60 ft on the Chesapeake - It Begins !

[shorebird]

I was looking at the pics and thinking the same thing. Minaret is right, you need more protection. A balaclava type face protector and a 5 dollar paper suit. (make sure to remove it when you go to the bank...)

[DSDman]

What? real men don't wear paper suits, We just suffer....and itch.

[minaret]

This is how I spend most of my waking hours dressed. I've spent more time in a Tyvek and fullface in the last twenty years than out, I bet. I do the extra long Gerson non linting spray sock underneath, with knee high rubber Xtra Tuff boots. I tape my wrist cuffs to rubber gloves and my ankle cuffs to my rubber boots. I wear a Tyvek that's several sizes too large so it doesn't rip. I put on a layer of professional barrier cream every morning to prevent itch. Wear only 100% cotton clothes, synthetics collect glass dust and it will not wash out. Just some pointers from a guy who lives in the land of itch full time...

[shorebird]

Minaret, you forgot to tell us what day you launch, and how many days you will be spending at the space station...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DSDman

How does this longboarding thing work? I think I'm going to have to do that to get my decks flat as well. Do you think I should gel coat over the fiberglass I put down our just paint it? Uv protection? Any suggestions for a home made long board? Sometimes I really wish I knew what hell I was doing! Man I got parts that itch that I forgot I had ; )

You have much to learn. I will attempt to show you. This is what we call a "misery board" in the industry. These are nice commercially available standard sized hook and loop, 4 1/2" x 30" one man boards. I have run up to a six man board fairing very large hulls, but that is beyond your needs. You will understand the name the first time you use one overhead for a few hours. You need one rigid and one flexi.


3M Marine Hookit Fairing Longboards 4-1/2 inches wide x 30 inches long

[minaret]

A standard long board. You will do most of your fairing with one of these. I prefer stikit to hook and loop.


3M Hookit Hand File Board

[minaret]

A standard long board in flexi. Flexi is for fairing compound surfaces. You need both flexi and rigid to fair well.


3M Hookit Hand File Board

[minaret]

An air file. There are cheaper models. This is an air powered long board. If you have a compressor that can push it you want one of these.



Hutchins 2000 Hustler Straightline Reciprocal Action Sander

[minaret]

For fairing a deck a "mud hog" is awesome. It's only good for fairly flat surfaces like a deck, not too much compound shape, because of the rigid disk back. This is also what makes it fair well on flats. It does random orbit. Awesome fairing tool.


Dynabrade 8" Gear-Driven "Mud Hog" Sander - 10763

[minaret]

I'll refrain from posting further fairing arsenal, to prevent you from getting too much tool shock. Wish I could help you out with it...


Suffice it to say, you also need at least a short board, a hard block, a rubber block, and a foamy.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by shorebird

Minaret, you forgot to tell us what day you launch, and how many days you will be spending at the space station...

LOL, you should see me in a forced air setup. This is the lightweight rig, bare minimum.

[DSDman]

Wow, thats lots of tools no wonder it took me so long to do the back deck. I just thought it was normal to spend forever trying to get it level and flat.

[minaret]

You can bang it out quick and get great results with the right gear. You can make do with just a few of the basics, but on a big job good tools pay for themselves in time saved and quality results.

What's your plan for glassing up the decks? Core/no core? Considered a laminate schedule? Poly or epoxy? Gelcoat or paint?

[DSDman]

it's already got a core, foam, and I was just going to lay about 1/4 inch of glass back over what I ground off. Poly resin, I had put a layer of gel coat on the back and then painted because that seemed right. after doing it though, I was wondering why even gel coat if I'm going to paint non skid on it anyway. does the gelcoat add anything?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by DSDman

it's already got a core, foam, and I was just going to lay about 1/4 inch of glass back over what I ground off. Poly resin, I had put a layer of gel coat on the back and then painted because that seemed right. after doing it though, I was wondering why even gel coat if I'm going to paint non skid on it anyway. does the gelcoat add anything?

Definitely. I use it with poly lay ups all the time, like a hi-build primer. Do the layup, grind for prep, then immediately roll on 3-4 coats of gel with surface seal in the last coat only. Let it cure and start sanding fair. As soon as you board it out a bit any lows will be obvious and can be filled and faired. This way you use a lot less bondo and get a better product. And it just saves time on a big surface over troweling on filler. And gel sands out pinhole free, ready to prime and paint or shoot a color coat of gel.