This includes damage like punctures or screw holes. If the damage is this small, you can proceed with a simple repair with epoxy and no additional fiberglass sheeting. A small spot of damage on the surface can actually be larger underneath. Put on personal protective equipment.
This includes gloves, eye protection, and a dust mask or respirator. It is most important to keep fiberglass dust out of your lungs and eyes. You also want to keep it off of your skin if possible, as it can cause irritation.
Drill out the damaged fiberglass. In order for the epoxy repair material to attach to the fiberglass and material underneath it, you need to drill out the damaged material. This will open up the damaged area so that your epoxy can get inside and bond. Wipe done the area with acetone.
Cover a rag with acetone and wipe down the surface and the inside of the holes. Acetone is the cleaner of choice when dealing with fiberglass. It gets rid of all dirt and grime, as well as fiberglass dust, without leaving a residue. When using acetone, remember that it is highly flammable and needs to be used away from an open flame.
The rag you use should be disposed of in a double bag in your garbage can. You can also get it at pharmacies and big box stores in their nail care section, as it's most common use is as nail polish remover. Cover the back of the hole with masking tape, if necessary. If you are repairing an area that you can get to the back of, block it off with tape so that the epoxy doesn't run right through it.
Use any type of masking tape that you have on hand, as it just needs to hold for a small amount of time. In some situations, such as when you are repairing a bathtub, you won't be able to get to the back and that is fine. The epoxy will go down into the damaged area and you will need to use more to fill up the void but it will firm up quickly enough to fill the hole.
Mix epoxy resin, hardener, and filler together. In order to fill a small hole, you need a mixture of these three components. Consult the instructions that came with your epoxy resin to determine how much of each material you need. It is very important to get your proportions right, so follow the directions closely.
Once the epoxy sets, the container and the stirrer will be coated with it permanently. The epoxy is the bulk of the material, the hardener causes the epoxy resin to firm up, and the filler makes the mixture thicker so that it doesn't drip right out of the repair area. These products are available from online retailers, marine supply companies, and some specialty hardware stores. Pour the mixed epoxy into the hole until it is filled. How much epoxy you have to pour in depends on the hole and what is below it.
If you have a solid surface underneath, it won't take much epoxy. However, if you have a hollow area, it may take quite a bit of epoxy. Try to keep the stream of epoxy small and slow so that you don't create a mess. You can mix more and add onto the top as long as the previous batch is still tacky. If you overfill the hole or spill some epoxy outside of the hole, wipe it up with a rag right away. Then smooth out the surface. Wait 5 minutes and make sure the top of the epoxy stays level and doesn't slump.
If it does slump, simply add more epoxy mix. Sand the surface smooth once the epoxy has cured. Consult the curing directions on the epoxy packaging. Once the designated amount of time has passed, start smoothing out the patch area. Start with 80 grit sandpaper to get large areas of excess epoxy off.
Then switch to grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface. Method 2. This should include gloves, eye protection, and a dust mask or respirator. When repairing a large crack or hole you will be creating fiberglass dust, which shouldn't get into your lungs or eyes. You should also try to keep it off your skin as much as possible, as it can be irritating. Determine how much of the area is damaged. Cut several pieces of fiberglass cloth biaxial weave to the size of the repair site.
You will start with a few small pieces for the bottom of the excavation and progress to larger pieces near the final surface of the repair. The top piece should be the largest, and some prefer to use chopmat instead of biaxial weave. Next, add resin and catalyst into a mixing cup. Make sure to thoroughly mix the concoction. Use slow hardener here - we want the resin to have time to penetrate the existing fiberglass before it sets. Next, apply the smallest piece of cloth to the repair site and brush some more resin mixture on it.
Use a fiberglass roller to roll out the air bubbles. At this point, I wait until the resin is beginning to "gel", and then add 3 more layers of cloth using a fresh batch of resin mixture.
These steps are repeated until the last layer of cloth is applied. After the last cloth is applied, allow the resin to begin to gel, and then brush one more coat of resin over the entire repair.
Let the work "rest" overnight. Since these cracks often form from small impacts or minor flexing, they can appear just about anywhere on your boat. This means you can apply a simple, cosmetic fix. Want more ways to clean, maintain, and repair your boat? There is a sense of pride that comes along with hitting the water in a beautifully detailed boat. When the […]. One of the best parts about owning a boat is improving it as you see fit.
There is no reason […]. Search for:. Move your boat to a safe workplace. First, get your boat to a well-ventilated area where it can be sheltered overnight. Clean the area.
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