Delamination Repair alternatives
I have a 2007 Sunset trail TT with delamination in the front panel. It appears that the construction was FILON over aluminum frame. Over time, the Filon has separated from the paper-like substrate.
I am planning on repair, myself, and have come up with a few different methods---I'd like some feedback.
1)make a plywood mold that mimics the curve at the roof line, and cast a new, all fiberglass, one-piece nose section. This has the advantage of no seams--so no leaks, and no sub-strat from which to delaminate. All fiberglass. The downside is, obviously COST---In exploring the materials needed--the cloth, mat, release agent, resin-etc, it all adds up to several hundreds $$.
2) while dreaming....similar to option #1, but add some urethane foam board to allow some "sculpting" of the nose to encourage the wind to flow around. Still as expensive as option #1, but maybe saving some gas costs....maybe
3)Remove the existing Filon w/o damaging it, and use a pressure washer to remove all the old sub-strate, then glue (relaminate) it to a new 5mm luan skin--scoring the backside of the luan to allow it to bend and match the curve at the roof line.
Benefit--significantly lower costs--and reuse of the existing fiberglass/filon shell. Downside--am i simply setting the fuze for another delamination time-bomb?
4)Install 5mm luan as in #3, treating the backside with a wood sealer, and then soaking the front side with fiberglass resin, and 2 or 3 layers of fiberglass cloth.
5) Find a local source for aluminum sheeting, have an "S" bend crimped onto one end of a sheet to form a water-tite joint, and install over the aluminum framework. I would need suggestions of the gauge of the aluminum.
I am planning on repair, myself, and have come up with a few different methods---I'd like some feedback.
1)make a plywood mold that mimics the curve at the roof line, and cast a new, all fiberglass, one-piece nose section. This has the advantage of no seams--so no leaks, and no sub-strat from which to delaminate. All fiberglass. The downside is, obviously COST---In exploring the materials needed--the cloth, mat, release agent, resin-etc, it all adds up to several hundreds $$.
2) while dreaming....similar to option #1, but add some urethane foam board to allow some "sculpting" of the nose to encourage the wind to flow around. Still as expensive as option #1, but maybe saving some gas costs....maybe
3)Remove the existing Filon w/o damaging it, and use a pressure washer to remove all the old sub-strate, then glue (relaminate) it to a new 5mm luan skin--scoring the backside of the luan to allow it to bend and match the curve at the roof line.
Benefit--significantly lower costs--and reuse of the existing fiberglass/filon shell. Downside--am i simply setting the fuze for another delamination time-bomb?
4)Install 5mm luan as in #3, treating the backside with a wood sealer, and then soaking the front side with fiberglass resin, and 2 or 3 layers of fiberglass cloth.
5) Find a local source for aluminum sheeting, have an "S" bend crimped onto one end of a sheet to form a water-tite joint, and install over the aluminum framework. I would need suggestions of the gauge of the aluminum.
