Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I glued the sides together with PL glue and a 1/4" ply backing. The glue came through to the good side and I have removed it. However there are dents where the glue was pushed into the wood. ( I didn't remove it till I glued the frame to the walls. It sat for a couple of days with this side down.)

Is there a way to get the dents to pop out without ruining my plywood walls?

2. How do I deal with the seam line the glue left. It is quite visible.

Thanks
Aunti M

Miriam,
I used to work in a high end speaker factory when I was younger. We used to pull dents out of walnut and oak veneer using a damp cloth and an iron. This might make plywood delaminate, especialy if its chi-ply. Just something to consider.

Auntie M,
are the dents from the clamps?
And how do you plan to finish the plywood?

Walter

go do another part of the build and give it some time in natural humidity and see what happens. i try to take the least aggressive approach. even if the dent lasts into your primer paint phase, you can always fill it then.

This is the side. The dents are from the pl glue spreading from the joined pieces. I didn't think to remove it right away. Denting was the last thing I expected.


I gently over a couple of hours sanded and chiseled (no gouges) the glue away. I have these dents I would rather not fill Because I already have a gray line to deal with and don't want a big white one.

I am going to stain and clear coat it if I dont mess it up too bad between now and then.

Thanks for helping
Miriam

Miriam C. wrote:
I am going to stain and clear coat it if I dont mess it up too bad between now and then. :oops:

Thanks for helping
Miriam

you could run a piece of wood trim over that seam to conceal it.
not sure about the dents though........I cant see them in the photo.

Surveytechs

you could run a piece of wood trim over that seam to conceal it.
not sure about the dents though........I cant see them in the photo.
_________________

Ah. The large seam is where the dents are. That picture is before I got around to taking all that glue off. The dents take it's place. I guess you have to get up on them to really see them. They are about 1/32" deep.

Aunti M

yeah; i guess you forgot the blocks of wood under the clamps. it not only prevents dents but increases tributary area of the clamp pressure.

The wet cloth and iron idea might work well. I have used that method to remove "hangar rash" dents on model airplanes for years. It works well on balsa and 1/8" thick Lite Ply, which I believe is birch with a balsa core. Try it on a scrap of your side material.

Sam I am wrote:The wet cloth and iron idea might work well. I have used that method to remove "hangar rash" dents on model airplanes for years. It works well on balsa and 1/8" thick Lite Ply, which I believe is birch with a balsa core. Try it on a scrap of your side material.

Good Idea Sam,
Mine is Birch also. I will dent some from the window and get my Rowenta steam iron after it. They may pop out by themselves but I doubt it. I know it works on my wood floors but they are sealed and my baby isn't .

I only used clamps where I knew there would be trim. This is from lots of cases of water bottles weighting the glued frame and the side into the dried, hardened excess glue. A warning to all: clean up all sides before putting weight on.

Thanks everyone
Aunti M

whatever you do...just be careful and don't blow through the top veneer with the sandpaper...then you got problems, especially on a woody...I've had good luck with water and low heat...Doug

doug hodder wrote:whatever you do...just be careful and don't blow through the top veneer with the sandpaper...then you got problems, especially on a woody...I've had good luck with water and low heat...Doug

Oh boy am I not blowing through the veneer. I have a finish sander with #320 on. Takes forever but not going through anything. I remember all the issues others had.

Low heat??? Ok because this is on an edge how bout I use the steam iron a distance away and be patient. Maybe it will work. I am gonna have a panic attack over a dent, or two or three.

Thanks for the warning
Aunti M