Fixing a stripped screw hole

[B_Hunter45]

Hi All,

A few screws (small holes for dodger snaps) just got pulled out from the fiberglass.
I need to fill the holes and drill new holes.
What is the easiest way (and good enough) to do it?
Please suggest which products to use, there is a huge selection out there, and not all are good.

The holes are vertical, so I need something that will not run off.

Thanks

[a64pilot]

I’m not the best at composites, so I won’t comment, but surely there are some that will

[Exile]

I use West System epoxy mixed with one of their fillers to make a paste akin to the consistency of peanut butter. That way it will stay in place on a vertical surface until it sets. Be sure to drill or otherwise bore out a little material first to give it some tooth for the epoxy to adhere to, wipe down with acetone, and follow up with gelcoat or paint since epoxy can be vulnerable to UV.

Edit: Since you're replacing with new snaps you can probably skip the last gelcoat/paint step.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Exile

I use West System epoxy mixed with one of their fillers to make a paste akin to the consistency of peanut butter. That way it will stay in place on a vertical surface until it sets. Be sure to drill or otherwise bore out a little material first to give it some tooth for the epoxy to adhere to, wipe down with acetone, and follow up with gelcoat or paint since epoxy can be vulnerable to UV.

Edit: Since you're replacing with new snaps you can probably skip the last gelcoat/paint step.

This is the way I do it.

[a64pilot]

I used thickened epoxy, System 6 or 6 something, comes in a tube that fits a caulk gun with a swirly tube or mix it, too easy.
You can buy more swirly mix tubes too and put the cap back on the big tube for later use.

This stuff, and it’s good for more than just filling holes
https://www.westsystem.com/specialty...poxy-adhesive/

Oh mark the cap with a sharpie so you can be sure it goes back the right way, if backwards it may cure and plug?

[model 10]

Well, if it were a homebuilt aircraft or something,(like the Voyager), you would use epoxy and flox. Flox turns out to be cotton chopped into a powder, or waste from a cotton machine of some sort. Crazy strong.

[DeepFrz]

This might help.

https://www.westsystem.com/wp-conten...anual-2015.pdf

[Exile]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

This might help.

https://www.westsystem.com/wp-conten...anual-2015.pdf

Excellent resource.

[roland stockham]

I would not re-drill. If you are not going to to need to remove the screws in the future simply clean thoroughly, dip the screws in thickened epoxy and lightly screw them back in. If you do want to remove them in the furture wipe the crew with Vaseline before diffing in the epoxy so that the joint will break.

[Breaking Waves]

got to say, short screws into laminate are just not right.

something like click bond studs or mounts would be a more proper solution. There are other good adhesive mounting systems if somehow click bond does not have specifically what you need.

And they are super easy to use.

[guyrj33]

Thickened epoxy or Marine Tex will work.

[LeeV]

If you plan to use new screws be sure to drill your hole larger than the original size. Clean all the edges, fill with thickened epoxy and use plastic tape on each side of the hole. Peel off after 24 hours, drill new holes....

Regards,

[thinwater]

Cored deck?


I did a bunch of testing, and the strongest way is to remove the core with a modified roofing nail, fill the cavity with slightly thickened epoxy, then jam as as much fiberglass cloth as possible (small strips) in the cavity, and then top-off.


https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...r_12405-1.html

[Jules_M]

Originally Posted by B_Hunter45

Hi All,

A few screws (small holes for dodger snaps) just got pulled out from the fiberglass.
I need to fill the holes and drill new holes.
What is the easiest way (and good enough) to do it?
Please suggest which products to use, there is a huge selection out there, and not all are good.

The holes are vertical, so I need something that will not run off.

Thanks

West System is so easy to use and is rock solid. I have the small sizes of resin and both fast and slow hardeners, the measuring pump kit, the 406 colloidal silica, fiberglass tape and some mat. That pretty much gives me the ability to do just about any small repair or install. With the measuring pumps, you can't go wrong with the mix.

West System also has repair kits. Maybe look into one of those to see if it will work for you.

[Breaking Waves]

^^thinwater

From your article “The fastest way to attach light hardware to a cored deck is a self-tapping screw” - not sure I agree, click bond and the other good adhesive mounts would seem to me to be preferred both for ease/speed and for deck/core integrity.

It is certainly a ton easier than your above roofing nail/cloth/epoxy approach.