Spraying fibreglass

[tractorman]

I've eventually managed, thanks to a couple of very helpful Irishmen, to get a new fibreglass roof for my bigger tractor. One of them brought the roof across in the back of his camper van when he came over for a holiday and refused payment!

It has a nice black gel finish, which although the right colour, is the wrong texture. So I need to sort it out!

What primer is most suitable - I can't really spray anything toxic as our garage joins both our house and the neighbour's garage! Normal etch primer has been suggested, I've plenty of the Bilt Hamber etch-weld stuff and some rattle can U-Pol stuff, is there a better alternative?

A second problem: the original roof had a fine "leathergrain" effect to the roof (I think it was ABS, but someone reckoned it's Bakelite!). Is there something readily available that would suggest that sort of finish? A friend suggested underseal, though I suspect the tin I have isn't suitable (it has "added Waxoyl").

I wouldn't mind - the roof is eight or nine feet in the air and you can only really see the three or four inches that come over the sides; gloss would look really naff though!

[pryantcc]

Give the gloss a dose of sandpaper, that'll dull it down in no time!

If the black stuff is gel-coat, I don't konw what would stick to it, it's probably fairly inert, so maybe you could just key it with sandpaper and spray any old primer on.
You can get cans of crinkle effect stuff which is meant for dashboards, not sure how it would work out on exterior though.....

[Majicmark]

I have painted several fibreglass panels & used an etch primer with no problems (two years on & still perfect) but you do need to be sure all signs of silicon from moulding process is removed or you will get a reaction the same as any other silicon issue. Underseal would not be suitable as you say but Stone chip would work if applied right & can also be sanded once dry.Stone chip is porous though & therefore needs to be painted asap (should not be such a problem with fibreglass more with steel). I am no expert but have gone by what the body boys at my work place told me so hopefully this may help you. I am sure someone more body orientated will also point you in the right direction.

[karlsgazelle]

I've eventually managed, thanks to a couple of very helpful Irishmen, to get a new fibreglass roof for my bigger tractor. One of them brought the roof across in the back of his camper van when he came over for a holiday and refused payment!
....

[OT]
I see a lot of c...not very nice people just going about my business every day, but this sort of thing restores my faith in humanity.
[/OT]
...as you were.

[m.thaddeus]

Hello

I can only second what has been said already. Mipa make a really good hi-build etch aerosol - ask at your trade supplier. They also do 2-pack hi-build rattle can, which is great, but like the etch really really stinks.
And..
Key the gelcoat with 120 grt production paper.

[tractorman]

Thanks for the replies, I'll let you know how I get on! However, after two weeks of ideal paint spraying weather, it started to rain yesterday and looks like it has forgotten to stop! I just hope my smaller tractor isn't dripping oil this week: the roof is on the floor underneath it as it's the only relatively safe place for it at the moment! Typically, the other job I was doing relies on dry weather too - stripping paint and rust from the smaller tractor's safety frame and sandblasting the worst pitting was the next task.

I should add that, while the Irishman didn't ask for payment, he didn't go away empty-handed - apart from some proper English beer tokens, he had mentioned a broken bulb holder on his own tractor and my test lamp happened to be an original (35 year old) one. If you saw some suspicious looking people lurking round an HSBC cash dispenser in Carlisle on Saturday, it was us!

I must make a new test lamp soon!