Hinges - body sides.

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Thu, 09 Jul 2009, 1:52 pm

That makes sense Ian!

The only thing that I am a bit worried about is having to redrill the holes and maybe affect the strength or integrity of the fibreglass...mine creaks a lot as it is.....

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Fri, 10 Jul 2009, 12:07 pm

Hi Bigbird,

I wouldn't worry about drilling holes some 1/2mm larger (that's 1/50 of an inch) - the fibreglass is good and thick (about 1/4" from what I could see) and it won't even notice the slightly larger hole (1/2mm will only clear the dust out of the old hole!).

When the Portafolds were produced, fibreglass was still a relatively new technology and moulders still tended to err on the side of caution and make mouldings thicker than they would be today, which is good for us

If my one is anything to go by, I would suggest that the creaking may be caused by the old fastenings being a bit loose and the noise is just slight movement between the parts.

Ian (life-long boat-bore)

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Fri, 10 Jul 2009, 1:11 pm

Thanks for that Ian, my hubby would rather replace the hinges I suspect, especially if it's quicker...

As for the fibreglass I'm amazed at the way it has been relatively easy to repair, you're quite right it is rather industrial, to say the least!!

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Mon, 27 Jul 2009, 3:00 pm

Just got mine as well Phew!!

The local hardware shops etc, would only sell me boxes of 20 on the Island because they didn't want to hold any as stock, so it was special order only.

yep, they honestly expected me to pay £120 for hinges....

Post by **Admin** » Tue, 28 Jul 2009, 4:36 pm

My hinges have been done!

No creaks or groans and no split fibreglass. I'll see how it fairs at Beaulieu this weekend then give it a lick of paint over the repaired patches inside.

Pictures to follow when I've taken some 'after' shots.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Wed, 29 Jul 2009, 4:12 pm

Matthew, how did you get your hinges done so quickly? I've managed one, so far, with the weather we have had

Bigbird - I've been musing over which of your fleet gets pressed into towing duty on the Portafold and trailer-tent......

Ian
(North Island)

Post by **Admin** » Wed, 29 Jul 2009, 4:46 pm

I had to cheat, I don't have the technical abilities of you guys so I popped it 5 minutes round the corner to a GRP specialist who's bread and butter work is making parts for Sunseeker luxury cruisers.

I stayed around to assist and to guide him in the 'way of the Portafold' and he changed four of the off-side hinges and two down the near-side. Those were the badly aligned hinges which had been bodged soon after I got it about 7 or 8 years ago. But that involved the digging out and the repairing of the inner skin of my side walls, which had cracked and separated from the rest of the wall.

Next time I go down he'll do the rest if they're needed and any other little repairs and touch-ups. Oh and the lip around the roof which is needing a repair above the door.

Most of the nicks and blemishes on the roof he can't do anything with because the gellcoat is so thin and he said it would probably end up looking worse than it does now.

All ready for work to begin. Notice the yellow gellcoat filled jack-knife repair to the front.

The repaired patch now sanded back ready for new gellcoat.

New gellcoat applied and drying off.

The hole left by removing the hinge and its old glassfibre repair.

Mock up of how the new hinge will sit.

The original steel plate and blob of gell behind the old hinge.

After the area has been ground back ready for new glass.

Areas masked up and new fibre cut to size

Work in progress.

Work in progress.

It looks good with its freshly restored back legs. Just don't look at the front ones!

Plasticine plug stops the door handle hole becoming too small when it's repaired. The screw holes were so worn that my handle kept falling off.

Inside holes also filled as these four screws have to take the full weight of the end wall when you put it up. I only had two!

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Thu, 30 Jul 2009, 8:42 am

Crikey Matthew he had his work cut out, I'm dreading removing our hinges now in case the gel coat comes off with them. This guys done a really good job!

Ian, the Portafold get's towed behind the Volvo and maybe if we ever do her up (again) the Spitfire.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu, 30 Jul 2009, 4:22 pm

Hmmm, now I see where I went wrong - I thought scratching around outside with a buddy-minded Portafold, in the rain and the wind, was the accepted Portafold initiation right

Jan - I presume that's 'Viktor-the-Volvo' - the trike makes my Rover seem a bit tame

Ian

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Thu, 30 Jul 2009, 8:31 pm

'Harley the Davidson' will be most upset to be called 'Victor the Volvo'...he he........They are both just as industrial though.....

portafold.co.uk

Hinges - body sides.

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