john the pom Laker

[john the pom]

Update. Have the inside fillets done and shear clamps on, so a quick clean up and ready for inside glassing. The fillets are quite neat for a first attempt. So hopefully I can only improve in future. The comparisons usually drawn about the similarities to welding are so appropriate.

Up to now I have found nothing to be really difficult, only get a bit fiddly, frantic and messy now and then. However, I sure am glad I took the advice of building something simpler than the Cape Fear (Not sit on top) that comes next! I can see now how some knowledge of the building process would be necessary before attempting that.

Lee, thanks for the compliment, though I do think you're confusing experience with beginner's luck!

Matt, I realise this should probly long ago have been moved to the builder's log area. Only I don't know how to do this, can you move it or give me some instructions on how?

[Kayak Jack]

John, your previous question about mentholated spirits brings something to mind. Waterless hand cleaner - the solidified alcohol kind - works to cut a lot of stuff we boat builders and paddlers get into.

It will cut sticky tree sap (pine tar even) quickly. Today, I cleaned some sticky varnish off my fingers. Not sure what it would do to take epoxy off your hands (epoxy should not be on your skin in the first place!), but it sure works where soap and water can't.

Give it a try and see how ti works for you.

[john the pom]

My last post had me saying that I hadn't found anything too difficult... Then I began glassing inside the Laker. Still using the six ounce glass which I have vowed to never buy again, figured; I'll use it all up then its gone. Well, thought it best to split the glassing into bottom first then sides, which is just as well 'cos I only just got away with doing the bottom on its own without total disaster. Side overlapping the bottom by an inch, no problem. The bottom was a total pig, and is by far the worst part of doing the whole project. In future I think I'll contract out the bottom bit

I know I shouldn't get it on my hands, just that when it hits the fan it becomes a (sorry but, all hands on deck) gloves come off and fingers are by far the best thing ever invented to nudge the glass into place, or close to where it ought to be. Have started using detergent, which again I probly shouldn't use but it works.

[Jimmy W]

I have been using vinegar for clean-up of epoxy. It does a pretty good job.

Jimmy

[Kayak Jack]

You're right, Jimmy. When epoxy is still wet, white vinegar will cut it.

John, your experience with glass mirrors mine. Mick has mastered a tight weave; I will never touch it again. I prefer a loose weave that will conform to the curvy shape of a boat, and STAY conformed.

If you have to take off your gloves to move glass, you may be using the wrong kinds of gloves? Use thin ones like medical practice people use. Not the thicker ones for washing dishes. Maybe you already are using thin ones? If so, sorry - just disregard this paragraph.

In field abuse tests, (what I call paddling trips) I find no discernible difference in wither weight or strength. So, I'll stick with the stuff that is easy to use.

[jem]

Glassing the inside is by far the biggest pain.

I try to have the builder do the outside first as a warm up.

[hairymick]

G'day John,

The inside of a boat can be a PITA (as you know now)

What works for me, is that I do each end first, seperately, back about a foot or so down the hull. Then, mixing the resin in about 100ml batches,
and starting in the middle of the boat, on the bottom, I gradually and patiently work my way up the sides and out towards the ends. It takes me about 2 hours, to get the first or complete wet out coat applied - well on the inside of a boat. By mixing small batches of resin, this is achievable without too much stress or panic.

I try to start my wet out coat, in the cool of the early morning, (about 0500) or even better, apply the final ply saturation coat then and wait till that coat is only just touch dry.

By lying the cloth in then, the previous coat is still tacky enough to hold it in place during wet out and this makes things a lot easier.

Also, If you do nothing else, do your self a favour, call in to a specialist paint shop and get one of these.



A carbide bladed pull scraper. Worth their weight in GOLD for quick and easy resin run clean up.

They cost about 15 bucks and worth every cent.

If you can't find them, Duckworks have something very similar.

[john the pom]

Hmm vinegar on my cut and splinterfull fingers...nice try guys (speaking of spells, this boat will be called "Spellbound" since that is how my hands were for the first week of the project) Seriously I will give vinegar a go, though am sure if one reads the MSDS sheets it will probly turn out to be yet another kind of poison.
I think Mick has it in mind that I'm spending a lot of time scraping/sanding etc. Well I'm as surprised as anyone to note that I probly haven't spent more than thirty minutes up to now sanding, ROS or by hand. I know towards the "finish" I will have to do a bit more, but certainly not to the point of it being a pain. Maybe I could be a bit more fussy but my logic is if I put it on there for strength then I don't intend to remove it unless it would either trip me up, or look plain ugly. I have worked particularly hard to avoid runs and sags. I think I have achieved this mostly by using as little resin as possible on any given coat. Only ever leaving it thick where I had leftovers from a batch. This invariably went in the ends and on the edges of bottom centre, and where sides meet bottom. A painter once told me that corners, outside ones especially hold very little paint, so where I had excess resin that's where it went. going to do one fill coat this arvo and put the boat aside to ponder deck, seat, foot brace and bulkheads.

[john the pom]

Getting there slowly.
If I ever get around to putting the car in here it will probably stick to the floor

[Kayak Jack]

Looking forward to seeing your grinning face as you launch this queen of the seas.