Filling rust holes with fiberglass

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 4:40 pm
Hi there,
Im currently working on a jeep project, and i have plenty of rotten panels in it.
I dont have the means or knowledge for welding patches, and ive been told that i can clean off the rust and fill the holes with fiberglass.
Id like to know if its true, and the pros and cons of such an option.
Thanks,



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PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 5:10 pm
how are you going to clean the rust off?
Jay D.
they say my name is Jay

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:14 pm
A good alternative is to make your own patch panels and attach them
using panel adhesive. If done right, it's just as durable as welding.
You'll need a flanging tool for forming the patch edges.
"If you can't move it, paint it." - U.S. Army



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PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 3:25 am
depends how big the holes are mate, for a dodgy and quick repair, just cut the rust out till its clean metal and use some fibrglass matt and resin to cover over it,
OR
get some really good strong tape, tape over the rust hole to replicate how the panel would look in good condition, get some pva release agent (or simply some bees wax) and then lay up some glass matt over it to make a panel from fibreglass, then when its all hard, take the new panel off and the tape to reveal the rusty crap, cut the rust out and then make a paper template of the hole to be filled, then trace it out onto the new fibreglass panel, cut it out and make it as snug a fit as possible
then simply glue the panel in with some matt and resin from behind the 2 panels, its not an ideal solution, but if you dont have a welder, it can make a good patch that will last a while, i used to do antenna and door lock holes this way and never had a prob, but i have a welder now.
krem

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 3:13 pm
A common car flippers practice is to hammer down the rust area and then sand the area with a coarse grit sandpaper to create some tooth for the fiberglass filler to grip to. This will work for the short term but it is sure to pop its ugly head out again.

The way to fix it permanently, is to cut the rusted area out and then install a patch of good metal. If you cannot weld the piece in, use the bonding technique mentioned previously. You should then seal the back side of the patch with seam sealer to make sure moisture doesn't creep in from the rear. On the front side you should apply a coating of epoxy primer to the bare metal followed by your body filler, then polyester primer, then sealer primer, then paint and clear coat.

Hope this helps ~ Lenny B.

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