Re-coring the fuel tank floor hatch

awthacker

awthacker

Junior Member
Just finishing up my latest project. Since the fuel tank is pulled and the engine is dismantled, figured I might as well work on some inexpensive repairs. This was a pretty simple repair. Found everything I needed to know doing searches on this site.
 

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First step was to cut around the edges of the old core with an angle grinder, then pry the bottom layer of mat off the wood core. Then used a hammer and chisel to remove the 6" plywood squares. Then cleaned it up good with the grinder.

Next was the new core. I went with standard non treated plywood, 5/8" thick. I think I could've gotten away with 1/2" and it might've been a bit lighter. Used resin to glue the ply to the fiberglass hatch, then weighted it with whatever was available. Notice the 1/4" holes drilled through the wood to allow the resin to adhere well and prevent air bubbles.

Then glass mat over the wood core.
 

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I ran out of resin when laying my mat, so I didn't get it as wet as I should have and there were alot of bubbles around the edges. I did mitre my edges 30 degrees, but 45 degrees would've helped the mat lay a little flatter. I decided the bubbles were bad enough to need correction, so more grinding, then glassing. Finally was happy with the glass job, so time to sand and paint the top. I still had just enough leftover paint from my floors. Just installed the access covers, but no pics of the last step.
 

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Aaron, that really looks great!!...did mine recently...1st FG job I've ever done and I FORGOT to weight it down like you did...so I get a little "feel" to walking on it...AND I didn't bevel the edge of the wood...BIG MISTAKE...you are right; this allows the fabric to lay over the edge easier...I'll use it as is for a while, but eventually redo again...

Your paint job came out GREAT, too...when ya get 'er all done, yer gonna have a real LOOKER on yer hands!!..pics when you get her finished up...:clap:...you do good work...
 
Good job. I've been reading a couple of books about fiberglass work. Jerry Adams, the fella doing the work on my V20 said, Once you understand the basic principles, if ya can do a decent patch, you can build a 100 foot yacht.
 
bradford said:
Good job. I've been reading a couple of books about fiberglass work. Jerry Adams, the fella doing the work on my V20 said, Once you understand the basic principles, if ya can do a decent patch, you can build a 100 foot yacht.
Click to expand...

!st Principle of me doing FG is I'm one sloppy SOB...

What book titles are you reading?...:head:
 
I want some good reading material on modern techniques. Infusion, vacuum bagging etc. My local library didn't have squat.. Your glassman is right Bradford. I am sloppy with glass, to watch a pro do it for a while helps but it still takes a lot of skill to do a clean job.

Hatch looks great BTW..
 
RidgeRunner said:
I want some good reading material on modern techniques. Infusion, vacuum bagging etc. My local library didn't have squat.. Your glassman is right Bradford. I am sloppy with glass, to watch a pro do it for a while helps but it still takes a lot of skill to do a clean job.

Hatch looks great BTW..
Click to expand...


http://myweb.cableone.net/bcanderson/Boatz/Vacuum/Vacuum.html

http://www.bertram31.com/proj/tips/vaccuum.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA8kIEbQ4uY

Not books, but some info for ya!!...Google is full of this stuff...the only vacum bag I know about is the one my wife makes me change when it's full of dog hair...
DSCN1536.jpg

Now if I can just figure out where it comes from...

And now back to Thacker's original thread...
 
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Great & timley post. I have a question, as I am getting ready to redo my fuel tank hatch. I noticed that you did not cut the access holes until after you glassed? I was thinking of cutting them first, so I could seal them up when I glassed. Interested to know your thoughts and/or what others have done. (i.e., Cut the access holes first and then glass or wait until after you glass?) Thanks, Jim
 
Zarkohl said:
Great & timley post. I have a question, as I am getting ready to redo my fuel tank hatch. I noticed that you did not cut the access holes until after you glassed? I was thinking of cutting them first, so I could seal them up when I glassed. Interested to know your thoughts and/or what others have done. (i.e., Cut the access holes first and then glass or wait until after you glass?) Thanks, Jim
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On my new hatch I have no access hatches, instead have hinged the hatch to open completely for better inspection, and less chance for water intrusion to the hatch core.
 
Zarkohl said:
Great & timley post. I have a question, as I am getting ready to redo my fuel tank hatch. I noticed that you did not cut the access holes until after you glassed? I was thinking of cutting them first, so I could seal them up when I glassed. Interested to know your thoughts and/or what others have done. (i.e., Cut the access holes first and then glass or wait until after you glass?) Thanks, Jim
Click to expand...


After glueing in the wood and laying the mat, I cut the hole. I still had some grinding, sanding, and glassing to do after that, so that was when I hit the inside edges of the holecuts with resin. You could also cut the holes after glueing to the top, before laying the mat. I think either way would work fine.
 
I did mine just like Awthacker did his....my first fiberglass job too....came out well. You can seal the edeges of the hole after you cut them. I woulld think you wouldnt want to mess with lining them up while you are trying to set the two pieces together....

The only other tip I got from here (I think it was ridgerunner) was to put plastic under the holes in your hatch skin because if you get some resin to squeeze out around the hole you could glue your new core to your work surface.
 
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