Hi Julie, Where in Montana?

I've tried gluing epoxy over "contaminated" wood and it didn't work. This was wood that was contaminated with epoxy that was mis-mixed (too much hardener, too little resin, IIRC) and the subsequent coat of epoxy didn't bond worth a darn. I wiped down the old surface with acetone twice and lightly scuffed it with some 80-grit sandpaper.

If this is the only "damage" done to these panels, you could possibly orient them so they are on the outside of the boat. I would reason that the contamination is best on the outside, since the tape on the inside really needs to get a good "grip" on the wood, whereas the full-coverage glass on the outside can span from one "clean" panel, over the contaminated panel, and onto the next clean panel where it has a good bond.

Other than that, I'd agree with Ross's advice; try wiping and re-wiping with fresh rags & acetone.

Good luck! Shawn

> Having just completed a Pygmy Artic Tern for myself ('launched' from the
> basement to the garage on Saturday a.m.-- I had 26 people at my 'launch
> party') I'm now starting on a Pygmy Coho on behalf of my 82 year old
> stepfather for his daughter. To make a long story short, he had 'started'
> building it....and this was the project that made it clear to my mother
> that he's in the early stages of Alzheimers... because he 'started' by
> brushing System 3 epoxy resin onto some of the bare wood hull panels
> without mixing it with hardener first in any way shape or form..... so....
> my first task it to get the resin off!! There's no more than an ounce or
> two, all together, (my mother intercepted him in the process, otherwise it
> would have been worse. He was doing this in the living room, so she could
> sort of keep an eye on him. That's when she helped him decide this project
> was beyond him & shipped it to me.)

> He did this in October, so the kit has been sitting with the resin on the
> panels since then (I knew he'd done this, but didn't want to think about
> dealing with it until I got *my* boat done).

> Suggestions? Do I need to get absolutely every trace off? Any way to do
> this apart from sanding, sanding, sanding? I started sanding one, &
> was making progress, then decided to check the rest of the panels to see
> how wild he'd gotten... there were more than just the one I was working
> on. Should I suggest to my mother that she should spring for an electric
> sander? I'm more concerned about subsequent bonding of epoxy to the
> contaminated surface than I am to the cosmetics. Of course, I want the
> boat to look nice, but then again.... it's not *my* boat, so it won't
> bother me if it has some character stains.... when I deliver it, I'll tell
> her they're her dad's fault.

> Thanks for your input. Julie in Montana