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Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
By:JohnAbercrombie
Date: 10/31/2017, 9:24 am
In Response To: Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy? (Aaronpotter)

I was wondering the same thing. I had trouble glassing the coaming of my kayak last weekend. I couldn't get the 4oz cloth to stay flat on the edge of the lip. I would push it down flat and a few minutes later there were bubbles under the surface where the fiberglass pulled away from the wood. I kept smoothing it out until the epoxy started to get sticky. I had to leave for an emergency with less than half the fiberglass applied. When I left, everything looked good but when I returned, the bubbles were back. Maybe the tacky epoxy would help? I would like to get some advice from those with experience before I tackle the rest of it.

Aaron


Aaron-
As Bill said, it's almost impossible to get glass to wrap around a thin edge.
This is a wooden coaming lip?
If you want the sprayskirt to stay on securely, you don't want that edge to be too thick, IMO. But lots of boats seem to work with thicker coamings - it depends in part on the cockpit shape, as curving sections hold the sprayskirt better.

If I were doing that job, I'd put a few smooth layers of tape (masking tape will do) or some other support on the underside of the lip, 'hanging out' past the edge. Put your epoxy and glass on the upper side and let it harden. Remove the tape and clean up the overhanging edge of the glass (leave it overhanging, just sand off the sharp glass threads).
Then I'd turn the boat upside down and do the glassing on the underside of the lip, letting gravity help with the job.
Then trim the glass, leaving a clear glass and epoxy edge about 1/8" or more thick beyond the wood.

I've used a similar technique on a couple of paddles (and also on paddle repairs).

Messages In This Thread

Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Rich D -- 10/30/2017, 5:24 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Peter F Lord -- 10/30/2017, 7:20 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Aaronpotter -- 10/30/2017, 10:36 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Bill Hamm -- 10/31/2017, 8:08 am
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/31/2017, 9:24 am
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Aaronpotter -- 10/31/2017, 10:38 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
JohnAbercrombie -- 11/1/2017, 12:39 am
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Bill Hamm -- 11/2/2017, 9:16 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/31/2017, 9:07 am
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Rich D -- 10/31/2017, 7:22 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Bill Hamm -- 11/2/2017, 9:18 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 10/31/2017, 7:29 pm
Re: Epoxy: laying cloth over 'tacky' epoxy?
Rich D -- 10/31/2017, 7:55 pm
What is the cloth actually doing?
Jay Babina -- 11/1/2017, 8:21 am
Re: What is the cloth actually doing?
JohnAbercrombie -- 11/1/2017, 10:40 am
Re: What is the cloth actually doing?
Jay Babina -- 11/1/2017, 5:23 pm
one more thing...
Jay Babina -- 11/1/2017, 7:20 pm