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Fiberglassing Over Front Windows |
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I have set out to replace my front galley windows with a fiberglass panel. The windows leak like a sieve and previous owners have tried to seal them a dozen times with household silicone sealant - this type of sealant should never be used around boats. The leaks have also caused MORE wood rot since the galley top is made of balsa cored laminate. So, I could have tried, AGAIN, to fix the windows or remove them and glass over the holes. I opted for that option. The top picture is the only one I currently have for a "Before" shot of the windows. I will update that pic once I get some regular 35mm film back from the drug store. The below pics show the progress. |
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The windows have been removed here. Once out, I took a circular saw and cut out one inch of the exterior laminate. I had the saw blade set to a depth of 5/16" so I only cut the outside layer, keeping the inside layer intact. Once I made the cuts, I scraped out the balsa wood. The wood near the top was good but toward the bottom it got worse. This pics also shows the start of my 12:1 bevel of the glass surrounding the frame. When making fiberglass repairs, a bevel needs to be made to create a seating area for the new glass to adhere to. The 12:1 is based on the thickness of the fiberglass. If you have 1/4" thick glass, the bevel should go back atleast 3 inches from the edge. |
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I finished grinding out the bevel and I cut the replacement core. The new core is Fir plywood. I scored the wood so it would bend around the slight curve of the galley top. I cut holes so I could use small clamps to hold the wood tight to the lower laminate as the epoxy cured. Once the wood was in place, I mixed up some epoxy putty to fill low area and a few gaps that existed. I also used the putty to create smooth edges for the new glass to adhere to. |
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Here I have layed down the first piece of biaxial fiberglass with Epoxy resin. Once cured I found the entire structure was incredibly strong. I have one more layer to place on top of this then I need to glass in the interior side of the new wood core. Then I need to fair out the exterior to a smooth and even surface then paint it!!! |
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More to come....... |
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