Skin Patching....

[Gremlinguy]

Wood framing is done now to address some skin issues before I insulate and start building the cabinets and such.
I would love to replace the skin throughout the compact but my budget does not allow for it. I did replace one section of skin (PO had installed diamond plate on curbside) That had to go.
I made the section and have about 6x4 feet of aluminum left over.
I figured what the hell I need to do a few patches on the skin (one hole and one 6 inch tear) I might as well patch from the inside as well as the outside while I have it down to just framing and the skin.
I do auto body and paint for a living so I got a good idea what to do, just seeing if anyone else has done any kind of patches, if so...
How did you do it??
If no one responds but some people would like to see how I am going to I can take some detailed step by step photos.....

[Gone Kayaking]

Yes please post a step by step. I have a bunch of small screw holes to deal with see post: "Can I use bondo to fill holes???" Since you're a pro on this topic would love to know what you think.

[Gremlinguy]

Well I don't consider myself a pro at anything camper related. Just trying some automotive restoration techniques.
Gone Kayaking, do you have access to an automotive paint supply store and some scrap aluminum, even some little pieces from like home depot? And does your camper still have its interior?

[Gone Kayaking]

I do have scrap aluminum (lots of it) from the skin that I'm going to replace. I need to cover the little holes left by the corner flashing that the PO used instead of a drip rail. So when I put on the new rail they will likely be just beyond the edge of the rail. Some will be covered but a few will still show.

[vikx]

Geocel makes gutter sealant that is silver in color. I use it for little spots that can't be patched any other way. It's paintable and waterproof. Great for seams on the door flanges too.

www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM2379943502P?sid=IDx20101019x00001a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=SPM2379943502

[Gremlinguy]

I use a automotive body repair product known as, "Panel Bond". 3M 8115 is the slow and 8229 is the fast. It is available online. But I suggest finding your local auto paint supply store (if there is a body shop around there has to be a supply store). Go in with the product number and explain to them what you are doing and have them set you up with what you need. There is a few different application guns and such.
www.google.com/products/catalog?q=3m+8115&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=9955454665285041724&sa=X&ei=u6RzTYuqNI66sAPLwoy3Cw&ved=0CEIQ8wIwAw#

Its awesome stuff, pretty much liquid weld. They glue cars together with it. (Austin Martins, and Jags use this product through out there whole car building process.)
If prepped right this product is awesome. It can fill holes, seams, tear, etc etc.
If you can get to the back side of the hole, grind it, scuff it or what ever you can do to give it a good mechanical scratch (sand paper, scratch it with a screw driver whatever)
Take a piece of scrap aluminum, cut it a little bigger than the whole and scuff it as well.
Clean it and the back side of the hole on the panel.
Put the panel bond on the panel and the little piece you have made and put the piece right over the hole (on the inside) and tape it on, clamp it on if you can whatever. Just hold it in place till the product dries.
Once it is good and dry, preferably the next day go on the out side of the camper, there should be some sticking through the hole, grind it, sand it what ever.... Now use the panel bond like you would Bondo, or now you can use Bondo over the hole, after you have sanded the panel and prepped it for the plastic filler of course.
By gluing the little piece of aluminum to the inside you have giving it a solid backing and will hold whatever filler you decide to put on the top side for years. And I mean years. If you just fill it with bondo it WILL fall out.

If you can't get the back side of the panel.... I only recommend this for screws holes or similar size. And still would glue on the backside if you can get to it.
Grind, sand scratch the outer surface around the hole and do your best to prep the sides of the hole itself (you have to prep for everything, I don't care if its super glue or JB weld or bondo, or even the product above that vikx mentioned. Products DO NOT stick to smooth surfaces. You HAVE to have a mechanical scratch for them to bite into! Try it on any kind of home repair, your glues and such will perform so much better than a smooth surface. Prep and cleanliness are KEY!)
Now after it is sanded and cleaned take the Panel bond and smooth it over the hole just like you would Bondo. If you are doing this method without doing the backside, I suggest using the quick set up Panel Bond. You are going to have to hang out there for a bit and keep spreading it, making sure it doesn't just fall into the hole. Once it is dry sand it like Bondo and move on.... If you prepped right it should last forever.

[Gremlinguy]

And yeah, this probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I am not very good at writing directions. Maybe I should make a video like Kev did for the Kregg....

[Gone Kayaking]

I understand perfectly....this is perfect for what I need to do. I will have the sides where I need to make the repairs off the trailer. Excellent. And a video would be icing on the cake! Lots of members would appreciate it I'm sure. Brian would probably even make it a sticky.

[Gremlinguy]

I'm glad it makes sense to you. Anyone that has questions pertaining to body of these things... Please ask away..... I will try my best to help. I have been doing paint and body and fabrication/restoration for 10 years.

I forgot to mention that if you don't mind seeing the patch on the outside you can do little patches right over the hole and glue them on with the panel bond, and it will never come off and paint right over it. If you go to my build thread in owners restorations, you will see that I made an aluminum patch that was 4 feet wide that I put on the street side of the camper. I panel bonded and stapled it. Once I get to painting the Compact I am going to smooth panel bond right over the staples and sand them and you wont even tell they are there.
And the edge that is now in the middle of the Compact that the patch left... I panel bonded it down and used the panel bong just like seam sealer and put a bead on the edge and smoothed it out with my finger (glove on of course). I will then come back and sand that down and you wont even be able to tell I put the patch on.

[Gone Kayaking]

Technique worked great on my trailer. For those of you doing this who aren't routinely working with metal in this way, be advised that the product that Gremlin Guy recommends requires the use of a special applicator which is pretty pricey. I'm sure it's great stuff, but I went with JB Weld 2 part epoxy steel and it seemed to work just as well. We'll see if it stands the test of time.

[Gone Kayaking]

VK is this the Geocel product that you mentioned above?
www.tooldistrict.com/product-p/778615.htm

[vikx]

Yup, that's it. Good stuff, the silver turns out looking like aluminum....

[Bob]

I made a patch out of some scrap AL and bent it in my bench vise to match the contours of the existing panels. I attached it with rivets because screws made it too obvious. When it's painted, I hope that it will almost disappear. It's where the water inlet for the water tank was. I didn't want to replace the filler part and tempt someone to add water to a trailer with no tank.