a roloc. Any other suggestions before I order from Amazon? Score on the free shipping with Prime that I got the same time I bought the boat, but it still won't arrive before we head to the boat bright and early.

Not in Cali. If you were here I could tell you half a dozen places to get what you need. Like this.

[minaret]

This kind of Roloc. Should cost less than $5 for each size set up. These are what will easily chuck into a good cordless (for grinding only a few cracks or repairs).

[minaret]

With these discs (3M Imperial).