SoCal Jet Boats
Tech Talk => Gelcoat / Paint / Fireberglass Repair => Topic started by: patha on July 23, 2009, 11:13:53 PM
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so i pulled my floor and bulkhead out for repairs. now to put them back in what resin is best? i have west systems but it just looks like im going to need a lot and a lot of glass. the old floor and bulkhead had glass that was strands and look like it was gooped up and filled in any gap where the joints were. anybody know what the old stuff woulda been?
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I like to use bondo to handle the gap around stuff like that.
First I "tack weld" the bulkhead into position with a few gobs of bondo placed around the perimeter.
Next I make a fillet of bondo and squeeze it into the gap. I use a plastic tool to form a clean, uniform fillet radius of about 3/8". Finally, I glass over the fillet. I start with 2" woven tape (1 or 2 layers) and then 4" or 6".
That keeps the expensive resin down to a minimum while getting it out over a larger surface area where it can do it's job.
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You don't want to use bondo. It will shrink and draw moisture. And then create bigger problems. The glass you are talking about that has strands in it sounds more like a product called Kitty Hair by some mfgs. It is very good stuff for filling small areas.
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i was told that the kitty hair is just like bondo with the strands and is a green color....true?
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i was told that the kitty hair is just like bondo with the strands and is a green color....true?
Couldnt be more false...Kitty Hair has 10+ X the strength of Bondo filler... ;)
Kitty Hair is chopped fiberglass in Polyester resin...
You can do the same thing with chopped fiberglass and some micro spheres (also called Cab O Sil) with the epoxy resin, the advantage is the controllable kick (working) times and viscosity. :thumbup:
GT
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I standing by my suggestions! Tell me how water is going to work it's way through 3-4 layers of resin and glass cloth? The man was asking for suggestions on alternates to the cost of resin. And "spreading" the cloth layer out away from the root of the joint is way better than resin and fiber inside the root. Anyhoo I did it with bondo. It works. It will last 15 years or more but maybe not 100. I like it. :thumbup:
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I standing by my suggestions! Tell me how water is going to work it's way through 3-4 layers of resin and glass cloth? The man was asking for suggestions on alternates to the cost of resin. And "spreading" the cloth layer out away from the root of the joint is way better than resin and fiber inside the root. Anyhoo I did it with bondo. It works. It will last 15 years or more but maybe not 100. I like it. :thumbup:
Easy there Turbo! LOL, I merely made suggestions as well. :thumbup:
The Bondo will help filet the corners, but will literally have no added strength as opposed to glass fibers and resin., just a different perspective. ;)
GT
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I'll stand by my comments. Bondo with shrink, will absorb moisture and doesn't have any structural strength. It's a great product for cars and that is limited. Go with Kitty Hair and micro spheres. Then if you want to you can smooth all that out and give it a layer of glass fabric and finishing resin. If you want it right, do it right and you won't be sorry. Bondo will crack out.
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Thanks for the input guys. I'm just looking for an alternative to west systems and 3 or 4 layers of cloth to secure the floor down on the edges and the wall under the dash. So what I'm getting from this is that the kitty hair is just resin with the strands mixed in....which would seem to be what held it there before. So since it just holding the floor down and keeping the front wall in place...the kitty hair should do just fine??
never wanted to use bondo...i know that stuff is not good in moist environments
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Easy there Turbo! LOL, I merely made suggestions as well. :thumbup:
The Bondo will help filet the corners, but will literally have no added strength as opposed to glass fibers and resin., just a different perspective. ;)
GT
Don't use either...kitty hair will take a year to sand..... Use a deck and hull putty for the deep areas and a poly fair (fairing compound) for the small scratches and cracks, it sands real easy and you can a nice smooth finish