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Old 08-09-2018, 08:38 PM   #1
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What Owie?

I don't see no owie on my trailer, do you?

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Old 08-09-2018, 08:39 PM   #2
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Right front below belly band?
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Old 08-09-2018, 08:42 PM   #3
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Well, it wasn't always this pretty. Mid winter I was backing my cargo trailer into my drive beside my 5.0TA . I had to angle across the front of my Escape in order to cut in around a tree. While it was looking pretty good out my mirrors I came to hard stop. Well the truck was right at the curb where there was a huge pile of ice on the road and I just assumed I was stuck in that. I put it in 4-wheel drive and booted it and it still didn't move. I then looked up high in my passenger mirror and saw both the back end of my cargo trailer and the front end of my Escape lifting up in the air. The corner of the cargo trailer bit into the fiberglass giving it a good hold seems. Anyway, despite my aggressive ramming of my trailer the damage did not seem all that bad. Here is a shot of it with a looney for comparisonClick image for larger version

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Old 08-09-2018, 08:44 PM   #4
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Well, I asked Reace for a little bit of matching gelcoat and I got a 500ml drinking bottle full. More than enough. I finally got around to doing the repair this week. Here is a shot after I dug out all the loose stuff, of which there was a fair bit.
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Old 08-09-2018, 08:47 PM   #5
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Here is a photo of the repair with the gelcoat on. I had to do a second coat to fill in some indentations. There is still one tiny indentation that I don't want to try to send out because I might get too close to the glass. All I have to do now is buff it, as I did the 220 grit dry, 320, 400, and 600 grit wet sanding already. The only way you can tell there's a repair there is if you look for reflections as it is quite dull yet.Click image for larger version

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Old 08-09-2018, 08:48 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue View Post
Right front below belly band?
That's where it was. I hope to buff it out in the next couple days before heading to the boler rally. Actually, I had hoped to buff and shine the whole trailer, but it is just too stinking hot to do that.
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Old 08-09-2018, 09:50 PM   #7
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Good job. The next one will be easier.

I normally wrap some sandpaper around my finger and sand along the edge of the damage so that it tapers out to the gelcoat. As long as the thickness of the original gelcoat is adequate there's no problem sanding slightly beyond the new gelcoat and the end result is an invisible transition even if the gelcoat isn't a perfect match.

If the area is flat and you cover the area with semi-rigid plastic and use the right amount of gelcoat the result can be the new gelcoat is shiny, level and doesn't require much or any blending in or buffing.

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Old 08-10-2018, 07:42 AM   #8
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Good job. The next one will be easier.
Not going to be a next one, no way! (I hope) LOL

Though I have done a fair bit of glass work, both epoxy and acrylic, the only gelcoat repair I did before was to one wee bubble that popped on the belly band of my 19 which took about three drops.

Towards the left side of the repair the surface was close to flat horizontally, but it did curve a wee bit, as well as the major bend, and it started to curve to the rear on the right side of the repair. Because of this I could not use any of the thin mylar I had, as that would have helped with the high points.

I used a few sizes of rigid sanding blocks and carefully took it down to flush. There was one spot near the right that after the first application and sanding of the gelcoat was looking a bit grey so I painted a layer onto it to build it up when I did the second coat to fill a few sunken voids.

It sure would have been a lot easier if this repair was closer to flat than on the vertical. Plus, my drive slopes so much I had to go up three steps on the ladder to reach it.

But, quite pleased with the results.
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Old 08-10-2018, 08:10 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
Here is a photo of the repair with the gelcoat on. I had to do a second coat to fill in some indentations. There is still one tiny indentation that I don't want to try to send out because I might get too close to the glass. All I have to do now is buff it, as I did the 220 grit dry, 320, 400, and 600 grit wet sanding already. The only way you can tell there's a repair there is if you look for reflections as it is quite dull yet.Attachment 33384
Now everyone who sees your trailer will now be looking for that 1 spot...
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Old 08-10-2018, 08:28 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Chotch View Post
Now everyone who sees your trailer will now be looking for that 1 spot...
Kinda like a "Where's Waldo".
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Old 08-10-2018, 09:07 AM   #11
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Nice repair job.

Was your immediate reaction after hitting your own trailer, calm, and with words like gee wiz, look what I did...

Because I woulda been swearing at myself
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Old 08-10-2018, 09:15 AM   #12
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Nice repair job.

Was your immediate reaction after hitting your own trailer, calm, and with words like gee wiz, look what I did...

Because I woulda been swearing at myself
Thanks.

It was kinda "What did I do now?". I got out and looked and was amazed there was no hole in the Escape, though being near a corner like that it is likely much tougher. I am not one to panic and react negatively, as it never seems to help a bad situation.

S*** happens, I deal with it.
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Old 08-10-2018, 09:22 AM   #13
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Thanks.

It was kinda "What did I do now?". I got out and looked and was amazed there was no hole in the Escape, though being near a corner like that it is likely much tougher. I am not one to panic and react negatively, as it never seems to help a bad situation.

S*** happens, I deal with it.
Must be the yog
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Old 08-10-2018, 09:22 AM   #14
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Must be the yog
I might have lied a little bit about the yoga thing in the hitch thread, though I do like not to stress out about stuff.
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Old 08-10-2018, 09:36 AM   #15
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Don't see no owie either. Great work.
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Old 08-10-2018, 09:59 AM   #16
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Don't see no owie either. Great work.
Thanks, Myron.
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Old 08-10-2018, 10:16 AM   #17
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Jim, How did you apply the gel coat? It looks awesome. Bill
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Old 08-10-2018, 10:18 AM   #18
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Good job, Jim. It does get easier the more gel coat you do, but hopefully this is a one-off.
Reace sent one of the gel coat bottles last year and I have a small job in my future, but too hot here now to work on trailers.
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Old 08-10-2018, 10:27 AM   #19
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Good job, Jim. It does get easier the more gel coat you do, but hopefully this is a one-off.
Reace sent one of the gel coat bottles last year and I have a small job in my future, but too hot here now to work on trailers.
Thanks, Greg. It is hot here too, but I imagine nothing like there. At least the gelcoat sets up quicker for sanding.
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Old 08-10-2018, 10:40 AM   #20
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Looks good! Did you have to do any fiberglass resin repair work or was it strictly gelcoat?
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