Front Storage Box Alternative

[bonitaraders]

I love it.. I'm still looking.. I thought I found one at tractor supply but it is a no!! Bought it now I have to return it.. it is close but the weight distribution hookup is keeping it from fitting..

[MyronL]

I made my tongue box too big. Backing up, managed to shmoosh both front corners with the tow bumper. When I removed the box for repairs I discovered it was rubbing into the trailer gel coat so now that needs patching. Currently cutting the box down. Think the weather is too cold for making gelcoat repairs outside with Marine-Tex, so that part will have to wait.

[padlin]

Bummer, but at least you caught it before it went the whole way through.

[Ron in BC]

Looks like the perfect candidate for cello finishing. Hey, also it would make a good team project for Q'site if you don't get it done before then.

I'd use plain old gelcoat though.

Ron

[MyronL]

Oh yes, I will be bringing the Marine-tex, and the Evercoat Polyester Gel-Paste, hardeners, the titanium white, etc. with me to the Quartzsite rally. What is "cello finishing"?

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by MyronL

What is "cello finishing"?

I think ‘cello’ is an amalgamation of ciao and hello. He’s just being friendly, Myron and offering to help at Q.

[Ron in BC]

In the early days of fiberglass use one of the first things home boat builders did was use fiberglass on the exterior of a plywood or planked hull. Applying f.g. to the exterior without a mold to make a smooth exterior surface can result in a finish ugly as sin.

One technique to make a smooth surface is to stretch a poly film on the wet gelcoat and brush all the air out to one side. On large objects such as boats it didn't give completely perfect results but it did greatly reduce the amount of effort to get a smooth shiny surface. A friend of my fathers did a small cruiser this way and the finish was like it came from a mold.

For a job like Myron's it's dead simple. After cleaning the wound a piece of plastic, acetate sheet from old overhead projector is perfect is cut about an inch larger than the wound.

Tape is placed on all 4 edges and the bottom is stuck on just below the wound. With practice the correct amount of gelcoat is dabbed in the recess. Then your fingers move slowly up the plastic spreading the gelcoat out and the air up and out. If you're experienced by the time you reach the top the repair will be level with the surrounding surface. Use too little and you can always repeat the process. Use too much and the excess will be a bit proud at the top.

Bottom line. Over the years I've done countless f.g. repairs this way. Take a f.g. sailboat through 458 vicious hard sided locks in Europe and you too will learn to do those repairs perfectly.

Best case; do it perfectly, peel off the plastic and you're done. Worst case; have to add a bit because you were too cautious or you are a bit proud and need to wet sand the repair to match the surrounding surface.

Well.......You asked.

Ron

[Ron in BC]

Myron, if you put a straight edge across the wound and measure, how deep is it?

Ron

[MyronL]

We're just back from a Christmas Eve party up in Santa Fe, it's 29 degrees F and dark out there, the presents need to be put under the tree, and I am about to drink a big egg nog mixed with Bailey's Irish Creme. Cello, Sweetheart.

[MyronL]

Much appreciate that history Ron. Must root around for a sheet of acetate. Dead simple appeals to me.

[Ron in BC]

Once you've done it once it is dead simple. Takes less time to do than explain to someone how to do it.

Overhead projector acetate sheets just happens to have the perfect amount of flexibility and strength. Plain poly works also. Thickness of the poly is important. Dry cleaner bag weight is pretty useless. The heavier type, like used for vapor barriers work well.

On a vertical surface you don't want the gelcoat to bulge so thin isn't good.

So find the right poly if you're doing it before Q'site, otherwise don't bother, I have acetate sheets.

What's the depth of the wound? That determines if anything more than gelcoat is required.

Ron

[MyronL]

Don't think it's more than 2 mm at the deepest, Ron.

[Ron in BC]

That's pretty shallow. Nothing but the gelcoat is required. In deep wounds, yes, it's good to fill in most of the cavity with filler or bits of resin and glass.

Ron

[artemsmail]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I had pretty much the same view and because I had some scrap aluminum I made my own. I made it follow the front slope of the trailer wall and that increased the interior volume as well as got away from the forward leaning look.

Ron

Ron: That box you built looks really great. Was wondering if you could share a little more detail on the frame construction and how you secured it to the tongue. Thanks!