Grinding fibreglass

[Weyalan]

Is not a lot of fun. That is all.

[Sunspot Baby]

When you're right, you're right.

George

[hellosailor]

There's a certain aesthetic satisfaction to woodworking, even to the smells of it and the textures. Then there's the marvel and awe of working with molten metal and watching it go through colors and become another piece. Even if the smells range from mudane to repugnant.

But when the medium is fiberglass...I can't think of any part of working with it that produces ANY satisfaction short of the finished product, which doesn't emerge until a lot of work has been done.

You think maybe they could scent the resins?<G>

[SkiprJohn]

Weyalan,
I thought this was going to be a thread that just absolutely praised the grinding of fiberglass and here I find out that you have come to the same conclusion that I have.
It just is very much not any fun!!! Even if it is epoxy it still smells and makes you itch.
JohnL

[sluissa]

maybe I got away from that job at the boatyard just in time!

Never had to do any glasswork, though I did lay on some epoxy which had it's own problems.

While I can't compare it to glass grinding, I really can't imagine anything worse than bottom sanding, that anti-fouling absolutely makes me sick, put me in bed for nearly a day afterwards and was the main reason I quit the job.

just a note, this was with a respirator, gloves, safety glasses and full longsleeve coveralls. but there were guys next to me working in nothing but shorts and a respirator

From the other side of the coin... After that final layer of glass was on my cabin top extension over the head on the tri, and those new sections on the hull were built up, and the final glass was ground down to fair, I stepped back, and a little groan of pure pleasure escaped. I admit, not as pleasing as standing back looking at the new planks I had just faired in with the long board on my wood boat, but a close second. I guess after all these years of wood boats, the new has still not worn off of working with fiberglass. Just call me snow man I wonder if I can save the grindings for filler in the epoxy like I do with my sawdust?

[Alan Wheeler]

Yeah actually you can Scott.
Grinding it can be a messy. You certainly need to be well rugged up with overalls and gloves and a damn good respirater.

Sluissa, yea that's very dangerouse stuff and should not ever be sanded dry. It should be wet sanded only. Even then, you need to be well protected. It's nasty nasty stuff. It seems to affect different people in different ways. As you said, some don't seem to have imediate affects from it, but I can gaurranttee you that if they keep that up, they will eventualy have some seriouse health issues. I do have a friend of mine that can't go near Anti-foul. He was a commercial fisherman and had to always get someone else to paint the hull on the boat for him. As soon as he gets near it being painted, he starts coughing up blood.
I haven't had a seriouse issue with the stuff yet, but if I get any dry dust on my skin, especially face, it burns. So I be real careful around it. Infact, this haul out, the yard will be waterblasting the hull down and spraying they new stuff on for me.

[Dunkers]

Talking about anti-fouling does anyone know if there is a paint stripper type product which can be used on fibre glass? I have to take off about four coats from my new boat this winter and don't fancy having to scrape it off without some chemical help. The comments above only reinforce my view that this job isn't going to be a picnic

[hellosailor]

Dunkers, some of the 'Citrus-Solve' type gels work pretty well. Marine grade or hardware store, you paint on a jelly, cover with paper to slow evaporation, and when you peel it off, most or all of the paint comes with it. Most of the time, anyway.

Not cheap but a lot "cleaner" to work with than some other options.

[Talbot]

Dunkers, there are a couple of products that make this job a lot easier. I dont expect they are available acrosss the pond. but they are in UK. The one I know and have used very successfully is http://www.paint-stripper.co.uk/remo...per_marine.htm. You have to get a thick layer of this on - best done with an electric spray gun, then you leave it overnight, and then hit it with a high pressure water wash, and most of it (95%+) is removed. The residue is hardly worth worrying about. If you have a really thick paint layer, it may need a couple of applications to get down to the gelcoat.

If you want to scrape to get a pristine hull, then get a sandvik scraper with a tungsten blade, but be careful, its so sharp you can shave the gelcoat off.

[Alan Wheeler]

The better way maybe to get a pro to wet abrade the stuff away. They use a special medium so as not to damage the gelcoat. It would be just as cheap as the quantity of stripper you would go thrugh, YOU don't have to do they job and YOU don't have to worry about disposing of the toxic mess left behind after you strip the stuff away. No you can not wash it down the drain nor back into the water. It must be collected and disposed off properly.

[Talbot]

except this stuff is neutralised by water. It is not a solvent in the same way as most paint strippers, so is much better to deal with. It is also a lot cheaper than getting someone else in to do the job.

[sluissa]

even if the "solvent" is neutralized I"d guess it's not a good idea to put all that chipped off anti-foul back in the water

on a side note, I apologize for de-railing this thread

[Dunkers]

Thanks for your input guys, its given me a few options to look at
Cheers
David

[rtbates]

I just finished using Aqua Strip to remove the Cetol from Seraph's teak and the painted name on the transom. It's an absolutely amassing product. Water soluable and gel coat will never know it was on it.

http://www.ibacktonature.com/Pages/marine.html

good luck

randy Cape Dory 25D Seraph