filling the weave question.

Brandon Yuchasz

Brandon Yuchasz

Well-known member
Well tonight I wet out the fabric on the hull.

Here are the details in my build post. I added lots of pictures.

http://duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=52026;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

My question for you all is this. Since I ran out of epoxy and wont have any until atleast this weekend how do I deal with the fact that I didn't get to fill the weave and do a chemical bond in that 24 hour window?

I plan to cover the boat with a tarp tomorrow after the epoxy had cured to keep it clean. It doesnt seem like I would want to sand it since I will cut the fabric so do I just keep it clean for a week and then go ahead and mix up epoxy and fill the weave like normal???

hopefully that question is clear.

Also since I ran out of epoxy once I will ask you guys if two gallons of resin and a partial gallon of hardner ( what ever amount it is for a 3 to 1 mix) is going to be enough to fill the weave of that Xynole fabric, put a second coat on the inside of the boat and wet out and fill the fabric on the deck. The deck is standard 6oz cloth.

I am guessing its not enough and I should call first thing in the morning and change my two gallon to a 5 gallon order.


Thanks for the help everyone.
 
Yeah, I did Xynol as well... you poor bast... it sucks up a lot of epoxy.

No one is answering your question because I don't think anyone really knows... it's a first time situation for me. Suggest you call Larry at Raka and show him your pic.

I see that the guys in this class didn't take my advice about the draping... oh well, I'll be thinking of all of you during the fairing stage ; )
 
That xynol looks exactly like the dynel fabric I got from Joel. I applied it as a second layer over the 6oz fiberglass cloth and at the same time as the fiberglass application. I also installed it in one piece across the whole hull which forced two darts per side plus darts in the bow portion. The dynell leaves a very distict edge and is quite fuzzy as the resin seems to raise threads and then hardens. I sanded the fuzz off the whole boat, feathered the edges a bit and am fairing it all with micro-balloons. I like the idea of having an extra layer of abrasion protection with the dynel and from what I can see, it is fairing out well. This weekend the keelsons go on. I guess we are all racing against opening day.

Mine took a lot of resin, but it seems as I sand the fuzz off, I am not sanding down into the fabric, with the exception of a few high spots where the cloth floated up over a small pool of resin and I sanded a hole through the dynel, I dont plan to patch that as I still have unmolested fiberglass underneath. These are areas that are going to be protected by the keelsons anyway.

John
 
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Andrew - the whole time I was laying out the cloth and contemplating the overlap thing I was thinking of you standing there saying, "Your gonna be sorrrry!" ;)
 
Andrew - the whole time I was laying out the cloth and contemplating the overlap thing I was thinking of you standing there saying, "Your gonna be sorrrry!" ;)
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James that exactly how I felt. I justified it to myself with the additional strength it would create but I know its going to be a pain to fair it out.


As far as an answer to filling the weave. I got a similar answer today at Raka as I got here on the boards. Wash with warm water and a small amount of dish soap. Hand sand really lightly and then fill it. I can sand the edge of the fabric before starting to fill the weave but it may fuzz up.

I will have more epoxy on monday. I ordered a 6 gallon kit again. I plan to have some left. I also added more Microballons.
 
James,

After 5 years of running the boat I learned a great deal. I learned that I overbuilt the boat in many ways and overlapping the cloth was one of them... as I bought a harder fair program down the road...

You won't find on any site reviewing stopping the fabric dead in the middle... but it makes sense assuming one doesn't want to waste time fairing and having a hull that is not completely symmetrical.

When I was building a boat, I'd get answers from zillions of guys... today, there aren't many who give you guys answers ... so I am repaying my "debt"... so to speak.

Whatever you do, it'll come out fine and you'll love your boat and THAT is what matters.

A.
 
Guys,

This may fall under "stupid question" but why does the fairness of the bottom matter? Especially if you were to overlap the keel by equal amounts with the edge of the cloth parallel to the running direction, why bother fairing or smoothing the transition between the layers at all? Wouldn't it just act like yet another teeny-weeny keelson? I realize that a smooth bottom is nice to look at :-) , but few boats are truly smooth on the bottom.

Charlie
 
Charlie,

You make a good point. I have been going through all the fairing hassle just due to builders pride, but I have to admit that I have questioned the need to be anal about a perfect bottom that no one will see, and compared to the huge keelsons would probably not affect the way the boat planes over the water. Now the topsides are an other story, any imperfection will be noticeable with gloss paint. I imagine that as a duck boat with dull paint, camo, mud and grass that becomes less of an issue.

I guess it just comes down to how much pride of workmanship you want to invest and where do you draw the line. I come from a sailboat background where it all has to be perfectly fair, so imperfections bug me.
 
Guys,

This may fall under "stupid question" but why does the fairness of the bottom matter? Especially if you were to overlap the keel by equal amounts with the edge of the cloth parallel to the running direction, why bother fairing or smoothing the transition between the layers at all? Wouldn't it just act like yet another teeny-weeny keelson? I realize that a smooth bottom is nice to look at :-) , but few boats are truly smooth on the bottom.

Charlie
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My response is that it is a nothing, piece of cake job to fair overlaps. Geeze, run a line of your fairing compound of choice and sand, maybe do it again. This is one of those things that people talk about, but in actuality takes more time to talk about than do. Fairing inside corners on the topside or screw-ups away is more work, but those jobs need to be done.
 
I would agree with todd. but will offer a little info if it helps. Pull your filler with as long a board edge as you can. practice your pull before you make it because you go one pass. Better to get a high shape with a few drags than a too low pull that is all smooth and needs recoating. fill the drags after it gets green with a small batch. Then sand with a long board with some heavy grit paper or a big 8" disc to keep it flat. Thro the discs or paper away before you think you need to. A new sheet cuts like butter. Stop early and go down in grit. In no time you will be in fair teritory. System 3 has a very nice fairing putty they premix to be user friendly when it comes to sanding and pulling it out.
Remember that on the big aluminum yachts they cover the outside with up to 5 inches of bondo to get that mirror reflection fair hull on the white paint.
You dont want that much but you dont want to sand down to the cloth either.
 
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