Very similar to here. The kind of stuff I need (want
) is easily sourced in a day or two online, but it's a haul to handle most toys and gear before buying.
New boat building experience
- Thread starter SJ Fairbank
- Start date
) is easily sourced in a day or two online, but it's a haul to handle most toys and gear before buying.
Jeff Reardon
Well-known member
But you've got Indian Hill Trading Post when you are up here. If you can't get it there, you don't need it!Very similar to here. The kind of stuff I need (want
Slowly gaining on the goal of four fiberglass pond boxes. Four hulls are done, and three decks, with two complete boxes glued up (assembled). The third deck is curing right now, with luck the fourth deck will be done in a couple of days.
One detail I've pondered since day one has been how to reinforce the coaming. The coaming on hull #1 was filled with thickened resin to the depth of the deck (about an inch). I'm not satisfied with that. The original boat has an ash coaming 7/16 thick, but of course Ash has potential to rot. I ripped some Philippine mahogany to fill the void under the glass for the other vessels. The coaming side rails were 8/4 ripped vertically, the fore and aft cockpit coaming are 3/4 thickness planed to size. Thickened resin was applied to the top of the wood , the rest coated with resin, inserted and clamped to cure. After trimming, the exposed wood will be sealed with resin and encapsulated in glass. Here's a couple of photos.
I'm still in a learning curve, as this is my first time molding multiple boats out of fiberglass. I'm sure I'll look back and say, why did I do it that way? The answer will probably be that it's fun to tinker and learn by doing.
One detail I've pondered since day one has been how to reinforce the coaming. The coaming on hull #1 was filled with thickened resin to the depth of the deck (about an inch). I'm not satisfied with that. The original boat has an ash coaming 7/16 thick, but of course Ash has potential to rot. I ripped some Philippine mahogany to fill the void under the glass for the other vessels. The coaming side rails were 8/4 ripped vertically, the fore and aft cockpit coaming are 3/4 thickness planed to size. Thickened resin was applied to the top of the wood , the rest coated with resin, inserted and clamped to cure. After trimming, the exposed wood will be sealed with resin and encapsulated in glass. Here's a couple of photos.
I'm still in a learning curve, as this is my first time molding multiple boats out of fiberglass. I'm sure I'll look back and say, why did I do it that way? The answer will probably be that it's fun to tinker and learn by doing.
RM Anderson
Well-known member
A skilled craftsman such as yourself would probably best be served by using your time to create a female plug and hire out the fiberglass portion to a shop with a chopper gun. Having said that, I have really enjoyed this thread.
RM
RM
Glad you like it. If I was making a bunch to sell, that's what I'd do. Or buy my own chopper gun. I'm finding that four is all (or more than) I can handle as a summer project. By the time all the interior fittings and dodgers are complete it'll be fall.
I'll say that as I near the end of molding hulls, using a BBSB style craft as a male plug is quite simple and with reasonable care doesn't damage the original boat. I'm putting the skill level required as advanced beginner, the advanced part being a knowledge of working with glass. With one more deck to layup, hope I didn't speak too soon!
So ten days from my last update, I'm back to gluing hulls together. For the second time. As with most first time experiences, Murphy's Law is enforced with vigor.
It turns out that mold release PVA does not entirely dissolve when scrubbed with soap and water and hosed down repeatedly as described on the PVA container. OOPS! I filled one of the hulls with water to check for leaks around the joint prior to applying glass tape and POP! the entire hull came unglued. Every last bit of thickened resin fell off both surfaces, thanks to residual PVA. So I pulled the other two hulls apart (hull #1 had no PVA, molded on plastic sheets so it seems to be ok) and proceeded to sand the heck out of them. I guess it's better for the hull to pop in the yard rather than on the water. It turned out that the coamings came apart as well, back to square one.
The last few days have seen two hulls reassembled. First step was to glue the coaming together.
In the meantime, I decided to try cake frosting bags to apply the fillet of thickened resin to the joint. That worked like a champ in the tight space available.
Given the clamshell hull cross section of a BBSB, a simple method of clamping is string tensioned around the hull while gluing. Far easier and more precise than mechanical clamps, which want to walk on the curved hull.
I'll retest the joints with water again to be sure there's a solid bond. I'm reasonably confidant, it might be a throw up your hands moment if they aren't secure this time.
It turns out that mold release PVA does not entirely dissolve when scrubbed with soap and water and hosed down repeatedly as described on the PVA container. OOPS! I filled one of the hulls with water to check for leaks around the joint prior to applying glass tape and POP! the entire hull came unglued. Every last bit of thickened resin fell off both surfaces, thanks to residual PVA. So I pulled the other two hulls apart (hull #1 had no PVA, molded on plastic sheets so it seems to be ok) and proceeded to sand the heck out of them. I guess it's better for the hull to pop in the yard rather than on the water. It turned out that the coamings came apart as well, back to square one.
The last few days have seen two hulls reassembled. First step was to glue the coaming together.
In the meantime, I decided to try cake frosting bags to apply the fillet of thickened resin to the joint. That worked like a champ in the tight space available.
Given the clamshell hull cross section of a BBSB, a simple method of clamping is string tensioned around the hull while gluing. Far easier and more precise than mechanical clamps, which want to walk on the curved hull.
I'll retest the joints with water again to be sure there's a solid bond. I'm reasonably confidant, it might be a throw up your hands moment if they aren't secure this time.
Ouch, that's a bummer! But as you say, better now in the yard - that would be a helluva surprise on the water.