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hartman
06-10-2007, 10:34 AM
Hey guys, i been working on my Kona jet doing some fiberglass repairs, and have been having no problems up until now with this hole. I glassed some mat underneat the hole, and cut a plug out of treated plywood. After the mat was dry, i poured some epoxy into the hole, dropped the plug in, then after that had set some i poured some more epoxy into it to level off even with the existing gelcoat. After it had all dried, or at least i thought it had cured enough, i began sanding on it. While sanding, it started to crack, as you can see in the pic. Should i just dremel around the crack and fill it in with more epoxy? Sorry for the novel:D http://www.theplaceholder.com/forums/imagehosting/23466c42e4bb3f7.jpg

victorfb
06-10-2007, 10:43 AM
the way ive plugged transum holes was to glue the wood plug in first, flush with the wood on the transum. leaving the glass of the hull exposed. then grinding the edges of the glass and beveling it. then useing matting and resin to fill the rest of the hole and feathering it out over the edges of the plug. keep laying glass and resin. once it is filled (it will look ugly) then you grind it back down smooth and flush with the hull. by trying to fill with just epoxy only will give you the cracks. you need the glass to give it its strength.

hartman
06-10-2007, 11:34 AM
http://www.theplaceholder.com/forums/imagehosting/23466c518de4876.jpg
Okay, i chipped away all that epoxy, now im left with my wood plug, and i beveled my edges of the hole. So now i should cut my mat to fit the hole exactly? or should i overlap the hole with the mat?
Thanks for the help

victorfb
06-10-2007, 11:42 AM
looks good. overlap it over the edges. use a matting, not cloth. the matting can be mixed up sort of speak and allow you ti fill areas. not each piece has to over lap the edge. keep filling the hole and try and use the least amount of resin as possible. most of the excess will drain and run down the transum anyhow. i normally spread some tresin over the area, lay some matting, then stab at it with a paint brush to cram it into all the nooks and cranny's. when the matting turns clear you have saturated it and can go on to the next peice. keep building it up untill you think you have too much. you will end up gringding it smooth anyhow. a large file sander works best to keep it smooth and even, but a D/A sander works pretty good too.

victorfb
06-10-2007, 11:44 AM
after looking at the pic again, i like the left side a little better. the straight lines on the edges will have a tendancy to crack easier than the jagged lines.

hartman
06-10-2007, 11:57 AM
Thanks alot man, ill take a crack at it like that.

hartman
06-11-2007, 02:34 PM
So does this look like im doing it right? I dont know why im having such a hard time with this hole, ive done a bunch others on the boat with success so far but everything i do to this one just ****s it up more and more.:eek:
http://www.theplaceholder.com/forums/imagehosting/23466dcda3005ea.jpg