> At the point in my stripper project that I want to put a small fillet on
> the joint where the pannels that come togeather.( So I don't have to glass
> into corner. I have plenty of colodial sisica for thickening but would
> like to get the mix to a tan/brown color. I could use sawust but it
> historicly speaking, it won't come out as smooth. Any suggestions would be
> appreciated.

> Dave

Why not make a wood fillet? I guess many people would call this a chine. Rip one of your 1/4 inch strips into a long, and very thin piece with a triangular cross-section. The sides would be 1/4 inch and 1/4 inch, with the hypotenuse being wider. I'll let you and Pythagoras figure out that measurment. Work on a 4 foot (or longer) strip. Use a plane to reshape the right angle to what ever angle you need to match the panel joint. Do this carefully and slowly, as a slip when working with such small stock could result in a cut finger. With epoxy, glue the fillet/chine in place, using weights, duct tape, staples, or what-have-you to hold it in place until the epoxy sets. If you work with short strips you can just butt them up against one another untile you have covered the full length of the boat.

Once this is installed, use coarse sandpaper wrapped around the rounded edge of a wood block to create a smooth concave surface on the hypotenuse of the strip. once youhave roughed out the shape, switch to a finer sandpaper to blend the edge of the wood smooth with the panels. Then coat with epoxy to seal the wood.

If your design calls for fiberglass to bridge this joint for the purpose of necessary strength, then do the fiberglass. A wood strip, or sawdust-filled fillet is a poor substitute when it comes to strength.

Hope this idea is of some use.

Paul Jacobson