Home  |  Forums  |  914 Info  |  Blogs
 
914World.com - The fastest growing online 914 community!
 
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way.
Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
 

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

> Refinishing a fiberglass top?
KaptKaos
post Dec 26 2008, 04:13 PM
Post #1


Family
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4,009
Joined: 23-April 03
From: Near Wausau
Member No.: 607
Region Association: Upper MidWest
I have heard folks say that to refinish a top so it's smooth, you need to apply a gel coat to it and sand it smooth.

Anyone have specific instructions on this? What supplies do I need and how best to do it?

TIA
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
 
 Reply to this topicStart new topic
Replies
southernmost914
post Dec 26 2008, 06:03 PM
Post #2


KEY WEST/HAVANA Tunnel Authority
**

Group: Members
Posts: 338
Joined: 16-October 07
From: Key West/ St. Augie, Fl USA
Member No.: 8,234
Region Association: South East States
Scotty, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) I have seen your work and you are" the man". After working with fiberglass for 20 years I can tell you that bare fiberglass needs a barrier coat or it will asorb water and delaminate.( gel coat or a non water asorbing filler such as All-metal )Paint by it self will not do it. The West -System stuff that I mentioned can be sprayed or mixed to a bondo like thickness, is a barrier coat, can be sanded like auto filler, will not crack or delaminate, and is made for bonding with and faring fiberglass. www.westsystem.com (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Steve
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
scotty b
post Dec 26 2008, 06:29 PM
Post #3


rust free you say ?
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 16,375
Joined: 7-January 05
From: richmond, Va.
Member No.: 3,419
Region Association: None
QUOTE(southernmost914 @ Dec 26 2008, 04:03 PM) *

Scotty, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) I have seen your work and you are" the man". After working with fiberglass for 20 years I can tell you that bare fiberglass needs a barrier coat or it will asorb water and delaminate.( gel coat or a non water asorbing filler such as All-metal )Paint by it self will not do it. The West -System stuff that I mentioned can be sprayed or mixed to a bondo like thickness, is a barrier coat, can be sanded like auto filler, will not crack or delaminate, and is made for bonding with and faring fiberglass. www.westsystem.com (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Steve


Nuff said (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I've done some minor glass work on cars but if it needs a gel coat so be it. I've always assumed that the primer/sealer I use was enough. Should I consider using actual gel coat on glass cars from now on ? Normally when I strip them I can stay within the original gel coat but on some like that Ferrari kit where I had to repair I counted on the bondo to be my isolation coat.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
RoninEclipse2G
post Dec 26 2008, 07:39 PM
Post #4


Suby Geek
**

Group: Members
Posts: 232
Joined: 28-April 07
From: Parker, Colorado
Member No.: 7,701
Region Association: Rocky Mountains
QUOTE(scotty b @ Dec 26 2008, 05:29 PM) *

Nuff said (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I've done some minor glass work on cars but if it needs a gel coat so be it. I've always assumed that the primer/sealer I use was enough. Should I consider using actual gel coat on glass cars from now on ? Normally when I strip them I can stay within the original gel coat but on some like that Ferrari kit where I had to repair I counted on the bondo to be my isolation coat.

Bondo and primer/sealer is fine for isolation. Gel coat is mostly for the manufacturing process, being a surface to adhere the release wax to so that things will pop out of the mold smoothly. in fiberglass manufacturing you gelcoat the mold and polish it with a release wax, afterwards you re-gelcoat on top of the release wax and then lay your glass inside. it helps everything come apart smoothly. good sealer/primer is all that's needed after that
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post

Posts in this topic
KaptKaos   Refinishing a fiberglass top?   Dec 26 2008, 04:13 PM
southernmost914   Many different ways to do it. Go to your local mar...   Dec 26 2008, 04:55 PM
scotty b   Block it with 80 or 150 grit. once you see the bla...   Dec 26 2008, 05:17 PM
KaptKaos   So just use bondo?   Dec 26 2008, 05:19 PM
scotty b   Yeah there's no need in gel coating it. Depend...   Dec 26 2008, 05:27 PM
southernmost914   Scotty, :worship: I have seen your work and you a...   Dec 26 2008, 06:03 PM
scotty b   Scotty, :worship: I have seen your work and you ...   Dec 26 2008, 06:29 PM
southernmost914   B)-->
QUOTE(scotty b @ D...   Dec 26 2008, 06:39 PM
RoninEclipse2G   B)-->
QUOTE(scotty b @ D...   Dec 26 2008, 07:39 PM
ahdoman   Joe - Just be careful sanding the finish smooth; d...   Dec 26 2008, 06:19 PM
KaptKaos   Joe - Just be careful sanding the finish smooth; ...   Dec 26 2008, 07:30 PM
scotty b   :hijacked: Hey Steve I assume you have boat repai...   Dec 26 2008, 06:32 PM
southernmost914   B)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE...   Dec 26 2008, 06:45 PM
geniusanthony   I would think that a flexible filler would be good...   Dec 26 2008, 07:35 PM
southernmost914   I would think that a flexible filler would be goo...   Dec 26 2008, 07:44 PM
Vacca Rabite   I did mine with 80 grit sand paper on an air board...   Dec 26 2008, 08:22 PM

 

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 10th June 2024 - 04:31 PM
Invision Power Board v9.1.4 © 2024  IPS, Inc.
All rights reserved 914World.com © since 2002
914World.com is the fastest growing online 914 community!
We have it all, classifieds, events, forums, vendors, parts, autocross, racing, technical articles, events calendar, newsletter, restoration, gallery, archives, history and more for your Porsche 914 ...