Pumps, Russ, Pumps.... High heels too while yer at it. . . .'n' maybe one o' dem short mini skirt things with the fish net stockings........ Oh. . . . 'cuse me. . . the other kinda pumps. . . I sorry :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
1st Timer Build Log
- Thread starter bluegrasslover
- Start date
Russ,
Yes and no. You can get along without the pumps, but it is much more difficult and a lot messier. Eyeballing it? NO Not only no, HELL NO!
Matt invented a nice way to measure epoxy. Get yourself a box/carton of those clear plastic drink glasses for highballs. About 4 oz, better yet 6 oz. Put two of them together. Put the magic Scotch tape (kind you can write on) on one, and designate it as the "Outside Glass". Using water, add 1/2 oz to the inside glass, and mark it on the outside one. Do the same at 1 oz, 1.5 oz, 2 oz, 2.5 oz, 3 oz, & 4 oz, 5 oz, and 6 oz. (Notice the lower quantities are reflected by doubled amounts further up. This is for a 2:1 ratio mix.
In use, NEVER put epoxy into the outside glass. Renew the inside one every few applications, wiping it out before the next batch is mixed.
Yes and no. You can get along without the pumps, but it is much more difficult and a lot messier. Eyeballing it? NO Not only no, HELL NO!
Matt invented a nice way to measure epoxy. Get yourself a box/carton of those clear plastic drink glasses for highballs. About 4 oz, better yet 6 oz. Put two of them together. Put the magic Scotch tape (kind you can write on) on one, and designate it as the "Outside Glass". Using water, add 1/2 oz to the inside glass, and mark it on the outside one. Do the same at 1 oz, 1.5 oz, 2 oz, 2.5 oz, 3 oz, & 4 oz, 5 oz, and 6 oz. (Notice the lower quantities are reflected by doubled amounts further up. This is for a 2:1 ratio mix.
In use, NEVER put epoxy into the outside glass. Renew the inside one every few applications, wiping it out before the next batch is mixed.
I put on a second coat and it's going to need another one. How many coats does everyone usually put on? Oh and to who ever said to get a carbide scrapper to knock off the high epoxy spots and runs is a genius. It works awesome.
Learned another lesson last night. Not a good idea to run your fingers along the sides where the edge of the fiber glass fabric is. It's a good way to get a piece of epoxied glass stuck in you. Ouch!
Russ,
A chip brush is the wooden brushes with tan bristles that you get for about 88 cents for a 2". They are basically throw away brushes. I'm not exactly sure why they are called chip brushes though. Harbor Freight has big bags of 2 inchers pretty cheap but you can pretty much get them anywhere that sales paint. BTW, get the pumps! :wink:
Learned another lesson last night. Not a good idea to run your fingers along the sides where the edge of the fiber glass fabric is. It's a good way to get a piece of epoxied glass stuck in you. Ouch!
Russ,
A chip brush is the wooden brushes with tan bristles that you get for about 88 cents for a 2". They are basically throw away brushes. I'm not exactly sure why they are called chip brushes though. Harbor Freight has big bags of 2 inchers pretty cheap but you can pretty much get them anywhere that sales paint. BTW, get the pumps! :wink:
It generally takes three to four coats to smooth it all out. . . I don't know about the other guys on here, but when I go to applying my varnish, now, (I know you're not there, yet) I like to use an 800 or 1000 grit sandpaper and wet sand between the coats. . . to me, that seems to bring out a hi-gloss almost mirror like finish, which I love to see on a boat. . .
Russ, I say to get the pumps also. I don't usually use them to measure the epoxy, but they make dispensing it a lot easier. I mostly use a plastic measuring cup like thingy that probably holds about 2 oz. I use two measures of resin and one of hardener. For smaller batches, I do the same with a plastic tablespoon or teaspoon or 1/4 teaspoon measure.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Friend Keith and I been using the same set of pumps for more thsn five years - never messed up a batch
A big help when glassing large areas is to have a couple of folks working, one mixing small batches of resin and one spreading
A big help when glassing large areas is to have a couple of folks working, one mixing small batches of resin and one spreading
One thing I was wondering is how in the world does anyone use fast curing epoxy. I got the slow cure and I apply it as quickly as I can and by the time I get through about 3/4 of the smallest batch I can make with the pumps (2:1 ratio) it's already getting thick enough that it doesn't brush easily. You definitely don't have time to screw around!
I put on the 3rd coat last night. With the second coat I did have to scrap off some runs and bumps and freakin' bugs. After using the scraper I hit it with the sander. The sander exposed areas that I thought were perfect but actually had some high and low areas. I couldn't see this looking at it but definitely could after hitting it with the sander. Do I just leave this alone or try to sand the entire hull until all of the epoxy is completely flat? I'm thinking that since I couldn't tell looking at it that I only need to sand down runs, bumps, etc.
I put on the 3rd coat last night. With the second coat I did have to scrap off some runs and bumps and freakin' bugs. After using the scraper I hit it with the sander. The sander exposed areas that I thought were perfect but actually had some high and low areas. I couldn't see this looking at it but definitely could after hitting it with the sander. Do I just leave this alone or try to sand the entire hull until all of the epoxy is completely flat? I'm thinking that since I couldn't tell looking at it that I only need to sand down runs, bumps, etc.
Greg, I kinda wonder that myself. . . the only thing I can thing of is it has something to do with the temperature. . .Good Lord, the first time I used the stuff I had to pull out a belt sander to eat away the piled gobs of epoxy that had hardened up. That was a nightmare. . . but I think what it is. . . is the warmer it is where you be working hte faster it sets up. . . but I dunno for sure. . . there's others more expert in that than me. . . but you're right. . . I doubt I'd ever be able to use the fast cure....
The ambient temperature has a lot to do with it since the epoxy sets by heat. I have found that the hotter it is in the shop the faster the stuff sets up on me.
The pumps , mine are the 2 to 1 so I marked the hardener pump shaft at the half way point and can do 1/2 of a pump with only 1 of the resin for smaller batches. Then the same as others , for really small batches it is a plastic spoon being used for measurement with the 2 to 1 mix = 2 resin to 1 hardener.
Chuck.
The pumps , mine are the 2 to 1 so I marked the hardener pump shaft at the half way point and can do 1/2 of a pump with only 1 of the resin for smaller batches. Then the same as others , for really small batches it is a plastic spoon being used for measurement with the 2 to 1 mix = 2 resin to 1 hardener.
Chuck.
I guess that means it would have to be awful dang cold in a shop to have to use the fast cure :shock: . . . I think I'll stick with the slow cure. . . I like a little warmth in the shop when I work :wink: .
I put on what I hope to be the last coat of epoxy on the outside tonight. I hope to start on the fillets soon although I'm not really looking forward to it.
You got nuttin' to fret about there. . . Just take your time and do it at a speed you're comfortable with, run your tape, mix your epoxy to the right consistency and apply it and smooth with a plastic spoon. . .you don't have to fillet the entire boat in twenty minutes. . . take your time and take it a little at a time. . . It's not the funnest thing to do when you build but it can still be enjoyable. . .
He sho come out with some purty grain patterns.....without an EKG. [grin]
regards
bearridge
About six months after September 11, I went on a grand tour of the Continent's Muslim ghettos and then flew on to the Middle East. The Muslims I met in Europe were, almost to a man, more alienated and angrier than the ones back in Araby. Mark Steyn
regards
bearridge
About six months after September 11, I went on a grand tour of the Continent's Muslim ghettos and then flew on to the Middle East. The Muslims I met in Europe were, almost to a man, more alienated and angrier than the ones back in Araby. Mark Steyn
rpecot said:
I know what you mean. I was very nervous about it but I think it came out really good. Use small batches and work quickly. It gets really hard to get the fabric wet if the epoxy starts thickening up. I used these spreaders to do the bottom http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=96088 They spread the epoxy out nice and push the fabric down. It was too hard for me to spread the epoxy on the sides using these spreaders so I just used chip brushes.