John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 569
Currently Offline
|
Post by John Palmer on Feb 23, 2014 17:12:53 GMT -8
I'm going to visit my uncle in the next two weeks who was an airplane mechanic and restored classic cars all his life. He will likely have some thoughts on the best type of fillers for our extreme weather. Thanks for the info.. I may have to drive to the USA to buy some of this stuff.
With the cost of replacement skin "cheaper than the cost to paint it", I just have to ask the question, Why Fix It!
It costs about $4 per square foot for new metal. So in effect, a four foot wide section is about $16 per linear foot. That's only $160 for a ten foot long four foot wide panel!
The going rate in my area to repaint a trailer is $100. per foot "labor only", plus $600. to $800. in paint materials to repaint a small trailer.
New metal is the deal of a lifetime. Just another opinion.
|
|
ladywendolyn
2K Member
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 928
1964 Golden Falcon
Currently Offline
|
Post by ladywendolyn on Feb 23, 2014 21:53:58 GMT -8
Yes I think that's good thinking so I am considering replacing the lower skin on the trailer as that is where most of the damage is, but the temptation to paint the cute little trailer a cute little color is too hard to resist.
|
|
|
Post by vikx on Feb 23, 2014 22:06:17 GMT -8
My repairs last forever. It's just that the rest of the trailer falls apart around it... Mobil....
|
|
soup
1K Member
"I hate cold Soup"
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 204
Currently Offline
|
Post by soup on Feb 24, 2014 2:30:40 GMT -8
My repairs last forever. It's just that the rest of the trailer falls apart around it... LMAO!!
|
|
soup
1K Member
"I hate cold Soup"
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 204
Currently Offline
|
Post by soup on Feb 24, 2014 2:38:09 GMT -8
Lets not forget the crating and shipping cost of new metal. Roof skins shipped across country, including the box charge will be around $300 just for the roof skin. Add more metal and weight, add more to the shipping charge. Don't get me wrong, I vote for new skin every time if you got the $$$. If you don't have that kind of money, I can get both gallons of the fillers and enough paint to do a whole camper under 18 foot, add to that mask material $300 or less for Rustolieum but like John Palmer said automotive quality paint you will spend $800 - $1000 just on paint, hardener and thinners.
So back to the original thread title question; Is Bondo a good choice? It is a good choice if you only have $100 to spend on a temporary spot repair.
|
|
|
Post by bigbill on Feb 24, 2014 3:57:24 GMT -8
Yes it all comes down to dollars and cents and lack there of. If you have ten grand you wish to spend then go first class if not fix what you have the best you can then enjoy it. Just make sure that it is safe for you and your family. Many times when trying to raise a family, buy a house, put kids through school we don't have the spare change to fix everything into a visual showcase. But we need to create fond memories that will last a life time for us and our families, so if bondo or alum patches will make your trailer usable then go ahead most people won't notice and the ones who do don't matter. I would rather camp beside a family out enjoying themselves in a brush painted trailer than a snob that has a perfect trailer and looks down on everybody else. We must all have our priorities for some it is perfection for others it is enjoying life with what they can afford. I had a good friend that was waiting till he could afford the best, one day he found he was old, divorced, and his kids had moved across the country then he died. We may not have always had the absolute best out there but we had things that we could use to have a good time. This is just an old man's opinion.
|
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,817
Likes: 3,737
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Feb 24, 2014 7:53:23 GMT -8
And a good one it is Bill...
|
|
soup
1K Member
"I hate cold Soup"
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 204
Currently Offline
|
Post by soup on Feb 24, 2014 14:36:18 GMT -8
Ditto Mobiltec! Awesome Big Bill!!!
|
|
|
Post by vikx on Feb 24, 2014 22:03:20 GMT -8
Funny story: Our good friends rebuilt their canned ham and bought all new skin. It is really special-he even made a new rear window with two ovals in the glass area. The funny part is that they didn't want "screws" marring the beautiful new skin. Now, when the sun really shines on the street side, the metal will swell... We're discussing adding a few tasteful retainer screws.
|
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,817
Likes: 3,737
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Feb 25, 2014 8:44:09 GMT -8
I love that rear window. But I hate those brows. I took the same kind off of the 57 Shasta and replaced them with the real thing as I have been collecting them for a long time now. You can even buy them brand new now. Some of the knock offs have little ridges in the rounded corners but they look much better and more original than these things your friend has.
On the swelling problem, does the metal actually buckle noticeably when it heats up? Steve talks about this when he discusses different patterns of brakes in the metal and their evolution over the years. But I have never actually witnessed the problem before.
|
|
SusieQ
Global Moderator
Posts: 4,781
Likes: 1,197
'62 Shasta Compact
Currently Offline
|
Post by SusieQ on Feb 25, 2014 10:36:05 GMT -8
I will be using JB Weld to fill in the buck shot holes in the side of my trailer and the 1/4" drill bit hole my husband added to it. I will try to beat out some of the hail dents, maybe. Otherwise it's just part of the character of my 50+ year old trailer. Maybe one day I will get new skins but I can't wait until then to use it. I almost lost site of my original intentions, a functional, safe, dry, MOLD FREE, road worthy, attractive CAMPER! It's all about the camping for my son and me. I have a paint sprayer and intended on spraying it with tractor paint but I've found a rattle can color very close to the original that I'm probably going to try. Heck, next year, I might paint it a different color. I won't be trying to win any prizes for best of show.
Bill's comment is spot on for me! My dad waited for a few things he never had and could have. I regret that for him.
|
|
John Palmer
Senior Member
Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
Posts: 1,613
Likes: 569
Currently Offline
|
Post by John Palmer on Feb 25, 2014 18:02:52 GMT -8
(Larry, sorry I messed up your quote on #24, John)
Larry, Yes as the metal expands in the sun due to heat it grows in size and will buckle (A LOT). As soon as it gets in the shade and cools off, it will go back to its original position.
The (extra) screws that attach the metal skin to the studs does not stop this expansion/contractions due to heat. They just spread out the buckle over a large area and it is much less noticeable. I have tried it without, and with screws. The "with screws" is the best way to go.
I'm sure "back in the day" this was one of the reasons the trailer manufactures began to use more pronounced patterns such as the mesa patterns, to reduce this effect.
|
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,817
Likes: 3,737
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Feb 25, 2014 18:37:11 GMT -8
Here's that metal skin tutorial that I did with Steve Loomis at his factory again. I'll just post the link because I know most of you have seen this before.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6U23M0rh_8
|
|
cowcharge
1K Member
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 328
Currently Offline
|
Post by cowcharge on Mar 7, 2014 18:57:08 GMT -8
Well I may be the only one, but I'm a staunch defender of Bondo, and not just 'cause it's cheap. You can sculpt anything out of it, and make invisible repairs. Sure, I'd love to I used it to fill in the hole that was left when I moved the water tank filler up (4 or 5" D-shaped hole). I used an aluminum screen patch from the auto parts store, and bondoed it from both inside and outside so it squished through the screen patch. Used the front edge of a palm sander to cut the grooves for the skin breaks. I theorize that it is stronger than the skin's likely expansion is going to be, inward on such a small hole. I admittedly don't live in the desert, it rarely hits 100 around here, but it's been on there for more than three years so far (parked outside on the sunny side). -10 is the lowest I can document it's been out in, but three Maine winters ain't nothin' to sneeze at neither, I reckon (sorry for the lapse into Louis L'Amour-speak). I also did a smaller hole in the roof where the tree fell on it, it's held up fine as well. Viva Le Bondo! Oh, I was an airplane mechanic once upon a time, too
|
|