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03-02-2020, 06:18 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: boise, Idaho
Trailer: 2018 19'
Posts: 521
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Repairing scrapes
Any advice on repairing these types of scrapes. Yes, she’s dirty, just home from my 3600 mile journey. The duct tape is hiding the broken light over sewer outlet. Won’t disclose how it happened but it could have been worse!
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Julie
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03-02-2020, 06:23 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Dalton, New York
Trailer: 2020 Escape 21, 1977 Scamp 13
Posts: 118
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Start by washing it. The go the auto parts store and get some mild rubbing compound. Use that by hand to rub the scratches. You may be surprised that you can get some pretty deep scratches looking acceptable, just by using compound on them. Finish by putting a good coat of wax on it. if the compound doesn't fix it, you may need to visit a boat repair shop or possibly an auto body shop.
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03-02-2020, 06:26 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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I'd start with 3M marine products. There are several products, some more aggressive than the others.
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What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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03-02-2020, 06:54 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: n/a, Texas
Trailer: Escape
Posts: 720
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tburt
Start by washing it. The go the auto parts store and get some mild rubbing compound. Use that by hand to rub the scratches. You may be surprised that you can get some pretty deep scratches looking acceptable, just by using compound on them. Finish by putting a good coat of wax on it. if the compound doesn't fix it, you may need to visit a boat repair shop or possibly an auto body shop.
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This is good advice. All of the scratches look to be cosmetic. And all look to be near the bottom of the trailer where scratches don't count. After using compound let it be for a year and see if it bothers you.
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03-02-2020, 08:21 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: boise, Idaho
Trailer: 2018 19'
Posts: 521
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I knew you would come thru! Thanks for the advice. She will look better once the red is washed off.
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Julie
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03-02-2020, 09:53 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mucram
I knew you would come thru! Thanks for the advice. She will look better once the red is washed off.
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When our trailer was new at the bottom rear was a messed up section . I could never get rid of it , cleaning ,waxing etc. It looked like someone when they did the underneath foam wiped a oops on the gel gloss . Then for just waxing bought. Shurhold Dual action polisher with their polish and on a fluke tried it and it removed the mess and put the shine back to the gel gloss .what a surprise . Just a thought ! Pat
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03-02-2020, 10:11 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
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It depends.
It depends on two primary factors; the depth of the scuffs and the thickness of the gel coat.
If the scuffs are just that and not actually scratches with some depth to them then polishing compounds are an option.
If you're dealing with scratches all polishing compounds will do is leave a shiny, slightly improved but flawed surface. The way to make scratches disappear is to use wet and dry sandpaper with a backing block. 400 is a good starting point working up to 1000 and then polishing and buffing. It's important to use a backing block because only finger pressure will not work as well.
I agree that it depends on the area under consideration. Some more out of sight don't require as much an effort to make them factory smooth and shiny.
Ron
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03-03-2020, 01:37 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
It depends.
It depends on two primary factors; the depth of the scuffs and the thickness of the gel coat.
If the scuffs are just that and not actually scratches with some depth to them then polishing compounds are an option.
If you're dealing with scratches all polishing compounds will do is leave a shiny, slightly improved but flawed surface. The way to make scratches disappear is to use wet and dry sandpaper with a backing block. 400 is a good starting point working up to 1000 and then polishing and buffing. It's important to use a backing block because only finger pressure will not work as well.
I agree that it depends on the area under consideration. Some more out of sight don't require as much an effort to make them factory smooth and shiny.
Ron
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Ron I tried the wet , dry sandpaper with a block for our situation just didn’t work . The polisher had different speeds and different polish , buffering compounds . It took awhile but finally got it off , that was 6 1/2 years ago and haven’t needed to do anything since except normal wax . I am pretty sure it was the foam wiped on gel gloss , it kind of felt a little rough and the gel gloss was flat . A section about foot by foot . Pat
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03-03-2020, 09:10 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Ladysmith, British Columbia
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19
Posts: 216
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Surface of trailer is the smooth coloured gelcoat shell which covers the reinforced fibreglass resin and cloth. It has a thickness that can be worked with but eventually cured resin color can start breaking through. Reducing the thickness of gelcoat through continual buffing or sanding repair you run the danger of producing discolouration and exposing a porous layer in fibreglass build up and delimitation can occur.
My recommendation is cut polish to remove surface marks and clean those deeper scratch crevices. Polish will fill crevice but can discolour and need to be cleaned out again. If you want a smooth surface sanding must be done with care since you are reducing gelcoat layer and trying to polish like glass.
Other option is finding a gelcoat color specialist to blend and fill. This is extremely difficult since original color is not what the trailer is today given UV exposure.
Unfortunately it's only new once.
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03-03-2020, 10:07 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckBC
It has a thickness that can be worked with but eventually cured resin color can start breaking through. Reducing the thickness of gelcoat through continual buffing or sanding repair you run the danger of producing discolouration and exposing a porous layer in fibreglass build up and delimitation can occur.
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That was one part of the "it depends".
I've measured random samples of ETI gelcoat and while I have seen some thin samples most seem to be in the 20 mil plus range which would allow for light wet sanding without danger of exposing the underlying laminate.
In general there are 3 levels of gelcoat repair:
1. Surface scuffing; cut polish etc. can deal with that.
2. Surface scratches: enough to catch the finger nail but not deep enough to warrant filling. It's a judgement call. I use wet sanding first in this case.
3. Deep scratches; require filling. If cello finished is done by an experienced person then not much is required to blend it in. If the repair is still noticeable then wet sanding may be required. Then buffing to blend in. Old gelcoat may appear darker because, basically, it's dirty. Feathering out the buffing will blend it in.
Ron
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