Cutting Glass Fibre (Fiber?)

[Dilkris]

I didn't know that, the Spyder chassis jigs are for sale on Marketplace atm 10k

Yes - sadly I have seen it - quite a set up.
You can still buy like for like replacement chassis but nobody I believe offers the service that Spyder did.
Sadly the market is small - and getting smaller by the day, as put simply, people who know what a Lotus Europa is are dying.
Do the math's, my car is a 1973 model, if you wanted one since you were the age of 12 - you would now be 64.
I'm 72.

 

[Maxakarudy]

Yes - sadly I have seen it - quite a set up.
You can still buy like for like replacement chassis but nobody I believe offers the service that Spyder did.
Sadly the market is small - and getting smaller by the day, as put simply, people who know what a Lotus Europa is are dying.
Do the math's, my car is a 1973 model, if you wanted one since you were the age of 12 - you would now be 64.
I'm 72.

I'm 61 today

 

[Keith 66]

You can use oscillating tools with toothed blades but if you have any distance to cut the diamond wheel wins every time. The trimmers at Thames marine did nothing but trim mouldings all day, hulls, decks up to 10mm thick & hatches interiors etc plus industrial mouldings about 2.5 -3 mm thick, Diamond wheels exclusively plus die griner with diamond burrs for tight corners. Poxy dusty job whatever you use!

 

[Bullet2012]

what parts are you cutting and why ? are sections damaged ?

 

[RichardM]

Wear a dust mask however you cut it.

As someone with emphysema I cannot stress the above enough.

A jigsaw with dust extraction will also keep the dust down if removing sections but you will have to grind to feather edges, look at where the dust is likely to go.

 

[Dilkris]

what parts are you cutting and why ? are sections damaged ?

I'll post some pictures tomorrow - it will be easier

 

[jsf55]

Jigsaw with a fine blade worked for me, although i've also used all of the above mentioned

 

[tigdlo]

https://www.toolstation.com/bosch-expert-carbide-multi-material-cutting-disc/p48364 These are good, similar to kutzall tools, I have used their router bits, they are good too. They do make me a bit nervous though, nothing like a chainsaw disc but definitely look like they woud easily grab onto fabric clothing or similar.

 

[Dilkris]

what parts are you cutting and why ? are sections damaged ?

As advised in earlier threadiscussed please find attached photo's.
There is nothing major - no accident damage but just "typical PO" stuff to put right.
1. There is a section in the rear bulkhead/firewall I need to cut out and make good.
2. Sections of Inner Cills need cutting out to access and replace the seat belt anchors.
3. Work around outer cills to put right where PO has cut to access door hinges.
There is obviously more than this - but it is all much or a muchness so to speak.
Typical Chapman Lotus and PO's stuff.....

 

[Bullet2012]

nothing too serious then, i was expecting some horrible accident damage repairs with “motor factors” glassfibfe repair kits, as per the first picture.
Looks like the main sctructure is composed of a woven roving.
lots of new materials available for strengthening areas without using multiple layers of glass. check out things like nidaplast for larger holes https://grpukltd.com/product/nidaplast8-15mm-sheet-2-5mt-x-1-22mts/ and sglass for additional strength https://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co...ACKcqhHKeb2D12vegyaT8XmBhr3SxFPIsk4uGQ63L7HJp
personally i wouls also use epoxy resin as it just works and will adhere to a variety of old stuff . west system do the best epoxy https://eu.westsystem.com/

plenty of others on here with experience of repairs to composites.

 

[Maxakarudy]

I prefer the just as manufactured approach, the first patch looks a bit dry too me, with large holes, I make up flat pieces moulded onto waxed aluminium, then cut too size.
you can't bridge large holes without support
There are 2 types of polyester resin used, waxed & unwaxed, so bare in mind which you choose & always feather out the edges for strength
I've lots of these repairs over the years

 

[Keith 66]

As someone with emphysema I cannot stress the above enough.
A jigsaw with dust extraction will also keep the dust down if removing sections but you will have to grind to feather edges, look at where the dust is likely to go.

Absolutely! The dust is very bad for you. I used to do heavy duty GRP repairs & sometimes we would have dust under the boat 4" deep, 5 or 6 hours is about the max anyone can spend grinding glass & we often had two grinders on rotation, use one until it got to hot to hold then swop until it cooled down, except you ended up with two red hot grinders! I used to wear a Racal Airstream powered respirator & used to live in it some weeks. I hate to think the state i would be in if i hadnt worn it. I still use one today.
A very useful tool for small area grp repair work is a B&D Powerfile with 40 grit belts, can get in places a grinder cant.
Re use of epoxy, It is true that it sticks better to most things, however! Epoxy is not tolerant of contamination, grease, dirt etc, It also demands good steady temperatures at least 21 degrees C to cure properly, If its just gone off & you turn the heater off & the air cools overnight you will get Amine blush on the surface, this is a waxy by product of the reaction & it forms a greasy film on the surface which stops adhesion of subsequent layers. It is a bugger to get rid off.
Having used Polyester, Vinylester & epoxy over the years I do not like mixing systems & it is better to rely on good prep.
Health risks with Epoxy are also higher, particularly the hardeners & far more people get sensitized to it. Get sensitised & you are unlikely ever to be able to use it again.

 

[Dilkris]

........the first patch looks a bit dry too me, with large holes, I make up flat pieces moulded onto waxed aluminium, then cut too size.
you can't bridge large holes without support

Indeed it is dry Maxakarudy - it is a patch put in by an unknown previous owner after cutting (hacking) a hole in the firewall in order (I think) to obtain access to one of the fuel tanks.
It is very resin deficient and the glass fibers are "free" - I need to cut this out and make good, (hence the origin of this thread.)
All comments noted - many thanks.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Indeed it is dry Maxakarudy - it is a patch put in by an unknown previous owner after cutting (hacking) a hole in the firewall in order (I think) to obtain access to one of the fuel tanks.
It is very resin deficient and the glass fibers are "free" - I need to cut this out and make good, (hence the origin of this thread.)
All comments noted - many thanks.

My tool of choice for that would be my 3" disc cut off tool.

 

[Wedg1e]

Wear a dust mask however you cut it.

And take cool showers afterwards, not hot ones. Found that out the hard way.

Back in '82 my dad was commissioned to build a Merlin TF kit by a customer who'd lost an arm in a works accident.
Although they told Thoroughbred Cars at time of ordering that it would have an automatic box, they moulded the bodyshell with the narrower transmission tunnel (the Ford auto had an oil sump that was wider than the tunnel).
So the old man handed me a jigsaw, marked two areas with tape and told me to get cutting. At least he gave me a paper mask... but as you can imagine I got covered in dust. I've had TVRs and an Esprit since '96, not had much GRP work to do on them but I'm a lot more careful these days.

Re. using a multitool: it will work (any form of sawing is better than grinding the stuff) but it does blunt blades very quickly. A TVR crony of mine used to use a diamond wire in a fretsaw frame, that was quite good as well (if you have space to work).

 

[Dilkris]

And take cool showers afterwards, not hot ones. Found that out the hard way.

Back in '82 my dad was commissioned to build a Merlin TF kit by a customer who'd lost an arm in a works accident.
Although they told Thoroughbred Cars at time of ordering that it would have an automatic box, they moulded the bodyshell with the narrower transmission tunnel (the Ford auto had an oil sump that was wider than the tunnel).
So the old man handed me a jigsaw, marked two areas with tape and told me to get cutting. At least he gave me a paper mask... but as you can imagine I got covered in dust. I've had TVRs and an Esprit since '96, not had much GRP work to do on them but I'm a lot more careful these days.

Re. using a multitool: it will work (any form of sawing is better than grinding the stuff) but it does blunt blades very quickly. A TVR crony of mine used to use a diamond wire in a fretsaw frame, that was quite good as well (if you have space to work).

Many thanks Wedg1e