Hey Spidy...

I don't sand the hull or deck with any grit greater than 80. I sand it first with 80.... fair it with a fairing board again using 80. Then i fill the gaps and sand them out... then wet it to raise the grain and look for the places i missed sanding out the gaps and do a final light sanding to get rid of the fuzzies again with 80 grit.

I like to leave a (realatively) rough surface so the epoxy can soak in easier. (At least it makes me feel better thinking that it does.) and I never get the fuzz you speak of. I use high quality disks... they last a lot longer.

After the glass goes on it looks as nice and smooth as back when i used to take it down with 120 grit on the final sanding. I don't notice any difference at all. Of course with a magnifying glass you might but I like to stand back to admire the boat... It is the grit you use sanding the epoxy at the end that gives you that nice glass look.

Hope this helps..... ~Edgar

> Hi All;

> As a newbie to glass & epoxy on wood, I have read all manner of
> recommendations as to what condition to leave the wood before it's first
> glassing. And fortunately, all designers/posters seem to be reasonably
> successful at their glass applications. Some say 80 ROS, then 120 ROS, and
> to finish with a sanding board at 80 grit. Others say shape with the
> sanding board at 60-80 grit and finish with the ROS at 60 grit. Still
> others, like John Michne and his gorgeous canoe, finished at 220 grit. As
> many "glassers" as there are, that also seems to be the number
> of opinions. Do I get the feeling that as regards epoxy bonding strength,
> it doesn't matter all that much?

> Personally, after sanding out my first hull, I liked to finish with the
> ROS because the sanding/shaping board (any length) leaves inevitable
> scars, especially those accidental swipes when transitioning to the
> concave regions of the hull. Also, I opted for 100grit disks for the
> finish, because coarser disks left fuzz. This fuzz seems to depend on the
> mfr of the sanding disks, yet another variable.

> I glass the hull on Saturday (wish me luck) so this is my last chance to
> ask. Right now I have a satin 100 grit ROS finish on a
> sanding-board-shaped hull - what do you think, how would you have done it?

> Thanks for any help, Spidey