Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: Epoxy Application
By:Paul G. Jacobson
Date: 8/17/2010, 12:35 am
In Response To: S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice (Eric)

: It was a small area of exposure, about an inch, and I sealed it
: with air mattress cement. Remarkably the sealant worked very
: well and it held up all the way to the end of the trip.

: So now it is time to make a real repair and I'm taking this
: opportunity to add a layer of glass tape along the keel line. To
: this point the bottom has been just a layer of 6oz cloth.

And may I point out that you've already found that 6 ounce cloth was quite durable?

I say use it again. Cut it in strips and forget about buying tape.

Cutting on a bias (45 degree angle to the direction of the weave) gives you cloth strips which can be shaped around curves.

With strips or tape you can use a technique which eliminates the need for applicators.

Mix a total of 4 to 5 ounces of resin in a sturdy plastic bag. Freezer-strength zipper lok bags work fine. Pour in resin and hardener and squish the bag to mix thoroughly. Loosely roll your cloth into a roll, and put the roll into the plastic bag with your resin. With some gentle encouragement (more squishing) your cloth will wet out inside the bag. Slow cure resin works fine with this technique. Once the roll of cloth appears to be saturated just squeeze it firmly to force out excess resin. Then set the bag aside for a few minutes. Excess resin can drain away from the fabric and pool in a corner of the bag.

Put on your gloves, remove the roll of saturated cloth from the bag, leaving behind an ounce or two of resin. Start at one end and unroll it as you lay the cloth along the keel. It will be wet enough to stick in place as you unroll it. Used your gloved fingers to poke it into nooks and corners. If you find some dry areas as you unroll this get a little resin from the bag and apply it to wet out that spot. The capillary action of the woven fibers should be enough to keep the resin from running, and you squeezed out the excess already.

: My question to you all here is, what applicator do you all like to
: use for this type of work? I've done repairs before and found
: dripping to be an issue as I use a slow hardener.

: Thoughts? Clean up any drips with a scraper while the epoxy is 'green'.

Hope this helps.

PGJ

Messages In This Thread

S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice
Eric -- 8/16/2010, 9:41 pm
Re: S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice
Eric -- 8/17/2010, 11:41 am
Re: S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice
Bill Hamm -- 8/17/2010, 1:36 pm
Re: S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice
Bill Hamm -- 8/17/2010, 8:19 am
Getting Mattress Goo Off
Mike Bielski -- 8/17/2010, 7:30 am
Re: Epoxy Application
Paul G. Jacobson -- 8/17/2010, 12:35 am
Re: Epoxy Application
Brian Nystrom -- 8/17/2010, 8:11 am
Re: Epoxy Application
Paul G. Jacobson -- 8/17/2010, 11:37 am
Re: S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice
Robert N Pruden -- 8/16/2010, 11:52 pm
Re: S&G: Epoxy Applicator of Choice
Bill Hamm -- 8/16/2010, 9:53 pm