Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

[mav6759]

Have a quick question, I have 4 drilled holes in the fiberglass of my boat where the electrical panel screws into the frame of boat. The problem that I am having is, the screw holes that are in the fiberglass of the boat have broken and I can't screw the electrical panel back into place. I tried using these plastic insert in the holes, but they did no good. Does anyone have any idea how to repair these broken holes. I even tried gluing a nut in the back of the hole, but the glue didn't hold. Would I have to re-fiberglass the holes and drill new hole or if someone had a better idea,

Thank Mav

 

[DJ]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

Got a picture?

 

[mphy98]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

mix up a small batch of tigerhair, press into holes, let cure, then rescrew. fairly simple

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

If you could get to the back side to glue a nut just use machine screw and nut. I don't get why the nut needs to be glued.

 

[DJ]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

I was also thinking that if the backside is accessible, why not back the screws up with wood, or nuts, as described?

 

[d3l1b1rd]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

Stick toothpicks in the holes then screw into that.

 

[SouthernAppal]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

Same deal with my glove box. I took it out to clean it and no two screws were the same size, and there were many more holes for screws and some partial holes. To fix that, I just glued a small strip of 1x2 behind the fiberglass and screw through that. It holds very well.

Jane

 

[redfury]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

Depending on the profile, you can also use the plastic retainers used to hold screws in sheetrock. You'll have a small plastic head that will sit on top of the fiberglass, so this won't work for something that needs to lie completely flat.

So many ways to fix this, you just have to decide which one is worth the trouble to you. A quick fix, a permanent fix, or a re-engineered fix.

 

[oops!]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

another way is to use stainless bolts.or stainless machine screws with nuts....and put a washer on the inside before the nut. paint the head of the bolt if you want.....

but........the real way to repair it is to add the peanut butter filler with chopped strand or milled fibers (or dyna hair) then after grinding the back side.....glass on a few layers of matt and let cure and re drill..........lot of work for a few stripped holes

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Broken Drilled holes in Fiberglass

Have you considered the stick marine epoxy? Tear off a chunk.....knead it and push it into the holes. Then you have a choice....... if you just slip the screw into it before it dries you will NEVER get them out again or you can wait and re-drill the epoxy with a proper size screw hole.