Hello, I took my bonnet off a couple of days ago because I thought the paint was cracked.
However, when I sanded the paint off I found that it's the gelcoat underneath that's cracked, a much longer job to repair.
Most opinions on the net say to dremel the cracks deeper, then fill and rub down again before respraying.
Is there a better way please as I can see me slipping and sliding all over the place with my dremel and causing more damage?
(https://i.postimg.cc/QB2fB7QS/IMG-0198.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QB2fB7QS)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jnsm5NTm/IMG-0199.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jnsm5NTm)
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
If you need a new one moulding Absolute Veedubs have the moulds.
01386 553657
I would add some more fibreglass to the underside to strengthen it then v the cracks out and fill them. Got some here that need doing but hate body work.
Quote from: Manxdavid on March 31, 2019, 07:10:05 PM
If you need a new one moulding Absolute Veedubs have the moulds.
01386 553657
Wow, thanks, I'll give them a ring when I've made a mess of it ;-)up
Are you sure they have moulds for Kyote bodies?
Quote from: snoopy on March 31, 2019, 07:12:00 PM
I would add some more fibreglass to the underside to strengthen it then v the cracks out and fill them. Got some here that need doing but hate body work.
Good plan, thanks.
Then of course there's the respray to do; I'm rubbish at paintwork ;)
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
:o
thats some serious cracks,,
as snoopy says if your gonna go down the repair route reinforce it from behind first.
my 2p to add is dont just v cut the cracks you must tap the ends of the cracks to stop them spreading further. also any intersecting crack points need to be drilled out as they are weak spots.
even after you repair they can still stress and continue to spread unless you stop them in their tracks,
(https://i.imgur.com/mp1Bt2s.jpg)
(at first it might look orible but do a repair properly, that pic isnt the best but it shows taping the ends of the cracks before v cutting to repair.)
tedious work,, use chop strand, resin and silica powder mix (sands down better than just resin and chop strand) to fill the holes you drill and gelcoat to fill the cracks cling film or tape over the gelcoat repairs to cure,, do not use body filler for this process as this can itself shrink or crack only use the body filler to smooth off after you have done any repairs.
Rich
Oh oh, sounds like I'm getting in deeper :'(
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
found this beaut of a vid for you to watch,,
its not how i was taught but then i wasnt taught to do repairs of this size,, so could be golod for you with a whole bonnet to do
https://youtu.be/i9HbPP8A0Fo
Rich.
Quote from: Badger on April 01, 2019, 10:20:54 PM
found this beaut of a vid for you to watch,,
its not how i was taught but then i wasnt taught to do repairs of this size,, so could be golod for you with a whole bonnet to do
https://youtu.be/i9HbPP8A0Fo
Rich.
Thanks, watched it. Well out of my depth now. Think I'll find a workshop to deal with it ;)
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
Hugh..... Repairing fibreglass is not difficult. You just need patience and a fair bit of nerve to grind\sand quite a bit of existing material away...
Essentialy... imagine a cross section through the "panel"... say approx 4 to 6mm thick. Imagine a crack or a hole of 50mm dia.
From the "outer" surface grind away quite a larger area starting from the "outer" side and tapering the hole you produce to a smaller area at the inner side...
"Glass" the inner to provide a base to allow a mixture of resin and "glass" to be applied to the hole from the outer side. Let it cure for a while.
Now.... use an orbital sander on the panel to go well down into the total surface of the panel gel coat. Quite a rough grit at this point. Remove all dust particles and wipe thoroughly with acetone to remove any oils from your hands. Don`t touch the surface again with your hands unless you are wearing clean latex gloves. Look for pin prick holes, and dings. Use a stopper to fill and fine sand again. Clean up again. Use a high fill primer, not etch primer, sand and repeat until all looks good. (This prep is 80% of all work). When you happy. Mist coat with colour. Use wet and dry, about 800 grade. Low spots will have paint left in. High spots won`t. Use the stopper again if you need to to. When fully happy apply colour coats.
Two things most folk do when painting fibreglass.... To many, too thick coats of paint. This will not flex well and will eventually crack\flake. 2nd try to polish it far too soon. Give it a few weeks for solvents to disperse. All sounds a bit daunting but it`s not. Just a bit of practice.
Thanks for all your help :)
It'll be a few days before I get started again on this, and I'll need to get some glass and resin in first.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
Have a go at it
If all goes to plan you will get really sticky, covered in resin and find that its actually really easy to do
If it fails, then sand it all back and have another go at it
If all really really fails, then adopt your plan B and get someone else to do it, but it shouldn`t cost any more for the few minutes in sanding off your mistakes, so its worth having a crack at it.
;-)up
Hugh.... Important..... Fibreglass matting is standard. However the resin is not. I no longer remember the correct terms but "David`s Isopon must be used only with the pink catalyst. The other version of resin is different and the catalyst also. Flea bay has both mat & resin available together.
Both types are of the same ratio mix..... Don`t get bogged down with percentage mix... Work on about 2% of catalyst.
Isopon catalyst is pink and a semi solid.... Think an apple size for the resin. Pea size for catalyst.
The other polyester version .... Catalyst is liquid. 2% not easy to judge. The blueish resin will go greenish when catalyst is mixed. This all takes time to suss out but it will be worth it. The big no no with fibreglass application is not to try to accelerate the curing of the applied mat\resin mix on a cold day with hair dryer or hot air gun. The residual air within the layer\s will expand, bubble up and give you a headache sorting. The surface will cure faster than the underlaying material and this is not good. Hope what I type doesn`t put you off. Fibreglass is an amazing material for the novice to work with. I have created two rear light pods from two plant pots at next to no cost. Will add a couple of photo`s so you can see before and after
Sorry, bad news, spoke to Absolute and the Koyote, Renegade and Manta Ray moulds have all 'vanished'. Very sad!
Quote from: Manxdavid on April 02, 2019, 11:45:20 AM
Sorry, bad news, spoke to Absolute and the Koyote, Renegade and Manta Ray moulds have all 'vanished'. Very sad!
Any more on this Dave..
Quote from: Paul1953 on April 02, 2019, 11:55:56 AM
Quote from: Manxdavid on April 02, 2019, 11:45:20 AM
Sorry, bad news, spoke to Absolute and the Koyote, Renegade and Manta Ray moulds have all 'vanished'. Very sad!
Any more on this Dave..
Seemingly they were sold to someone who took them but ended up not paying and seems to have vanished owing $$$.
Quote from: Manxdavid on April 02, 2019, 02:50:16 PM
Quote from: Paul1953 on April 02, 2019, 11:55:56 AM
Quote from: Manxdavid on April 02, 2019, 11:45:20 AM
Sorry, bad news, spoke to Absolute and the Koyote, Renegade and Manta Ray moulds have all 'vanished'. Very sad!
Any more on this Dave..
Seemingly they were sold to someone who took them but ended up not paying and seems to have vanished owing $$$.
Oh lovely, that must've peed them off somewhat >:(
Thanks everyone, great advice, especially 'have a
crack at it' ;D
Any further dad jokes or puns will be severely punished ;)
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
this is who i buy from
https://www.mbfg.co.uk/
quality product and not to bad on price, look on left side drop menu - fibergalss kits -
the last lot i bought from them was about 10m of glass resin etc (1x 10kg kit) and got change from £70 cant remember postage cost, i have pleanty of kit left over after 1 failed dash then a new plug mould and 2nd dash, 2 frenched rear lights loads of minor repairs and adding strength in places + im yet to mould and build my sidepods, so overall its not too expencive to have a go yourself, just have confidence and go for it, it never hurts to try new things ;)
if your not sure what product you need then phone them tell them what you need it for,
or even look for your local boat builder/repair marina etc and talk to them for advice
Rich.
HughB` a couple of photo`s by way of encouragement to "have a go"....
I use plant pots as a basis for making light pods because of the tapering sides. This means, by collecting a particular size pot, you have a wide range of varying diameters to allow a perfect match with the light unit base. (They are also very good for producing "frenched" in items).
The yellow light pod in the photo started off as a brown plant pot cut down to suitable dimensions. The other photo shows what you end up with after your 80% prep. Plant pot wrapped in layers of fibreglass inside and out to provide a sturdy structure. Sanded down. Pin holes, cracks etc filled in with cellulose putty, (I won`t use modern polyester version). Lots of rubbing down with wet and dry. more celly putty. More rubbing down. On and on until mist coat all ok . First coat of colour. More putty, more rubbing down and finally ready. A couple of top coats. No polishing was required for the finish you see. (Note ..although the plant pot was brown what you see is "red primer". I use this and black to highlight highs and lows.
All this work not every ones cup of tea but the end result is well worth the graft.. ;-)up ;-)up
(http://i.imgur.com/mZCUz72.jpg) (https://imgur.com/mZCUz72)
(http://i.imgur.com/COd0FDU.jpg) (https://imgur.com/COd0FDU)
Yeah, I'll have a go.
I've just been down with the bonnet to see Fibreglass Phil http://www.fibreglassphil.co.uk/index.html (http://www.fibreglassphil.co.uk/index.html) who is currently working on vehicles from the Touring Car Championship. Their workshop is about a mile from our house.
He's given me the same encouragement and advice as everyone here, with the added encouragement of a quote of £500 - £600 to do the work themselves :o , but not able to do anything until the racing season is over.
He even wants to see the finished product as he's quite interested in buggies.
So, give me a couple of weeks and I'll see what comes of my efforts.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
I've just started chasing the cracks with a dremel and cutting V shapes down to the glass. Once I've completed this, can I use acetone based nail varnish remover to clean up? I have some quite strong stuff in stock for other cleaning jobs.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
Yes acetone is is the solvent to use. Nail varnish remover is acetone.
Gel coat is resitive to solvents within reason. Just wipe any surplus off with a lint free rag.
Thanks. Taking my time to fit around other commitments, but should be finished widening the cracks over Easter.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
Nail varnish is acetone but a lot of it is 'oily' so may leave a residue.
What I suspected, so I've just bought 1 litre pure acetone from Amazon.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
Quote from: Manxdavid on April 17, 2019, 11:40:31 PM
Nail varnish is acetone but a lot of it is 'oily' so may leave a residue.
Indeed, cheapie nail varnish remover branded as Acetone has Lanolin added to it to reduce the drying effects of the skin
Look for pure acetone, dead easy to get and bulk size bottles are not that expensive either
;-)up ;-)up
Apologies.... How things change over the years.... I had no idea nail varnish remover now has crap added. Definately as pure as you can get within reason.
Quote from: Paul1953 on April 18, 2019, 03:34:59 PM
Apologies.... How things change over the years.... I had no idea nail varnish remover now has crap added. Definately as pure as you can get within reason.
No worries. When I was looking on line there was even a nail polish remover with conditioner.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd
Quote from: HughBug on April 18, 2019, 05:06:09 PM
When I was looking on line there was even a nail polish remover with conditioner.
Thats probably the Lanolin I mentioned ;-)up
Remember to really go to town with those 'V's. I remember sharing this years ago and everyone got scared.
(https://beachbuggies.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/dsc00799.jpg?w=1000&h=)
(https://beachbuggies.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/dsc00800.jpg?w=1000&h=)
(https://beachbuggies.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/dsc00797.jpg?w=700&h=)
And while you're at it, now is the time to make any body shape mods (if there's anything you want to change) 8)
Thanks, like this, the bottom of the Vs expose the fibreglass beneath...
(https://i.postimg.cc/n9xSw3xZ/IMG-0219.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/n9xSw3xZ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zyLmhPXP/IMG-0220.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zyLmhPXP)
I haven't had much time to do this job, but I'm about ¾ of the way cutting through the cracks.
Then a quick check over the make sure the cracks are all cut deep enough, before cleaning up and refilling.
Cheers :)
Hugh the 2nd