Everything Fiberglass Thread

[RivennHewn]

Puget,

We ran from the keystone Launch down to Hazel point.

About an hour on the way down, but a bit of headwind and waves slowed down the return trip.

 

[RivennHewn]

Got another opportunity to get some work in on the skiff today.

All the biaxial is laid up. Now to add the chop strand at the edges and smaller contours.

I’ll have to grind some rough areas out first, and a few air bubbles

 

[RivennHewn]

Vacuumed out the boat and wiped it all down with acetone a couple times, the started to locate and mark all the air bubbles and rough areas that need more attention.

One more round of minor repairs, then on to finishing!

Last pic was last night. A high, slack tide and a beautiful sunset!

Nice night to go for a row in the Gheenoe

 

[theoldwizard1]

Outdoor project. I need some 4'x8' panels that have to be waterproof, durable, good shear strength, light weight and reasonable cost. I keep coming back to fiberglass over plywood.

I can find 1/8" plywood (actually about 3mm) but it is for "interior use" (meaning the glue is not water resistant). I would likely apply one coat of epoxy, wait for it to "tacky", apply a second coat and then glass. Repeat on the opposite side.

How many layers of what type of fiberglass would I need to get a good "waterproof", durable panel on 1/8" plywood ?

 

[ez-duzit]

...it is for "interior use" ...

You are not going to magically turn interior plywood into exterior plywood.

Keep looking for realistic alternatives, like precast fiberglass sheet.

 

[RivennHewn]

Wizard,
Would need more info on your project to give a good answer.

 

[RivennHewn]

Felt like I needed a day off, so i skipped out on work and started chasing the air bubbles/voids.

The Fein multi master with 60 grit and the carbide grout tool removes the material gast without kicking up too much dust!

The biaxial material has its advantages, but it has its limitations too.

Most of the bubbles are where I tried to conform it to tight radius contours.

 

[Firebrick43]

Outdoor project. I need some 4'x8' panels that have to be waterproof, durable, good shear strength, light weight and reasonable cost. I keep coming back to fiberglass over plywood.

I can find 1/8" plywood (actually about 3mm) but it is for "interior use" (meaning the glue is not water resistant). I would likely apply one coat of epoxy, wait for it to "tacky", apply a second coat and then glass. Repeat on the opposite side.

How many layers of what type of fiberglass would I need to get a good "waterproof", durable panel on 1/8" plywood ?

You don’t need to wait for it to be tacky. Just brush it on, lay the cloth and squeegee it down. And repeat. 2 layers of 4 - 6 oz cloth should be adequate, 3 layer pretty bullet proof. Might have to fill the weave with another coat after the first dries. If it’s not in the water, paint with a marine paint like awlgrip or petit and you add enough glass/epoxy you will probably be ok for an exterior project. I made a camper shell for my 01 Dakota out of 1/4 ply and epoxy and it was holding well up when I got rid of the truck 13 years later.

However marine ply is available in Charlotte at Johnson workbench and Detroit at peoples lumber and would be the best choice.

 

[RivennHewn]

Finished laying up the chop on the contours.

Tomorrow I’ll sand off any rough spots and the seat patches, then start playing with some gel coat!

 

[Henricogolfer]

Love following along, nice work.


Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[RivennHewn]

Love following along, nice work.


Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

Thanks,

Summer seems to be slipping by, and it hasn’t gotten wet yet

 

[RivennHewn]

Another tiny step forward.

Laid up a couple layers of material on the transom that I Opened up months back.

I’ll be adding a few layers of chop, overlapping the existing material, to tie it all together.

 

[Jorg50]

There are nice projects here but I would like to learn the mixture proportions for the epoxy and resin, something that shouldn't be done is mixing large quantities because the will not be enough time to work with also the amount of heat that it will generate.

 

[RivennHewn]

Jorg,

Mixing the epoxy is easy. The pumps are measured, you just mix 5 pumps resin and 1 pump hardener.

 

[ez-duzit]

...you just mix 5 pumps resin and 1 pump hardener.

Negative. The pumps automatically dispense a 5 to 1 ratio. It is 1 pump hardener to 1 pump resin.

 

[RivennHewn]

Negative. The pumps automatically dispense a 5 to 1 ratio. It is 1 pump hardener to 1 pump resin.

You’re correct. I misspoke.

I only used the penetrating epoxy on the wooden parts, and that was a good while ago

 

[RivennHewn]

Kinda hit something of a milestone today.

Laid up the last of the glass, a 3rd layer of the 1708 On the transom and blended in the edges with some chop.

One last round of sanding/detailing and it’ll be time to turn it all white!

 

[RivennHewn]

Washed it with hull cleaner, wiped it down with acetone, and turned it white.

 

[RivennHewn]

Everything is going to be all white.


Wet sanding in the rain kinda *****.

The curing agent added into the gel coat forms a thin wax layer that blocks the air, allowing it to cure fully.

It has to be removed prior to another layer of the gel coat.

 

[nsula_country]

Thanks,

Summer seems to be slipping by, and it hasn’t gotten wet yet

Very nice shop/basement space Rivenn.

Glass work coming along. Looks like you have settled in at the new place.

CT

 

[RivennHewn]

Very nice shop/basement space Rivenn.

Glass work coming along. Looks like you have settled in at the new place.

CT

Thank you.

Making progress on setting up the shop, and the boat.
I’m taking next week off work, hoping to put a big dent in the to-do list.

1st up is sewing the leathers on my oars!

 

[RivennHewn]

A nice task for a late afternoon when you don’t want to annoy the neighbors.

 

[RivennHewn]

Is it even Saturday night if you’re not melting bees wax and pine pitch to seal your oar leathers?

At midnight

 

[RivennHewn]

Almost all one color.

 

[RivennHewn]

One last round of spot glazing putty prior to the last layer of gel coat. Hopefully.

Time to turn attention to the outside.

 

[Skiff Builder]

Outdoor project. I need some 4'x8' panels that have to be waterproof, durable, good shear strength, light weight and reasonable cost. I keep coming back to fiberglass over plywood.

I can find 1/8" plywood (actually about 3mm) but it is for "interior use" (meaning the glue is not water resistant). I would likely apply one coat of epoxy, wait for it to "tacky", apply a second coat and then glass. Repeat on the opposite side.

How many layers of what type of fiberglass would I need to get a good "waterproof", durable panel on 1/8" plywood ?

https://www.clcboats.com/modules/catalog/product.php?category_qn=boat-building-supplies-epoxy-fiberglass-plywood&subcat_qn=marine-plywood-cedar-strips&code=okoume-marine-plywood

Another way to glass that ply is to cut glass, roll it up dry on a stick. Lay down a heavy coat epoxy ( don't fuss with it), roll out cloth into wet epoxy, roll or squeegee it down. another fill coat or two when tacked up.
6 oz woven glass

 

[RivennHewn]

Another hard lesson learned today.

Went into a large, nation wide, marine supply store and asked for a roller for gel coat that wouldn’t fall apart.

The last cheap roller I used left lent in my finish.

Instead of doing my own research, I trusted the trusted professional, and bought what he gave me.

The phenolic core did not fall apart, but the foam sure did. Made a mess out of my finish coat, and cost me a quart of gel coat. Lesson learned.

The bright side is, my oar leathers with rubber stops came out awesome.

 

[Skiff Builder]

Have had good results with 1/4" mohair/phenolic covers.

https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/products/roller-cover-mohair-phenolic-core-f-fiberglass-43391.html

 

[RivennHewn]

Have had good results with 1/4" mohair/phenolic covers.

https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/products/roller-cover-mohair-phenolic-core-f-fiberglass-43391.html

Thanks for the link.

It was a pretty frustrating afternoon.

 

[RivennHewn]

Thinking about spraying the floor and seats with “webbing”.
The spray on splatter texture.

Anybody ever try this?

 

[Monza Harry]

I was told that was applied by just "flicking your paint brush lightly loaded with paint. Personally I prefer the sand in the paint for traction. You might have some luck with a undercoating or texture paint gun. Harry

 

[ez-duzit]

"Webbing" is particularly effective on areas that are roughly prepped or otherwise not a smooth, fair surface, where the weave shows through on woven roving, for example.

For areas where you will step and want a nonskid surface, Griptex should be applied.

 

[RivennHewn]

The exterior of the boat is nice and smooth, but the interior is 1960’s level craftsmanship. Nothing like the nice smooth glass we have today.

I love the texture. Reminds me of boats I grew up on.

I think the webbing will add to the texture, and provide some wear resistance.

I’m thinking just the floors and seats. I could try the brush flick thing, but want to control it. I’m thinking a sprayer will do better

 

[Edward_Anderson]

For the "webbing" you purchase "Webbing Solution" mix 40-60% with gelcoat, thin to taste with styrene. I also like to mix surfacing agent with it for extra insurance. Catalyze it the same 1.5% like the regular gelcoat mix and then spray from your favorite spray gun.

I always shoot a scrap to get the mixture just right.

 

[RivennHewn]

With the inside complete, less the spray texture/webbing,

I figured it was time to flip it over and start the bottom paint

 

[RivennHewn]

At least I’m in the shade!

 

[RivennHewn]

Blocking is the fun part, right?

 

[RivennHewn]

I feel like I’m running out of sunny, 80 degree days.

Better get a coat of Paint on this thing!

A final wet sand and a bit of detailing , and I’m ready for the epoxy primer.

 

[RivennHewn]

Another step in the right direction.

1coat of 2 part epoxy primer.

 

[RivennHewn]

Or so I thought.

Not sure if I didn’t mix the epoxy right for the temperature/ direct sunlight, or what.

It didn’t lay down. Lots of stipple and roller marks.

Back to blocking the whole thing down again

Good thing I don’t have a deadline for this project!