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Step 7The Wonderful World of Fiberglass.
I should say, the Messy World of Fiberglass. This step has several parts to it and a lot of notes.
First, use duct tape (our favorite tool) to tape the seams on the INSIDE of the boat. This will keep the resin from oozing in through the seams. Gives it a nice flat surface inside too. Don't worry too much about big gaps between the bottom and the sides of the boat. The resin will fill in gaps.
Always use good gloves when working with fiberglass resin. And wear a long sleeved shirt and pants when dealing with the cloth. I used these black, rubberized, gloves I found at Home Depot. They worked great because I could handle the resin directly and I could flake off the dry resin from the gloves between batches. Thin rubber gloves tend to rip apart when smoothing on the resin.
Ok. Hannu's instructions explain to use "Glass Tape". I think that means fiberglass tape. (European style?) After searching the Internet for "glass tape" I figured it didn't mean much but fiberglass. So. I went to Home Depot (Homer's) and bought two 128 oz fiberglass resin kits (has the fiberglass and hardener) and two big packs of fiberglass cloth.
Two 128 oz. kits was too much. But you will need at least 1 of those. Probably more. So either plan to make multiple trips or buy more than you need, keep the reciept and return the unused stuff later.
Also, buy a few of the plastic measuring cups that Homer's sells in the paint department. They have ounces on the side. The resin has a certain, tiny, amount of hardener to mix into the resin. I used one cup only to measure the resin in to. I used 2 or 3 others to pour the measured contents in to then to mix and use. I had several of the mix and use containers because that stuff hardens FAST.
I used a plastic shot glass to measure the liquid hardener in to.
First I pre cut lengths of fiberglass strips. Long ones. About 2 or 3 inches wide. I put them where they would be resin'd into place.
I mixed my resin in 7 oz. batches. More than that and it would harden before I could use the whole batch. My recipe was 7 oz of resin and 98 drops of hardener. (MY_NOTE: use your "hardener measuring cup" aka my plastic shot glass or some other disposable, clear container and put in 98 drops, which is 7 drops per ounce according to the instructions, into that. Then make a mark on that measuring cup so you know where 98 drops comes up to. Then reuse that cup over and over only for hardener.)
Make sense?
So now you have 7 oz. of resin in one cup and 98 pre-measured drops of hardener in a smaller cup. Pour both in to a third cup.
Now. Mix that stuff up. Then, add FLOUR. No kidding. Thicken the resin up with either sawdust (which is what I used in the first boat) or flour. And mix. I found that sawdust was too granular. You can see in this first boat that the seams are brown. The sawdust paste was too chunky and was a pain to smooth out and sand. With the second boat I used flour and it was so much smoother. Use flour.
Order of fiberglassing:
Outside first. After taping the inside of the boat, glob on the resin on the seam on the outside. Lay the fiberglass strip in to the resin, and cover over with more resin. Smooth it out.
Once you have finished all exterior seams, then remove the inside duct tape.
Then glob on resin on all seams inside the boat and lay fiberglass strips in to those and cover those with resin and smooth.
You will notice that the resin hardens pretty quickly.
That was pretty verbose. On to the next step.
First, use duct tape (our favorite tool) to tape the seams on the INSIDE of the boat. This will keep the resin from oozing in through the seams. Gives it a nice flat surface inside too. Don't worry too much about big gaps between the bottom and the sides of the boat. The resin will fill in gaps.
Always use good gloves when working with fiberglass resin. And wear a long sleeved shirt and pants when dealing with the cloth. I used these black, rubberized, gloves I found at Home Depot. They worked great because I could handle the resin directly and I could flake off the dry resin from the gloves between batches. Thin rubber gloves tend to rip apart when smoothing on the resin.
Ok. Hannu's instructions explain to use "Glass Tape". I think that means fiberglass tape. (European style?) After searching the Internet for "glass tape" I figured it didn't mean much but fiberglass. So. I went to Home Depot (Homer's) and bought two 128 oz fiberglass resin kits (has the fiberglass and hardener) and two big packs of fiberglass cloth.
Two 128 oz. kits was too much. But you will need at least 1 of those. Probably more. So either plan to make multiple trips or buy more than you need, keep the reciept and return the unused stuff later.
Also, buy a few of the plastic measuring cups that Homer's sells in the paint department. They have ounces on the side. The resin has a certain, tiny, amount of hardener to mix into the resin. I used one cup only to measure the resin in to. I used 2 or 3 others to pour the measured contents in to then to mix and use. I had several of the mix and use containers because that stuff hardens FAST.
I used a plastic shot glass to measure the liquid hardener in to.
First I pre cut lengths of fiberglass strips. Long ones. About 2 or 3 inches wide. I put them where they would be resin'd into place.
I mixed my resin in 7 oz. batches. More than that and it would harden before I could use the whole batch. My recipe was 7 oz of resin and 98 drops of hardener. (MY_NOTE: use your "hardener measuring cup" aka my plastic shot glass or some other disposable, clear container and put in 98 drops, which is 7 drops per ounce according to the instructions, into that. Then make a mark on that measuring cup so you know where 98 drops comes up to. Then reuse that cup over and over only for hardener.)
Make sense?
So now you have 7 oz. of resin in one cup and 98 pre-measured drops of hardener in a smaller cup. Pour both in to a third cup.
Now. Mix that stuff up. Then, add FLOUR. No kidding. Thicken the resin up with either sawdust (which is what I used in the first boat) or flour. And mix. I found that sawdust was too granular. You can see in this first boat that the seams are brown. The sawdust paste was too chunky and was a pain to smooth out and sand. With the second boat I used flour and it was so much smoother. Use flour.
Order of fiberglassing:
Outside first. After taping the inside of the boat, glob on the resin on the seam on the outside. Lay the fiberglass strip in to the resin, and cover over with more resin. Smooth it out.
Once you have finished all exterior seams, then remove the inside duct tape.
Then glob on resin on all seams inside the boat and lay fiberglass strips in to those and cover those with resin and smooth.
You will notice that the resin hardens pretty quickly.
That was pretty verbose. On to the next step.
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Jan 24, 2009. 10:17 PMstumppuller71
says:
I like the smell of fiberglass....ha....hahaha.....haaaaaa...dizzy.......im high.......hahahahaaaaaaaa. Use a ventilated room or be outside when using that stuff or burn some brain cells....hmmmmm
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1
May 30, 2009. 12:20 PMthepelton
says:
Eight miles high...
Reply
Mar 18, 2007. 1:11 PMIceeofMN
says:
Fiberglass tape can be found from many suppliers (I got mine from Midwest Composites - I also used epoxy rather than fiberglass becuase it is much stronger, slower setting, easier to work with, and does not smell nearly as bad. You can also get better fillers that will not absorb water like wood or flour will. I would also advise against talc for the same reason. Both Cabosil and Silbrico are good fillers for boats.
Reply
Jul 24, 2006. 3:47 PMjddlwlr
says:
What department is the fibreglass resin kit found in?thanks
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