Blast City Crack Repair

[BuggeringHell]

I recently received my first candy and there are visible cracks underneath the control panel. I will drill the ends of each crack with a small drill bit to prevent it from worsening. I am thinking of routing out the cracks with a small dremel bit to widen then to help whatever filler I use set. Does anyone have any advice regarding fillers?

[zak]

I saw the cracks in your picture and blurted out your forum username

[BuggeringHell]

When I get the chance to properly test the entire cab with a Sega Naomi I recently purchased, I will inspect the inside of the cab to see if it's just the gel coat that is cracked. If so, I might just burr out the crackcs with a dremel and use a gel coat patch repair kit typically bought for boats (colour matched of course).

I found out, particularly for boats and fibreglass car kits, gel coat can easily crack when flexed, but the laminate underneath can still remain intact. Which is probably the case with a lot of Blast Cities when the control panel takes on any form of weight/movement.

[Andypc]

You can use a fibreglass repair kit on the inside to strengthen it.

[BuggeringHell]

Yeah ok, hopefully it won't need it and it's just flexing over the years that caused cracks on the gel coat side only.

If it's just the gel coat, I will burr out the cracks and use this RAL 9002 gel coat repair kit: https://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/ ... e-ral-9002

If the crack is through the entire body, I will route out and widen the crack, and use a epoxy/glass fibre repair kit from the inside, and then use the gel coat kit I mentioned above from the outside.

I'm away at the moment but I'll document my process (or failings...) when I'm back

[Paulie]

I've had past success with fiberglass repair kits, various epoxy's and even modroc for holes.

I would imagine anything that was designed specifically for fiberglass with marine application's would work very well such as the gel kits you mentioned.

When it's done don't forget to pick up some Novus to polish her up with. Again widely used in the boating scene.

[BuggeringHell]

The gel coat repair kit shop page had this video demonstration:


It does include some polishing compound, but is it just me or does the sanded area really stand out on the video when they are finished? Might need to wet sand finer than they did, and buff it out.

If I end up replacing the side art (which has yellowed quite significantly), I'm considering buying a buffing tool to give the whole body a polish.

After the repair, hopefully following these steps I can avoid respraying the body all together by following the steps in this order:
* Cilit Bang Black Mould Remover (whole body)
* Magic Sponge (select areas)
* Novus 321 (select areas)
* Fine Wet Sand Leftover Scratches (select areas)
* Buff/Polish (whole body)

Some of the metal parts have surface rust, so I will sand and respray them with some metal primer, colour matched RAL and clear coat.

[crmb]

* Buff/Polish (whole body)

One need to be carefull with rubbing the "line/edge" on the sides. That line that pass between the the two parts of the side art.

When i got the cab, i used white multi-purpose cleaner (made with clay, i don't know the english name). It nicely removed yellow rubish at the extreme bottom part of the cab. I was being carefull because i know this is an abrasive.
Then is used "Pledge" (the normal non-polishing multi surface cleaner) with a normal cloth to give the cab a good shine. Well it worked the cab looked like new, but i had to be carefull because paint was wearing super easily on those edges (showing the black underneath).


Did you managed to use the gel coat ? I would love to see the results.

I made a topic about similar issues several years ago. I used a fiberglass repair kit in the inside for a place were a crack was actually palpable (below the panel, right side). (I remember getting almost intoxicated using the epoxy resin)

I used "diluted" milliput to fill the cracks (they are now hardly visible unless you look at them). But did not tried the paint.

Also i have several places were the metal doors rubbed the paint, before i correctly adjusted them. I would be interessed to fix the paint here. Maybe you found a good matching RAL ?

A bit unrelated question :

Few months ago, someone put his weigh on the panel... *$!#
I heard a deep "screeeeeak". Like wood fibers breaking in (well glass fiber in this case).
I am not sure if the biggest crease got longer. But my OCD feels there might be more "flex" on the panel.
How is your blast city panel ? Does it flex immediatly with the weight of hands & arms ?