DaveH6
Hull seams taped.
Along the keel line in the flat bottom panels after sections I predicted trouble in removing the baling wire after the seam was taped. Consequently, after spot welding with thickened epoxy the keel joint, I pulled out the wires in the flat sections of the bottom panels.
I taped one seam per day thus three elasped days to do the hull seams. I did the keel line seam first.
In one sitting, I wetted out the wood on the seam area with epoxy, installed a fillet waiting for it to become sufficiently rigid, installed three layers of progressively wider 17 0z biaxial 45-0-45 bias fiberglass tape and then peel ply (dress linning fabric), This was done in 90 degree heat so time was of the essence. I used a continous length of glass tape from stem to stern for each layer. Installing the fllet and all layers of tape at one time gives a good chemical bond between the components.
Because of the heat, I should have run three layers of tape for half the length of a seam leaving a staggered joint, and then went into the air conditioned house and poured down a quart of water and relaxed. Returning to the boat I would then install three layers of tape on the remaining seam length. I'm a prolific kidney stone producer so heavy sweating and subsquent dehdyration is dangerous for me.
If you think you own an adequate number of wood clamps, boat building will shatter this illusion. Pictured clamps are holding the inwhale in place during epoxy curing.
The red material is peel ply which smoothes the texure of the cured fiberglass and is supposed to soak up some of the blush. I used cheapo polyester dress linning fabric. After the resin hardens, the peel ply easily strips off. Since most of these seams will eventually be out of sight, today I wonder why I bothered to cover them with peel ply. But then again a smooth keel tape joint may facilitate dirt particles, etc. to be washed along with bilge water.
An Internet boatbuilding forum contributor claiming credentials of a "fabric expert" says use only real peel ply material since fabric such as what I used has silicon on it which will contaminate the fiberglass. Ah, does this mean that folks end up with a silicon residue on their body and clothes from the dress liner? I realize that this fabric in contract with wet epoxy is a different critter than in a true dress lining application. I also have no credentials to dispute this "expert's" claim. However, I always assume a glass/epoxy joint will have epoxy blush (a waxy substance) on it, so I always wash and sand it and would like to think that any siicon residue will be scrubbed/sanded off.
With the fiberglass taping completed, the hull panels are welded into a one piece or monocque structure.
Hull seams taped.
Along the keel line in the flat bottom panels after sections I predicted trouble in removing the baling wire after the seam was taped. Consequently, after spot welding with thickened epoxy the keel joint, I pulled out the wires in the flat sections of the bottom panels.
I taped one seam per day thus three elasped days to do the hull seams. I did the keel line seam first.
In one sitting, I wetted out the wood on the seam area with epoxy, installed a fillet waiting for it to become sufficiently rigid, installed three layers of progressively wider 17 0z biaxial 45-0-45 bias fiberglass tape and then peel ply (dress linning fabric), This was done in 90 degree heat so time was of the essence. I used a continous length of glass tape from stem to stern for each layer. Installing the fllet and all layers of tape at one time gives a good chemical bond between the components.
Because of the heat, I should have run three layers of tape for half the length of a seam leaving a staggered joint, and then went into the air conditioned house and poured down a quart of water and relaxed. Returning to the boat I would then install three layers of tape on the remaining seam length. I'm a prolific kidney stone producer so heavy sweating and subsquent dehdyration is dangerous for me.
If you think you own an adequate number of wood clamps, boat building will shatter this illusion. Pictured clamps are holding the inwhale in place during epoxy curing.
The red material is peel ply which smoothes the texure of the cured fiberglass and is supposed to soak up some of the blush. I used cheapo polyester dress linning fabric. After the resin hardens, the peel ply easily strips off. Since most of these seams will eventually be out of sight, today I wonder why I bothered to cover them with peel ply. But then again a smooth keel tape joint may facilitate dirt particles, etc. to be washed along with bilge water.
An Internet boatbuilding forum contributor claiming credentials of a "fabric expert" says use only real peel ply material since fabric such as what I used has silicon on it which will contaminate the fiberglass. Ah, does this mean that folks end up with a silicon residue on their body and clothes from the dress liner? I realize that this fabric in contract with wet epoxy is a different critter than in a true dress lining application. I also have no credentials to dispute this "expert's" claim. However, I always assume a glass/epoxy joint will have epoxy blush (a waxy substance) on it, so I always wash and sand it and would like to think that any siicon residue will be scrubbed/sanded off.
With the fiberglass taping completed, the hull panels are welded into a one piece or monocque structure.