FIBERGLASS TOUCH-UP AND SURFACE REPAIRS
1. Remove wax, oil, and dirt from around damaged area with acetone, methylethylketone, or equivalent
and remove paint to gel coat.
2. Scrape damaged area with a fine blade knife or a power drill and burr attachment to roughen bottom
and sides of damaged area. Feather edge surrounding scratch or cavity. Do not undercut edge. (If
scratch or cavity is shallow and penetrates only the surface coat, continue to step 8.)
3. Pour a small amount of resin into a jar lid or on a piece of cardboard (just enough to fill the area being
worked on). Mix an equal amount of milled fiberglass with resin, with a putty knife or stick. Add
catalyst (according to kit instructions) to resin and mix thoroughly. Use a hypodermic needle to inject
gel into small cavities not requiring fiberglass millings mixed with gel.
4. Work mixture of resin, fibers, and catalyst into damaged area, with sharp point of putty knife or stick.
Press into bottom of hole and puncture any air bubbles that may be present. Fill scratch or hole above
surrounding undamaged area about 1/16 inch.
5. Lay a piece of cellophane or waxed paper over repair to cut off air and start cure of gel mixture.
6. Allow gel to cure 10 to 15 minutes (until it feels rubbery). Remove cellophane and trim flush with
surface, with a sharp razor blade or knife. Replace cellophane and allow to cure completely for 30
minutes to an hour. The patch will shrink below structure surface as it cures. (If wax paper is used,
ensure wax is removed from surface.)
7. Rough up bottom and edges of hole with electric burr attachment or rough sandpaper. Feather hole into
surrounding gel coat, do not undercut.
8. Pour out a small amount of resin, add catalyst and mix thoroughly with a cutting motion rather than
stirring. Use no fibers.
9. With tip of a putty knife or fingertips, fill hole to about 1/16 inch above surrounding surface with gel
coat mixture.
10. Lay a piece of cellophane over patch to start curing process. Repeat step 6, trimming patch when
partially cured.
11. After trimming patch, immediately place another small amount of gel coat on cut edge of patch and
cover with cellophane. Then, using a squeegee or the back of a razor blade, squeegee level with area
surrounding patch, leave cellophane on patch for 1 or 2 hours or overnight for complete cure.
12. After repair has cured for 24 hours, sand patched area with a sanding block and fine wet sandpaper.
Finish by priming, again sanding and applying color coat.
FIBERGLASS FRACTURE AND PATCH REPAIRS
1. Remove wax, oil, and dirt from around damaged area with acetone, methylethylketone, or equivalent.
2. Use a key hole saw, electric saber saw, or sharp knife to cut away ragged areas. Cut back to
undamaged material.
3. Remove paint three inches back from around damaged area.
4. Working inside structure, bevel edges to approximately 30 degree angle and rough-sand hole and
around it with 80-grit dry paper. Feather back for about two inches all around hole.
5. Cover a piece of cardboard or metal with cellophane and tape to outside of structure. Cover hole
completely. Face cellophane toward inside of structure. If repair is on a sharp contour or shaped area,
form a sheet of aluminum to a similar contour and place over area.
51 - 11 - 00
Page 51 - 06
Reissued: August 1, 1986
2F2
PIPER AIRCRAFT
PA-28-236
MAINTENANCE MANUAL
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