Aluminum repairs

[Fishn Technishn]

Was up at Stoney last week with the "Boyz". Fishing was good until the remnants of Hurricane Ike came thru!!

 

What a storm!! 4 foot waves and high winds. Anyways, long story short... mooring ring pulled out of the dock at 1:30 in the morning allowing my boat to bang into the breakwall resulting in some scratches and dings in the bow(centre rib), just under the bow eye.

 

Question...anyone got any suggestions to fill the shallow dings -?epoxy/JB weld etc?? Have no experience with aluminum but have lots of experience with regular bodywork etc. I have the matching paint so whatever I use will have to accept paint over it.

 

Thanks,

 

FT

Edited September 23, 2008 by Fishn Technishn

[dannyboy]

FT:

For aluminum you need to use a primer that will stick, zinc chromate is the standard for aircraft.

After that you can use regular body repair techniques.

Use a light hammer and dolly to remove the dents, aluminum stretches very easily so go slow, start from the edges.

Blend out the scratches to eliminate stress points up to 10% thickness of the material - beyond that you should do a doubler repair.

 

Dan

[Fishn Technishn]

Thanks for the tips. I know what primer etc to use just not sure what to fill the small (smaller than a dime)depressions with . Remember seeing somewhere about using epoxy to fill aluminum. Can't get at it from the inside the bow.

Surely someone has done this!?!

 

FT

[dannyboy]

FT:

Just use auto body filler to fill the small depressions.

Epoxy is great for filling except for the problem of getting paint to bond to it after it has set up; you have to use coarse paper to get a mechanical bond which makes for an unacceptable finish.

 

Dan

[Sinker]

Just leave them there, it adds character. You should see my dents

 

Sinker