Repairing SN

[superjet119]

I have never done glass work before, but I have a 93 sn that needs work on the bow in the bond line and some hood work,looks like the previous owner hit a dock. I'm not sure what to use, I have read build threads and no one seems to really go over what they are using, the only common theme is they are beginners and start cutting away. I will post pictures of my damage to get ideas from everyone here on the best fix. Thanks a bunch.
Craig

 

[superjet119]

Here is the damage

 

[Downrange]

View attachment 340597 View attachment 340598 View attachment 340599 View attachment 340600 Here is the damage

No problem, even for a beginner this will not be the bad. A couple things to start (protect your lungs). Can't say how important a good mask that you can paint with is. I would use only epoxy resins, and for this repair some 6 or 8 ounce Biaxial cloth. You can get these at marina stores or over the internet. With the front bond rail you will want to really make sure that you take a good look upside down to determine how far the damage goes. After that try to keep anything solid intact. There are a few ways to form fiberglass Biaxial cloth, over a form (mold) or over structure that will be reinforced. Once you have the cloth where it needs to be you add the resin (wetting out) the cloth. Now you wait 12 hours and see what you got. Now you sand grind away the surface to either apply paint or another layer of fabric or resin with some filler. Hope this helps its not rocket science. The SMC that your SN is made of is best repaired with epoxy resin. Ask another question.

 

[superjet119]

I will order that cloth and get started. I appreciate your response and look forward to learning. I have 105 resin and 205 hardner. I have been looking at videos and hopefully I will get it right. This will be my test on my othe sn. I have another square nose that I have with help cut open and going to make it wide tray. The foam was saturated.

 

[Quinc]

A lot of good info here: http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/basic-sn-build-completed-tuning-time.139048/

Use medium hardener epoxy resin from uscomposites and 12oz biax fiberglass.

Take a die grinder with flapper disk to remove all the bad glass and paint. Clean and prep everything with 36grit sand paper and then acetone. Wear latex gloves so you do not get your surface area and glass dirty. Next cut most of the front bumper off when you are done. Less work for you to do and it looks better.

 

[Quinc]

Pic of the front of my ski:

 

[Downrange]

When starting with composites take it slow and meticulous about the area to be repaired and prepping the surfaces. Minimum 60 grit for sanding adjacent areas. With your repair you will prep both sides of the damaged area equally in size looks like 5-6"from the damage in both directions from the damage down the bond rail. I would suggest starting on the back side of the damaged area, and up side down. I would use the holes that already exist to secure a form to the front side. Could be a strip of sheet metal 20Ga or any type of sheet plastic that you can bend and drill, even veneer. Once you have that form you will be able to work the rain into the fabric (wet out). Remember to mix your resin good, I always do 2minutes of quick stirring. Use a paint brush to apply the resin to the fabric. Make sure your wearing latex gloves, don't be afraid to use your hands. I can't see the back side from the pics but the first piece I would lay would be a 2x6strip across the backside. Followed by a 2. 5x8 then a 3x10 and last a3x12.. You can lay this all out before hand, and in fact on a piece of glass you could wet out everything in a sandwich fashion and then apply the sandwich pre impregnated with resin to the area. Don't go over the bound rail with these lamination. That would cause to large of a build up. Once it drys (cures) 12 hours post a pic.

 

[Downrange]

On applying resin you want to apply enough to do the bound and no more. You never want pooling anywhere. If you apply enough the day after you will be able to see the fabric weave visable on the surface. But the voids between the strands full of resin. As you wet something out the fabric will became quit transparent with the substrate visable. At this point a dress any airbubbles with pressure and resin only as needed. The longer you work a fabric the better it will conform to the shape being glassed.

 

[Downrange]

After these initial laminations cure, you will flip it over and work on the viable side. You will remove the form(tool), that you attached to the front. At this point you will have a good idea of the strength of what you previously layer up underneath and behind the bond rail. And a good understanding of the wet out procedure. Working with 6-8ounce fabric is easy, wets out easy and conforms well. Now when working on the topside viable area we can keep the bulk down since most the strength will be from the initial lamest. I would suggest making 5to6 pieces the exact size of the gouged out area of the bound rail and laying them right in the damaged area then putting 3lams of 6 ounce over it with sizes correspondingly larger as you did previously.. Understand that anytime you stop this process and the resin cures you have to rough up the surface to be worked with 60grit again. Take your time do good quality repairs. I don't want to overload you so ask questions when they come up good luck with your repair.

 

[superjet119]

Thank you for all the responses. I will start with the prep and post pictures before I start laying any glass. I have only bought west systems 105 resin and 205 hardener.

 

[Downrange]

I use 105 and 205 almost exclusively.