Fiberglass Roof Raise Transition

[Lamacose]

I don't have a bus yet, but while daydreaming about how I'll do it when the time comes....
Has anyone used fiberglass to close in the roof transition on a roof raise? I have nothing against sheet metal but I'm just thinking about alternatives. Maybe cover the frame work with some large mesh screen or C-Flex and build up with the fiberglass cloth and resin to the desired thickness.

Anyways, just looking for any thoughts.

Thanks,
Andy

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Lamacose

I don't have a bus yet, but while daydreaming about how I'll do it when the time comes....
Has anyone used fiberglass to close in the roof transition on a roof raise? I have nothing against sheet metal but I'm just thinking about alternatives. Maybe cover the frame work with some large mesh screen or C-Flex and build up with the fiberglass cloth and resin to the desired thickness.

Anyways, just looking for any thoughts.

Thanks,
Andy

Stu & Filo T used fiberglass for theirs.
IIRC he said if he were going to do it again he'd go with steel.

[o1marc]

Fiberglas is a very messy job. It would take considerable more time than a quick skin in sheet metal. Many more steps involved with FG.

[EastCoastCB]

I guess its the heat and humidity, but the stuff doesn't seem to hold up too well in FL.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I guess its the heat and humidity, but the stuff doesn't seem to hold up too well in FL.

That must really suck for all of the people with fiberglass boats there.......

My first bus had fiberglass caps. They have been in service for 28 years with no trouble yet.

Maybe Stu will chime in here and share his experience.

If I were going to tackle something like that I would look at using the foam sheets used in boatbuilding to provide the form and glass them over just like building a boat.

[Tango]

I have nothing against fiberglass (when it is done right) but personally don't like mixing materials. They will never flex or respond to heat & cold the same.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

That must really suck for all of the people with fiberglass boats there.......

My first bus had fiberglass caps. They have been in service for 28 years with no trouble yet.

Maybe Stu will chime in here and share his experience.

If I were going to tackle something like that I would look at using the foam sheets used in boatbuilding to provide the form and glass them over just like building a boat.

There is a huge industry here fixing fiberglass boats.

[PNW_Steve]

This is an interesting read :
https://www.boats.com/resources/shifts-in-fiberglass/



This one has a little more info regarding foam/glass construction:
http://amateurboatbuilding.com/artic...ich/index.html

[family wagon]

My "commercial series" Blue Bird from 2000 has fiberglass caps over the driver and for the entire back wall. These parts are stamped from sheet metal in a school bus body -- I have no idea why Blue Bird chose different materials for the commercial series.

As much fun as it would be to buy an english wheel and make myself some replacement parts with steel, I'll be cutting and modifying the original fiberglass parts instead. I've never worked with fiberglass before so it'll be a learning experience for sure.

[brokedown]

Fiberglass boats in Florida absolutely have their share of problems. Shopping for a used boat it can be hard to find one that doesn't have delamination in heavily trafficked areas. This leads to 'soft spots" that can spread rapidly and compromise the structure and water-tightness. The Florida sun and salt water will consume everything given enough time.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by family wagon

My "commercial series" Blue Bird from 2000 has fiberglass caps over the driver and for the entire back wall. These parts are stamped from sheet metal in a school bus body -- I have no idea why Blue Bird chose different materials for the commercial series.

As much fun as it would be to buy an english wheel and make myself some replacement parts with steel, I'll be cutting and modifying the original fiberglass parts instead. I've never worked with fiberglass before so it'll be a learning experience for sure.

My guess is it's cheaper to make the fiberglass ones. Therefore they use steel for the safety factor in a school on the ones not designed specifically for carrying children and save a few pennies on the others.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Fiberglass boats in Florida absolutely have their share of problems. Shopping for a used boat it can be hard to find one that doesn't have delamination in heavily trafficked areas. This leads to 'soft spots" that can spread rapidly and compromise the structure and water-tightness. The Florida sun and salt water will consume everything given enough time.

Soft transoms are common.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by o1marc

My guess is it's cheaper to make the fiberglass ones. Therefore they use steel for the safety factor in a school on the ones not designed specifically for carrying children and save a few pennies on the others.

THIS^

My thoughts exactly.

[Tango]

My "learning experience" with fiberglass consisted of learning I never wanted to work with it again!

[DWJoyce]

Honestly, metal working is not difficult. Just buy an inexpensive 120 VAC MIG welder and stitch the extension panels on. It's like spot welding and youtube is filled with how-to's on MIG welding. Metal will give you much sturdier and long-lived walls which you won't regret.


I've never seen successful fiberglass repairs on cars and trucks. Mixing materials just doesn't work.



My 1978 C15 sailboat is all fiberglass and easily repairable. Where the few pieces of woodwork are attached is a constant source of headaches. Mixed materials and all that...

[Smokey's pipe dream]

no fiberglass breaks down in uv's using steel is the way to go make it 3 peices to make it easier (out of steel) 2 ends and middle start with your middle section make it as long as you can with out to much shape then on your ends you can stretch the metal in the middle by pounding on it with a plug hammer on a hard flat steel surface (anvil prefered) this will give you that rounded contour youre looking for make it big trim to fit its pretty easy you can only do 4 things to metal bend it stretch it shrink it weld it so go for it i prefer heavier steel like 16ga it has enough meat to it so when you pound it out for a shape it really moves when its stretched go to "lazze "on you tube he will show you how to make a whole car body if you want too lol he builds custom steel hotrod bodies and he teaches and has shows on youtube hope this helps

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Smokey's pipe dream

no fiberglass breaks down in uv's using steel is the way to go make it 3 peices to make it easier (out of steel) 2 ends and middle start with your middle section make it as long as you can with out to much shape then on your ends you can stretch the metal in the middle by pounding on it with a plug hammer on a hard flat steel surface (anvil prefered) this will give you that rounded contour youre looking for make it big trim to fit its pretty easy you can only do 4 things to metal bend it stretch it shrink it weld it so go for it i prefer heavier steel like 16ga it has enough meat to it so when you pound it out for a shape it really moves when its stretched go to "lazze "on you tube he will show you how to make a whole car body if you want too lol he builds custom steel hotrod bodies and he teaches and has shows on youtube hope this helps

I didn't have to hammer mine but I did use 2 ends and 1 center piece.
18ga was the magic ticket. 16 would have been much harder to work with.

[Smokey's pipe dream]

its called koozer board (spelling) and many other names depending on brand, however the foam has no strength its the box structure or build up of hard glass
you can use any foam as long as you prime it first with a high build primer then lay up on it koozer board is expencive fiberglass wont hold up good to direct uv rays fare it out gelcoat and cabacil it will thicken the gelcoat till its like fiber bond faring compound mix in 5cc of hardener to a quart make sure its for what you are using add a little wax to it so it will sand good when you get it smooth roll some thinned gelcoat with acetone with a roller fine nap color sand and buff using your color gelcoat eliminates shadows from thin spots it helps if your going to paint it fare it with fiber bond faring compound hit it with high build sand with 220 paint it remember there is polyester and vynalester i cant remember but ask you can lay one up on the other but not the other way around stick with one or the other is your best bet good luck west systems epoxy is good stuff carbon fiber? good luck ask if need help

[Smokey's pipe dream]

can you put up a pic and drawing of what you want to do,, fiberglass is easy but you have to stay neat clean and focussed dont hurry but dont lallygag either,, keep your gloves cleaned rinse them in acetone in a 2qt pot,, 5cc of hardener per qt of resin you need a air roller,, a brush,, a roller cover,, roller handle,, i use 3" ,,and my resin goes in 1qt pot or bigger job 2qt ,,cut all of your material stagering seams back and fourth matt fiberglass you always start with a mat and add probably a 1808 its 4 stranded staggered layers fiber glass with a matt on it all together,, matt goes to matt cut your materials a little big,, roll it up tight and barely trim the ends on band saw,, straight seams edges this feathers it so your seams blend together,, your matt just hold just off the edge of a table a 1" and pull the edges this will feather them,, keep it rolled up,, wet out an area good,, and wet but not to much because over saturation makes it brittle from lack of structure ,, roll out one layer to a time at about a foot and a half each,, one layer wet it roll out another layer ,,wet it another wet it ect when you work your way across and your all done wetting it out,, shouldnt be real gloss should look wet saturated good ,,glossy no ! then take your air roller and work the air out and excess resinclean your air roller often it keeps it from sticking from middle out,, let it kick if you need a panel wax the hell out of a sheet abatibbi on white face< roll out non waxed gelcoat let kick lay up on it when your done peel abatibbi off youll have nice glass panel you can splice in wax and wax some more 7 coats ! before you roll or spray gelcoat on it its hard to tell you how to do it !!! any questions holler at me!! oh and have razor sharp scissors in our acatone bucket ,,dont leave the stuff in the acetone it might be partly missing in the morning !! you can make a mold off a part by waxing it (mold release wax 7 coats wiping it off like waxing a car) roll a good liberal coat gelcoat on let it kick lay up couple layers of matt then a 1708 on contoured peices cut and layer on corners and stuff finish with a couple mats air roll after it kicks grind a edge clean take wooden wedges and pop the peice off!! use your head the angles cant go inwards and stuff locking it in there or on there,, have fun PS styrene is a chemical vapor that is a direct nervous system stimulant it might make you laugh but it might make you punch someone beware,,richard