Roof Repair -Patch

[HERR42]

I was testing a ham radio antenna, a 2 meter LPDA....this one is very light. thats a good thing. i am trying to get ready for a VHF "party", a ham radio contest in Sept. I intend to be a rover up in Salty's neck of the woods as contacts into his "grid square" are highly coveted by hams for the sake of this contest.

...anyway it ended up falling a short distance onto the camper's roof. one of the elements, a 3/16 aluminum rod, poked through the roof. the hole is 3/16 by a 1/4 inch long. it only penetrated the exterior roof.

so, how to fix? i want to hear ideas. at first i thought that using silaprene would be the best bet but i am worried it wont adhere through time.

i wonder if i should pop rivet a patch over the hole?

 

[Argonaut20]

If the hole is clean and only through the outer skin, why not take a 3/16" short pop rivet and put a 3M sealer around the hole before you rivet, then seal over the rivet?

 

[HERR42]

its not a perfectly round hole that a rivet could expand against for grip. its elongated.

 

[fish more]

Try some Wrigleys Gum

 

[jcfly]

I think I'd cover the hole by putting a small piece of aluminum over it using 3m 5200 adhesive caulk to anchor it in place.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

<snip> One of the elements, a 3/16 aluminum rod, poked through the roof. The hole is 3/16 by a 1/4 inch long. it only penetrated the exterior roof.

So, how to fix? I want to hear ideas. at first i thought that using silaprene would be the best bet but i am worried it wont adhere through time.

I wonder if i should pop rivet a patch over the hole?

Jeff, I would proceed along a path of "less invasive to more invasive" starting with a lamination. I would try to use some sort of contact adhesive designed to adhere sheet aluminum. If that didn't work, I'd think about going in from the inside and then patching the ceiling hole, perhaps, before making more holes in the roof for pop rivets.

Good luck.

 

[HERR42]

I think I'd cover the hole by putting a small piece of aluminum over it using 3m 5200 adhesive caulk to anchor it in place.


3m 5200, now thats a specific statement. you have experience with this product?
you believe it will adhere to the white painted roof surface?

 

[chnlisle]

I think I'd call Marty or Chicali.

 

[fish more]

contact Camper World, look at a product call "Dicor". A sealing tape that may just fit your bill. Check it out.

 

[HERR42]

Dicor, yes this looks good. http://www.dicor.com/Product.aspx?ID=15

 

[Marc]

Use 3M's 5200 and a nickel size slug. Presto, your done

 

[jcfly]

<br />3m 5200, now thats a specific statement.  you have experience with this product?<br />you believe it will adhere to the white painted roof surface?<br />
<br /><br /><br />

Have used 4200, but I'm told that the 5200 is better at adhering, very tough to break free. You could always use a little steel wool to break the paints gloss to help adhesion.