| Mistakes and Lessons Learned |
OOPS!
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Here's what you get when you don't
go over everything close enough
before you quit for the day.
The fiberglass lifted off the wood
around the bottom edge. But since
it was already epoxied, it was rigid.
So I re-epoxied it and clamped it to
the wood to hold it until it cures.
The plastic bag is to prevent the
epoxy from adhering to the board
used for clamping.
Moral: double check - then check
again.
p.s. The bag didn't work - it still
stuck. Wax paper works much
better.
go over everything close enough
before you quit for the day.
The fiberglass lifted off the wood
around the bottom edge. But since
it was already epoxied, it was rigid.
So I re-epoxied it and clamped it to
the wood to hold it until it cures.
The plastic bag is to prevent the
epoxy from adhering to the board
used for clamping.
Moral: double check - then check
again.
p.s. The bag didn't work - it still
stuck. Wax paper works much
better.
Here's what you get when you
eyeball the formula for your
epoxy-tint-filler ratios.
Notice the different shades of
blue. The bottom of the boat will
be sanded smooth to reduce
water resistance then a final coat
of tinted epoxy. It should even out
during this process. If not, I'll
paint it.
Moral: Write it down and stick to
it.
eyeball the formula for your
epoxy-tint-filler ratios.
Notice the different shades of
blue. The bottom of the boat will
be sanded smooth to reduce
water resistance then a final coat
of tinted epoxy. It should even out
during this process. If not, I'll
paint it.
Moral: Write it down and stick to
it.
You can't cheat. You can't speed
up the process more than your
material is designed to do. Thin
layer - let it cure - then another
layer. That's the process. You
can cheat by putting on thicker
layers. When you wake up in the
morning and go out to begin
work again, this is what you find.
Moral: Patience
up the process more than your
material is designed to do. Thin
layer - let it cure - then another
layer. That's the process. You
can cheat by putting on thicker
layers. When you wake up in the
morning and go out to begin
work again, this is what you find.
Moral: Patience
If you look closely you can see
where the fiberglass is a little
less clear in one patch - inside
the arrows. The epoxy from the
bottom of the boat ran down and
penetrated the fiberglass so
badly that I had to sand it off and
patch it. When I finish the repair,
you will not be able to tell where
the repair was. I am getting
pretty good at fixing mistakes -
lots of practice!
where the fiberglass is a little
less clear in one patch - inside
the arrows. The epoxy from the
bottom of the boat ran down and
penetrated the fiberglass so
badly that I had to sand it off and
patch it. When I finish the repair,
you will not be able to tell where
the repair was. I am getting
pretty good at fixing mistakes -
lots of practice!
| USE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT: No one out there is bullet proof like they think they are - and certainly not saw-blade proof (that's another story). I write this to explain my latest mistake. I sanded the fiberglass in the above picture and got everything smooth again. BUT, I did not wear safety goggles. Fiberglass dust is a nasty, evil, thing. Now with a severely scratched cornea in my left eye, inner eye infection in my left eye and an infection in my right eye - I undeniably know the value of SAFETY GOGGLES. Moral: Always wear your safety equipment first - or wear an eye patch later. |
| TIPS ON USING FOAM FILL March 4, 2007 The pictures did not come out well so all I have is an explanation. WAIT of the full recommended cure time to be over before covering your pour foam. I used spray in foam at the motorwell and then covered it in plywood. I left town for work and when I returned I found my new foam filled motorwell area bowed severely. There was a 2 1/2 inch bulge on a 12 inch by 42 inch section. I had to cut out the plywood, sand the foam level with the crossmembers, and reinstall new plywood. It seems like I would have learned my lesson about patience by now! On the remainder of the hull I used pour foam and have not had the issue again. |
DON'T EYEBALL IT!
When drilling a hole for a
dowel, I eyeballed it. As you
can see I did not drill straight.
So, I filled the hole with a dowel,
got out my dowel jig, and drilled
again. Now I have a
permanently visible
conversation piece that I would
rather not have - especially on
African mahogany.
This boat will teach me
patience if it kills me!
When drilling a hole for a
dowel, I eyeballed it. As you
can see I did not drill straight.
So, I filled the hole with a dowel,
got out my dowel jig, and drilled
again. Now I have a
permanently visible
conversation piece that I would
rather not have - especially on
African mahogany.
This boat will teach me
patience if it kills me!
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