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[VACList] Floor Repairs
Hello All,
I recently replaced the entire rear floor section of a '65 Safari, and
during this adventure I discovered a new (to me) way of patching unsupported
areas of flooring. By far, the best new tool I've found recently is the
rototool. It is an electric saw that uses modified drill bits to cut. Many
manufacturers make them now, including Sears. They are perfect for removing
flooring, as they can be set to the exact depth of the plywood and then you
can cut directly across beams, holding tanks, anything below the floor and
it won't even be scratched. Even if you hit a nail there's no kickback, as
the bit simply breaks off and you replace it (they're cheap and come in
packs of 5). You don't have to drill a hole to start the cut, you just push
the bit into the wood.
Here's the method for replacing small areas. Make sure you buy a tool that
comes with an adjustable angle base and set the base for 30-40 degrees. On
the floor, draw a square of the area you want to remove and then temporarily
nail four small guide boards to the floor about two inches outside this
square. After setting the depth of the cut, turn on the roto tool and run
it's base plate around the inside of the guide boards. You should be left
with a clean, mitered square hole with the damaged floor in the middle. Now
simply pull up this piece and cut a matching one out of good wood, either
using the same method with the rototool, or on a table saw. After getting a
perfect dry fit, coat the edges of the hole and the repair piece with marine
epoxy (West System or similar) set the piece in place and put some weight on
it until it is dry. This style of repair is used on wooden boats ( I know, I
had one) and will last the life of the trailer, since the epoxy bond is
actually stronger than the surrounding wood.
Brian Jenkins
'56 Overlander, '57 Caravanner