JEM Watercraft

Tweedie

I apply the epoxy and hold off for a little while then go back and check on it. If it is running or trying to then I take a foam brush (one of the throw away) and dry brush the surface smoothing out the runs in the epoxy.

Then when it cures lightly sand the surface and put on the next coat, I like to use rollers made for epoxy, then repeat the process as far as catching and getting rid of the runs, if there are any.

When this process is finished and you are happy with the project ...... Sand the surface, lightly to get rid of any bumps you missed and then varnish it, sanding (lightly) between coats.

The best varnish I have found is the Captains Spar Varnish and not the Min Wax stuff .... That will peel on you when wet. I used it on the inside of one boat and I am in the process of sanding all of it off so I can put the good varnish on there. Tried to save a buck and am spending more in sweat and time while sanding and then using the good varnish.

Chuck.

Anonymous wrote:Tweedie

I apply the epoxy and hold off for a little while then go back and check on it. If it is running or trying to then I take a foam brush (one of the throw away) and dry brush the surface smoothing out the runs in the epoxy.

Then when it cures lightly sand the surface and put on the next coat, I like to use rollers made for epoxy, then repeat the process as far as catching and getting rid of the runs, if there are any.

When this process is finished and you are happy with the project ...... Sand the surface, lightly to get rid of any bumps you missed and then varnish it, sanding (lightly) between coats.

The best varnish I have found is the Captains Spar Varnish and not the Min Wax stuff .... That will peel on you when wet. I used it on the inside of one boat and I am in the process of sanding all of it off so I can put the good varnish on there. Tried to save a buck and am spending more in sweat and time while sanding and then using the good varnish.

Chuck.

Matt your web site hates me , has me as a guest.......

Tweedie wrote:Once I get the sanding and final epoxy out of the way what type or method should I use to paint my boat? Or what type of UV protection do I need if I want to have the wood look?

Tweedie, are you going to paint the hull or leave it bright (natural)...That would help us in helping you....I'm sure we can help you in either area

Two schools of thought here.

1. Keep it as smooth as possible as you go

2. Forget it, just keep piling the epoxy on over runs, curtains and all. Then sand it all smooth when you get 3-4 coats applied.

Being a painter with 30+ years experience I subscribe to #1. But I have seen good results with #2 also. With #2 you have to be careful not to sand through the weave of the glass, and that often happens next to a run.

I stay with the epoxy until it starts to kick off. Tipping it off with a foam brush (epoxy certified!) Have good lighting and sight down the hull from all angles. You will know when to quit, the brush will start to squeek as you drag it along.

Still you will have a few runs show up, almost guaranteed.

For those I take my cabinet scraper and work the run out while it is still green, before applying the next coat of epoxy. If you don't have a cabinet scraper a single edge razor blade works pretty good as a scraper. Just be careful.

BTW sucessive coats of resin should be applied before the previous has fully cured. This insures the strongest chemical bond between coats. If you wait until the coat can be sanded you are not getting a chemical bond, only a mechanical bond, and for a mechanical I use 80 grit.

Tweedie,

Sounds like you do something that I do: "If a little epoxy is good, more oughta be better. WRONG!

When epoxifying, ya gotta wipe off more than you just applied. The remainder that sticks isn't as likely to run and become epoxy barnacles and epoxy wrinkles like all of my boats have.

Also, if you are using 1/8" plywood, large sheets of fiberglass cloth inside and out will make it a rugged hull. I prefer using 1/8" and glass inside and out. My hulls thrive on abuse.

Tweedie, are you going to paint the hull or leave it bright (natural)...That would help us in helping you....I'm sure we can help you in either area

BOTH, I think, Maybe, I'm not sure.....

I skimped on my plywood and got some real cheap stuff and the inner layers of wood are darker than the outer layers. So the outside of my fillets are somewhat rainbow looking. . This tends to accentuate my mistakes.... I mean accentuate my boats uniqueness. So I am thinking about painting the outside but I like the natural look so I may leave the gunwals natural or maybe parts of the inside or something like that.[/quote]

Thank you for the help.

I epoxied the hull of my Canoe again last night. I put on a really thin coat and went back after about 45 minutes and wiped along the Chines (where my runs seemed to be coming from). I woke up this mornig to no runs!!!! AND I didn't even need to to eat more Bran , but thanks for the advice Matt. I still have a lot of sanding to get rid of the mistakes I previously made, but at least the last coat of epoxy will be a good one.

I am finishing off my gunwales this weekend and just now thought of asking about how strong my design will end up. I am putting one 1/4" thick rubrail on the outside of the 1/8" hull walls. Then on the inside I am putting 1/4"thick X 1.5" tall strip the length of the boat followed with 1/2" thick X 6" long spacers with 6" gaps between each peice. Then one 1/4" thick X 1.5" tall strip on top of the spacers. This gives me the .75"X1.5" dimensions that are mentioned in the instruction for the gunwales, but with the spacers inbetween for some places to tie to.

Will this be strong enough?

Will the 1/4" peices on the very inside of the boat be strong enough to tie ropes to an pull on? Should I add more wood to the very inside of the gunwales?

you should be pretty much bullet proof!

Long as you're not suspending the hull by the gunnels, I think you'll be strong enough.