Air Pockets in hand laid glass

[SVJOCO]

Ran in to a problem yesterday where 2 layers of 1708, wetted out to perfection (lol), slowly develop air pockets after I put the bubble buster down and walked away. Hours later it looks similar to a mild case of blisters as you would see on a hull.

This glass is being laid on a polyester deck, to help stabilize the extensively crazed glass (which had matching crazed gel coat, and teak on top of it that I removed).

This problem hasn’t happened to us previously. We’re thinking either some resin is soaking down in to the existing polyester, exchanging with air, or somehow this is related to the high heat here in St. Martin. We are laying the glass in the AM when the deck is not yet hot.

[Tsuru]

Many years ago when the surfboard industry started to glass epoxy sailboards we found that when we glassed over light foam core in the morning the blanks would off gas causing bubbles or pin holes through the laminate. When we glassed in the afternoon when the temperature was cooling the problem went away. You may be experiencing the same problem. Try glassing in the afternoon allowing the epoxy to set up when the temperature is cooling.
Good luck.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Tsuru

Many years ago when the surfboard industry started to glass epoxy sailboards we found that when we glassed over light foam core in the morning the blanks would off gas causing bubbles or pin holes through the laminate. When we glassed in the afternoon when the temperature was cooling the problem went away. You may be experiencing the same problem. Try glassing in the afternoon allowing the epoxy to set up when the temperature is cooling.
Good luck.

^^ This. You will find the same advice in epoxy manuals. And I found it out the hard way too.


Not working in the sun also helps ... if possible.

[SVJOCO]

Ugh. Lol.

Thanks guys.

[goeasy123]

Check out a recent Ran Sailing utube vid. He knows all about it and how to stop it.

[TeddyDiver]

Like Tsuru said, always laminate on stable or decreasing temperature. That aside grind the bubles open and fill the cavities with 1708 mixed with milled gf or any strong filler compound.