Tips for Cutting Fiberglass

[Galway Girl]

I’m about to cut a hole in the interior wall to add a panel for our Xantrex controller display.

 

Tips appreciated on how to cut safely, including best blades, bits for the job.

Hull 505

Craig

 

[John E Davies]

Any old sharp bits or fine tooth metal blades or hole saws will be fine. Don't use coarse ones, or those intended for wood. TAPE THE AREA FIRST to prevent slips and foul language. I like the 3M blue masking tape, it can remain on for a week without getting hard to remove. Wear vinyl gloves, and use a coarse sandpaper afterwards to remove all the sharp bits, 80 grit wet or dry is fine. There is a reason it is called fiberGLASS! those shards can go under a fingernail or into your skin, and being transluscent, they can be hard to see and retrieve with tweezers. So it is best to avoid getting skewered in the first place.

Drilled holes for screws should be countersunk slightly to remove the white gelcoat, otherwise it can crack and flake off when you drive in the screw.

It is not at all hard, just take care and wear a mask for any dust. I like to place a shop vac hose close by, tape it to the surface if you need to, and run the vac while drilling. That will take care of 80% of the mess. Place some paper towels on the other side of the panel to catch debris that falls on that side, which is usually minimal for drilled holes, but it can be significant if you are using a jigsaw or sabersaw….

If the panel has a no core or a glass core, no worries; OTH if it has a wood core like the bathroom partition, you must seal the newly exposed wood to prevent moisture entry and rot. Several coats of marine spar varnish (clear) works great.

Take a look at this thread, there are lots of holes there: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5301-how-to-lithium-battery-powered-vent-system/

Post pictures!

John Davies

Spokane WA