Refinishing Ventus b Fuselage

On Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at 2:56:36 PM UTC-4, John Seaborn (A8) wrote:
Nick, the refinish question is a large problem for an aging fleet of gliders with gelcoat. That club GROB which is worth about $30,000 but needs refinishing will cost around $20,000 to refinish commercially if the club cannot do it using members sweat equity. Same with other aging gliders with gelcoat. There has to be a better way in which a single company with the right tools (think standing robot) could specialize in this type of refinish at a lower cost structure. Hats off to Richard for documenting his refinish project. There used to be a company in Eastern Europe that did refinish and refurbishment of older gliders. Anyone know if they are still in business?

"Going" rate(what people have been paying) is about $27k for a 15 meter glider. That would put the Grob at more like $35k at the same shop.
UH

At 18:56 23 October 2018, John Seaborn A8 wrote:

There used to be a company in Eastern Europe that did refinish and
ref=
urbishment of older gliders. Anyone know if they are still in business?


There's a fair few companies very active in refinishing gliders, in Eastern
Europe. Prices vary though, as does quality.

Those Egyptians built those pyramids with slave labor.
We need slaves and we need them now!

27K to 35K for a refinish?!
Jeez the Fleet is in trouble, who's got that kind of money?

On Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 5:39:19 PM UTC-7, Nick Kennedy wrote:
27K to 35K for a refinish?!
Jeez the Fleet is in trouble, who's got that kind of money?

Sprayed hopefully the last coat of Vinyl Ester Fairing Primer.
Material specifications on the website.

http://www.craggyaero.com/ventus.htm

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 8:39:19 PM UTC-4, Nick Kennedy wrote:
27K to 35K for a refinish?!
Jeez the Fleet is in trouble, who's got that kind of money?

Ya think?
That is why I have helped one local club to get up to speed on refinishing their ships as club projects. They are on their third project this year.
Our club refinished our '21 a few years ago..
Another club in our area is going to give it a shot this year with support from P3 and myself.
UH

On Wednesday, 24 October 2018 18:37:37 UTC-6, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Those Egyptians built those pyramids with slave labor.
We need slaves and we need them now!

Are you volunteering your son?

Le jeudi 25 octobre 2018 02:39:19 UTC+2, Nick Kennedy a écritÂ*:
27K to 35K for a refinish?!
Jeez the Fleet is in trouble, who's got that kind of money?

We've just got back one of our LS4 from Slovenia. PU + interior + €3000 of repair come up to €18000.

On Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 7:03:44 AM UTC-6, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 8:39:19 PM UTC-4, Nick Kennedy wrote:
27K to 35K for a refinish?!
Jeez the Fleet is in trouble, who's got that kind of money?

Ya think?
That is why I have helped one local club to get up to speed on refinishing their ships as club projects. They are on their third project this year.
Our club refinished our '21 a few years ago..
Another club in our area is going to give it a shot this year with support from P3 and myself.
UH

One club member (ACA) expressed this as a rewarding club experience at the Focus on Clubs luncheon a couple of SSA Conventions ago. Other clubs have done similar projects. I recall one (SSB) that polished a 1-34 to gain a bunch of payload. Another (TBSS) where, at one time, the entire fleet was insurance salvage returned to service. And others that have built facilities.. I would suggest that projects that put gliders and keep gliders in the air are the best as club activities.

Frank Whiteley

I suspect that another part of the problem is that the return on investment for refinishing is not dollar for dollar. In my experience, a quality refinish (and I have seen some good ones from both domestic and foreign shops) only adds about 60% or so of the cost to the sale value of the glider. So using Hank's figures of $27K for a refinish of a beat out 15m glider - if you start with a $20K glider you spend $27K to get a glider worth about $35K when done. Unless it's a glider that you really love, it doesn't make sense to pay to have it done. A lower cost option would really help the fleet.
ROY (who refinished a 20m glider at home - and is, of course, now divorced)