Fiberglass or epoxy repair
11-04-2005, 12:14 AM
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Fiberglass or epoxy repair
Please excuse this question as it's probably been asked 100 times or more on this board. This is my first time here, so please bear with me:
I want to repair a round cowl (deHavilland Beaver), which has 4 or 5 cracks in it, plus 2 loose pieces. I'm a great believer in epoxy, but I want this cowl to be as strong as possible and look good after the repair. I've never worked with fiberglass before, but am game to try it if I need to. Could I get anyone's opinion on which I should use for this repair? Thanx in advance, to you experts out there.
Jackster
I want to repair a round cowl (deHavilland Beaver), which has 4 or 5 cracks in it, plus 2 loose pieces. I'm a great believer in epoxy, but I want this cowl to be as strong as possible and look good after the repair. I've never worked with fiberglass before, but am game to try it if I need to. Could I get anyone's opinion on which I should use for this repair? Thanx in advance, to you experts out there.
Jackster
11-04-2005, 09:59 PM
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RE: Fiberglass or epoxy repair
I believe it's a fiberglass cowl. It's smooth on the outside, and has a rough interior which is composed of hundreds of strands of threadlike material bonded together. Other than that, I can't tell you the composition. It looks like other fiberglas materials I've seen tho.
11-04-2005, 10:38 PM
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RE: Fiberglass or epoxy repair
O.K. we will start at the beginning. Fibreglass is the cloth that comes in a variety of types. To make things like cowlings, wheelpants, fuselages etc the cloth is impregnated with usually polyester or epoxy resin. Some resins are not compatible with others, polyester usually will not cure over epoxy.
With your cowling I would do this. Thoroughly clean the inside to remove all grease and oil. Rough up the inside with coarse sandpaper. Get some two ounce glass cloth and some epoxy resin. Put a layer of cloth inside the cowl and saturate with resin. Ensure the cloth is pushed tight against the cowl inside. When it has cured sand off any excess. Fill the cracks and gouges on the outside. Sand them all smooth and apply the paint of your choice.
The foregoing is a basic crash course.
Ed S
With your cowling I would do this. Thoroughly clean the inside to remove all grease and oil. Rough up the inside with coarse sandpaper. Get some two ounce glass cloth and some epoxy resin. Put a layer of cloth inside the cowl and saturate with resin. Ensure the cloth is pushed tight against the cowl inside. When it has cured sand off any excess. Fill the cracks and gouges on the outside. Sand them all smooth and apply the paint of your choice.
The foregoing is a basic crash course.
Ed S
