Fibreglass repair - how long to wait before sealing

demonx · 10-23-2009, 01:21 AM

I've been getting a couple of fibreglass pro's to do the bodywork on my 1970 vert. They have been using vinylester and so forth as I've been instructed is correct for the old C3's.

Anyway - to my question:

How long do I wait after the repairs before I spray the body with sealer?

I've been told 2 weeks - I've been told 3 months. BOTH of these are from professionals with Corvette experience.

Can I get a group agreement on what is the correct wait time to allow a full cure?

Thanks

Allan

zwede · 10-23-2009, 09:29 AM

Leave it out in the sun for a few days and it's ready. You always hear that raw fiberglass should be kept out of the sun, but that's long term. In this case sunlight is the best thing.

Edit: In your pictures it doesn't look like you have glassed the panel seams. If you want the paint job to last, you should grind out the seams and glass them.

demonx · 10-23-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zwede

Edit: In your pictures it doesn't look like you have glassed the panel seams. If you want the paint job to last, you should grind out the seams and glass them.

Thanks for your reply. The fibreglass guy wanted me to leave it out in the sun for a couple hours before I put it in the shed. Must be along the same lines of thinking. As for leaving it out for a couple days that cannot be done cause in our weather here at the moment it could change to rain at any given time. I wouldn't want to be at work and have the thing ruined! but I guess anytime I can watch over it would be ok.

As far as the seams we poked around them and came to the decision there was nothing wrong with them so we left them alone.

The rear one was questionable so it has been hit with the grinder and matted up just to be safe.

markids77 · 10-23-2009, 04:55 PM

I assume an epoxy primer to seal the repairs and as a base for block sanding? If yes, seal it as soon as you are able... many people here seal just after stripping and before any repair. Remember that every time you touch that bare glass you transfer oils from your skin to the porous, unprotected surface. Once epoxy sealed you can at least clean the surface without driving contaminates into the glass.