And So it Begins . . . Knottybuoyz' New Project

[Terra Nova]

And also switch to extra slow hardener in hot weather.

[knottybuoyz]

Can't get extra-slow hardener for this particular epoxy. I've tried chilling it in the Sticky Stuff dispenser and that works when it's really hot.

Gotta keep in mind I'm working alone on some big pieces. I can't see wetting out the glass for the side or bottom panels then moving them into the boat to lay out. A fully wetted out fabric 33' long by 4' wide would probably weigh 100 lbs or more!

I am going to give it a try on the remainder of the taping. I've got a 2x12 that I'll cover in plastic and wet out the tape on that before laying it over the joint.

Sanding today. Taping tomorrow.

Standby....

[knottybuoyz]

Oh no! I think I pulled a beer muscle! Web log updated: http://she-kon.blogspot.ca/2015/06/thin ... uscle.html

Taping the hull bottom to the sides of the box keel. Three hrs of sanding and two hrs of taping, peel plying & squeegeeing! TaDa!



Some of the best tape joinery I've done so far methinks! Didn't pay any attention to the time though. Started at 10 AM and crawled in the house at 15:30. Skipped lunch. Blood sugar must have dropped quiet a bit, got sorta wobbly.

[Warby12]

Nice work mate Get this done and you can get onto the fun stuff ?

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by Warby12

Nice work mate Get this done and you can get onto the fun stuff ?

Thanks Warby! You mean fun stuff like sanding dust?

We're makin' some dust now lemme tell ya!

A new WMD added to the arsenal of sanders!



Web log updated: M/V She:Kon: Dusty Fella

Standby....

[Warby12]

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

Thanks Warby! You mean fun stuff like sanding dust?

We're makin' some dust now lemme tell ya!

A new WMD added to the arsenal of sanders!



Web log updated: M/V She:Kon: Dusty Fella



Standby....

Yeah well sorry I guess you're right but what about all that exciting framing and cabin etc. then it'll look like a boat!!

(Might be a bit more sanding involved of course )

[Terra Nova]

You guys have all the fun.

[knottybuoyz]

Ok, playtime is over. Took the weekend off to go to Montreal and see a Rush concert. It had been 28 yrs since I last saw them live. Knock that one off the bucket list. Now it's back to work!

Made some dust and a little progress.



Not having much fun working in the box keel. Toughing it out though. Made myself a little long handled block sander to reach down into the deep spots. Works pretty well. At least I don't have to stand on my head!



Few more pics on the web log: http://she-kon.blogspot.ca/2015/06/play ... -over.html

Cheers

[Zach]

If you get a 2 foot drill extension, 3M makes little 2-3 inch diameter flapper wheels that you can chuck up... as well as wire wheels. If you make a wood block that slip fits over the drill shaft you can use it as a handle... I keep a few right angle drills with bad bearings/chucks just for such torture work. Pick a flapper wheel or wire wheel that has about the same radius as the fillet you want to end up with. If you sand down the area leading into the fillet before you break it out, it'll start smoothly without jumping.

The top foot or so you can get with a thick sawzall blade that has dull teeth, and a piece of sticky back 40 grit inline paper wrapped around it. Also works with a flexible blade for sanding things up under other things things that would otherwise require a piece of paper on a paint stirrer...

There is also a company on ebay called Tvactools that sells adapters to put 3M twist-loc's onto your mini grinder. 3" Roll Lock Holders w 4 1 2" Electric Grinder Adapter Rolco Made in USA Mandrel | eBay

I'm assuming you will be glassing the keel sump in, after you are done sanding it out?

Zach

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by Zach

I'm assuming you will be glassing the keel sump in, after you are done sanding it out?

Thanks Zach. I'll have a look see if I can find some flappy wheels. Our local 'Canadian Tire' hardware store has crap to work with.

The box keel will get a layer of 33 oz triax and a layer of 1208 90/90 same as the bottom outside. I don't think I will be able to do it all in one shot though. Just not 'nuff horsepower left in me for that so it'll likely be one side then the next day the other. Mfgr says I have 24 hrs to overcoat without having to sand.

[knottybuoyz]

Hey Zach

I got one of these spikey spinny things and used my die grinder. It worked pretty well getting into the tight spots.



Was able to finish up the sanding in the box keel and started to lay out the fabric for the keel.



Some more pics & ramblings on the blog update: M/V She:Kon: Looky what I found

[Zach]

Those work pretty well. I switched over to stainless wire brushes for picking on pits in fairing putty, though I do break out a full face shield using them.

This is the flapper wheel I am talking about:

3M Flap Wheel Type 83 747D, Shaft Attachment, Ceramic Grain, 1" Diameter, 1" Width, 60 Grit, 30000 rpm (Pack of 10): Abrasive Flap Wheels: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Edit: Don't buy them at that price, but that is a picture of them.

I pick a size that defines the fillet I want to use... Normally in nominal PVC pipe sizes. Then if you take a 2 foot drill extension you can run it down the length of the fillet that needs to be shaped.


http://www.amazon.com/3M-01397-Green...words=3m+Roloc


For the flat stuff, 3M rolocs look like those. I keep a few 50 count boxes of them handy, as they work great for getting inside corners flat when you are sanding/grinding in detail. If the inside corners are as low as they will go and batten fair... Then follow up with an air file down the length. A pad sander or 7 inch grinder can fair out the flat surfaces, like side decks until you are withing putty work range just by smoothing it out down to that 2 inch low that defines the inside corner without kicking back on you or cutting in grinder scars trying to work close to the edge.

P.S. If you can get your hands on some finish cloth before you lay the keel sump... Lay in your heavy cloth and finish it up with finish cloth. If you air roll the hell out of it with no extra resin... Then take an old T-Shirt and mop up the excess resin out of the bottom of the sump... you won't have to grind anything when you get done.

[knottybuoyz]

Web log updated: http://she-kon.blogspot.ca/2015/07/know ... imits.html

Too tired to type anything else.

[knottybuoyz]

Sometimes you think you've done everything right. Pre-wetted the surface. Wetted out the back of the fabric. Squeegeed it once. Peel plied and squeegeed again. Just like the books says to do it and it all goes to sh*t!

Bubbles! Frackin' Bubbles. Damn!



That's the worst part. I screwed up. Details in the web log: M/V She:Kon: Tiny Bubbles

I'm going to go soak my head now!

[minaret]

Very likely thermal expansion of air in the substrate caused by exotherming resin on a warm day. Go to Tropical hardener and heat the substrate to higher than ambient temps before glassing. It can also help to epoxy seal the wood and lam to the sealer by chemical bond after it has thoroughly gelled.


It's gonna suck grinding that out. Air bubbles always happen in the worst possible place. Good luck!