Well - in the list of things that you can do wrong in fiberglassing, I managed to do most of them.
- I didn't do adequate surface preparation. It seems that if you leave lumps of glue or unfilled screw holes and knots that bubbles will form around them.
- I mixed too large of a batch - resin that is in the process of hardening doesn't spread well.
- I worked on too large of an area - having random sections of resin all rapidly curing at the same time causes lots of stress.
- I picked the hottest part of one of the hottest days we had to do the work - in direct sun with a nice breeze blowing. Woo hoo - watch that resin set up on that flapping cloth!
- I used a very tightly woven light cloth - it seems that air bubbles (see the first point) like to stay under the cloth if it can't get through.
- I didn't pre-fit the cloth well. It seems that when you go around corners that you need to cut the cloth properly - not hack at it with a utility knife hopeing to get it laying flat before the resin cures.
The "good news" is that I was fiberglassing the cabin sole - which I believe many people don't bother doing anyway - and isn't visible to people outside the boat. I've cut out the bubbles, used a surform (love that tool) to smooth things out somewhat. A bit of sanding, some patches of cloth and some filler and I should be good to go. Since this happened a week ago - I've even managed to remove most of the resin from my hair and skin from where it landed during some of the more frantic moments.
http://www.ziplo.com/TinyBubbles.wav
So will you be playing that at your launch? Or perhaps painting on your transom. Maybe you should just splash some on the bow and raise a glass of bubbly, just try to keep the bubbly out of the glass till then.
Good luck with it in the future and try to mix less at a time. After you mix it you can put it in a tray where it can spread out and it will dry slower for you than if left in a cup
Keith
I concur (anybody can cur, Brit)....
Spreading the epoxy into the largest, flattest area possible is key to slowing down the curing process. I use those disposable plastic "Ziploc" or "Glad" containers (or their generic equivalent), in the 13" X 9" variety. Switched to those shortly after the "smoking cup" issue. The small cup I was touching-up from literally went off in my hand, and went from kinda warm to smoltering in seconds. Before I got it to the trash, it melted the bottom out of the cup.
hock:
And remember, bubbles will always form in the most inconvenient places.
I consider fibreglassing a team sport. I pursuaded a friend to mix batches for me, as I applied them to the hull. I had bubble troubles too. Another friend that has built some kayaks said he heats the shop up real hot, applied the epoxy then, turned the heat down. Apparently as the wood cools, the epoxy is drawn into it, and the bubbles don't form. I should have had that info before I did my hull. Alas we live and learn.
Greg Miller Next time try to get a lazy friend to help, sometimes the bobbles are beat in by sturing to hard and fast and the stuff will kick of before they will rise out. Bud.
Ahoy Andrewâ
You'll get the swing of what to do and how to do it. In fact, you're already on your way with the learning curve. Some of us are faster learners than others.
I happen to be in the slower learner category when it comes to epoxy. Eventually, though, all of us learn the properties of the chemical and what you can do and what you can't.
Keep at it, Andrewâ and keep asking questions. My suggestion would beâ keep you applications thin, and gradually build up. Otherwise, on a vertical surface, the epoxy will run. As soon as you turn your back, it will run. At the worst place, the most difficult area, it will run. When you are the most fatigued, and the day has been long and hot, it will run.
Andrew, as always, I am watching your build closely and taking notes. I am dreading the fibreglassing as I have never done it before. I think, after reading your post, I may fibreglass a couple of old chunks of wood to get my system sorted out, before I tackle the boat.
I feel your pain, when it comes to peeling gobs of misdirected epoxy off of my arms and legs. I was afraid to go to bed the other night for fear that I would awaken glued to the sheets.
Cheers,
Steven Goodman
My wife actually does my "boat clothes" separately from everything else. I'm glad though that I can act as an object lesson on what not to do - :twisted:
One of the reasons I posted this story as well was because I pretty much only see people's success stories here. Looking at some of the beautiful work that others have done and are - with good reason - justly proud of it, a look into the "dark side" that probably sends many of us straight into the moaning chair might provide some contrast.
Interestingly, no one has chimed in with a "I did that too" and a search of the internet doesn't show many examples of what to do in this situation - just an admonishment to not do it - :oops:
I think, other than my lack of patience, that one big lesson I've learned here is to not use cloth with too tight of a weave. I've previously fiberglassed my bulkheads with this cloth - on a cooler day and with better prep - and still spent a lot of time fighting trapped air bubbles. On the heaver, less tightly woven cloth that I used elsewhere, bubbles weren't an issue at all. Unfortunately, I still have to use this cloth on the deck - I just need to learn from my mistakes and be a lot more careful.
I doubt anyone has made as many errors on the building of a weekender as me.
BUT, this sucker is going to float by the time I'm through. I figure, I'm still young (enough), so my next boat can be a piano.
Maybe I'll start posting some of my errors to help others that are earlier than me in the build. Most of mine have to do with my "weekend project" problem. I take on every project as if it has to be finished by Sunday night.
Patience is not one of my strong suits.
Now, the real reason I am replying is that I need to know what kind of cloth should be used on the hull of a weekender. The plans just refer to 6 oz cloth. My local supplier has a large variety and I don't know which one to choose.
Help and thanks,
Steven Goodman.
I found the 6oz cloth I was able to get pretty good to work with. The 3oz cloth was the stuff with the very fine weave. One of the reasons I allowed myself to be talked into it was the thought that it would take less resin to fill the weave of the 3oz cloth but I'm not sure if that has been the case.
I'm using the 3oz on the bulkheads, sole, and deck. I know that many of those places don't call for fiberglass, but I want to prevent the plywood from checking and allowing the water that's sure to sit into the boat to create rot.
The 6oz cloth I'm using to fiberglass my plywood keel (a completely different argument) and the hull bottom because I want the strength there.