Birmabright repair advice

[Monty]

Hello all. I’ve got a tear in my tropical top roof skin that needs patching. I’m straightening everything the best I can, but for some reason there is still a little overlap - probably some material deformation when whatever caused the tear hit the top- some of the area is “sliced” while another is torn.

I’ll hit up YouTube university as well, but I’m curious if I should remove any overlapping material with a grinder and fill the gap with filler, or leave them in place and sand.

any advice from past experience?

I am using the bondo product with aluminum, and am not expecting nor looking for a perfect finish - just water resistance.

[series guy]

If the bondo product you are referring to is Allmetal it is very brittle once it hardens. I would be worried that it might crack with the vibration of the roof.

[loose gravel]

Find a good welder and have them weld it up.

[Solihull121]

Or perhaps try specialty aluminum brazing. Something like this: HTS 2000

[Monty]

I’m actually going with the brazing after all - as I hunted around this seemed like the best option. I’m excited to move from aluminum cans to the roof skin this weekend.

[72Rover]

Or perhaps try specialty aluminum brazing. Something like this: HTS 2000

I saw that stuff at a gun show, and the seller was parching up .50 cal-sized holes in the bottom of beer cans with nothing more than a propane torch. Bought it...and all I've done with it since is practice on beer cans. Aside from TIG or MIG welding, this "low temperature" brazing would be my choice. IIRC, once the allow hardens, it's something like Rockwell 55.

[Bud]

Let us know how it goes, would love to see some pics

[leafsprung]

I have repaired a lot of sunsheets and roof panels - I typically use Er4143 rod