Rookie mistake, applied minwax to coaming - help!

Submitted bychipverrill onMon, 07/09/2018 - 10:30
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Kayak Building

I am desperate... I applied minwax stain to interior coaming risers and upper coaming lip on my Petrel Play Strip build.
Third strip build, but first use of stain...

Sadly, (or not) I discovered my error before applying the glass.

Can anybody offer a best recovery step here?

Thanks in advance~
Chip Verrill (Colorado)

JohnAbercrombie

Mon, 07/09/2018 - 11:37

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Chip-

Are concerned about problems with epoxy adhesion, or cosmetics?

Making up some test panels on scrap (thin) plywood could answer some questions about bonding, probably.

chipverrill

Mon, 07/09/2018 - 11:44

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adhesion (strength) is the concern.

Analysis that I saw from West Systems epoxy shows Minwax fails the "bonding" test (using duct tape and scored epoxy).

Since this is the coaming (in my opinion, the more stressed portion of the kayak) I'd like it to be strong...

 

I would rub it down with a cloth that is only slightly moist with alcohol or spirits (I would probably try water first) and sand .  You can then use an appropriate dye that will not create an adhesion problem.

Minwax stain is pretty thin. How long did it dry before you glassed?

No doubt, West's testing shows the bond is not as good or can fail on an oil stain. But this might be extreme testing (pulling joints apart etc).

At this point you have to weigh out the alternatives. Completely sand away the glass? I think that's insane. If it were mine. I would live with it and just continue on like it never happened. I would bet the glass bond will last forever. And if it doesn't... you sand it and go from there.

Is your riser the side by side vertical strip style or stacked up ply?

You will know in a season, due to sun heat and pressure against the lip if there is a bonding problem. But I would bet you'll be fine. There's still grain and texture that the epoxy can bond to even with the minxax stain on it especially if it was quite dry. We have ideals we shoot for but don't fix a problem that's not there yet.

JohnAbercrombie

Mon, 07/09/2018 - 13:30

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Chip said: <I discovered my error before applying the glass.>

Jay said: <Completely sand away the glass? I think that's insane. If it were mine. I would live with it and just continue on like it never happened. I would bet the glass bond will last forever. And if it doesn't... you sand it and go from there.>

Chip:

If it were my project, I'd be quite aggressive with solvents first - acetone or good lacquer thinner. You could also try the 'Prep' solvents that they sell in autobody places for removing silicones (though silicones aren't the issue here, I think those products probably remove other 'contaminants' as well.)

Then wet sand with soap and water, or just sand.

Looking at your coaming, it seems a bit 'sharp cornered' to me, so you may have some scope for more aggressive sanding.

 

If all that seems like too much work, just remove the coaming and build another one. It won't take you that long.

 

 

 

  1. My mistake, I mis-read - thought you applied glass already,

John is right, clean it up as much as you can with solvents and wet sand with soap and water then dry sand once dry.

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