[NSRCA-discussion] repairing fiberglass fuse?

[Ron Van Putte]

I've had success with heating the fuselage (gently) with a heat gun,  
slowly increasing the temperature of the fuselage in the area of the  
dent, bend, etc and letting the fiberglass straighten out.  It seems  
to "know' the original shape and, if you give it a chance, will  
return to it.  I once had an Eclipse fuselage, which had ridden in  
the back of a hot pickup, lying sideways across two lateral  
supports.  The fuselage had a "dogleg" in it.  However, with the  
fuselage sitting canopy up, the application of heat straightened it  
right out.  Good luck.

Ron Van Putte

On Feb 9, 2008, at 8:16 PM, John C wrote:

> Just wanted to know if anyone has any ideas about how a dent in the  
> side of fiberglass fuse can be repaired. Kinda strange how it  
> happened but a friend had left a fuse in his trailer and it appears  
> something was leaning against it and over the summer in Yuma, AZ  
> (hot, real hot) the fuse cave in a bit where the item laid against  
> it just behind where wing would mount. Fuse is painted and looks  
> like there is a slight bow in fuse as well. I'll forward any ideas  
> to him.
> Thanks, John C
> _______________________________________________
> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion