Raising the grain

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tszpieg
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:51 am
Location: Ada, MI

Raising the grain

Post by tszpieg »

Well, I'm preparing to get to the epoxy stage (I'll be honest, the glassing part really has me freaked out) and I sanded the hull with 100 grit sandpaper BEFORE wetting the hull to raise the grain. I know that Canoecraft says to wet the hull after the initial sanding with 80 grit but I forgot at that point. Aftrer I wetted the hull I noticed only a few very small places that the grain has raised noticeably. Is that typical even after wetting after 80 grit?
I guess I don't want to run into any issues when I move forward to the next step.
Also, I have a few small areas that are between the bead and cove of adjacent strips that I think might need filling. Is it still possible at this stage to go in and fill those small spaces, or should I just let the epoxy and glass fill? I wouldn't call them 'gaps' , I think they're more like a small "V" space between two adjacent strips. I don't want to sand to the bottom of the 'V' because I fear that when I sand the inside that might make a thin spot in the hull... I wish I could post an image of what I'm talking about, but at this point I don't have the means to do so.
Thanks for any help that you can give.
Terry
canoeblderinmt
Posts: 415
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 12:04 pm
Location: Butte, MT

Post by canoeblderinmt »

Terry,
Think I have a pretty good idea what you are talking about on the V shaped areas. I would recommend filling them. Small spaces like that can hold air as the epoxy goes on adn really cause some problems. Try the Elmers stuff in the tubes. It comes in a couple of colors so you can blend and get pretty close, sands VERY easily and cleans up with water.

I'm always freaked out at the glassing stage too, but read your instructions, get everything set up before hand, and try to have a helper or two to mix and/or help squeegee. Have LOTS of paper towels on hand, and plenty of Acetone. You'll be fine. OH, and keep the book in the shop for reference as you go along.

Good luck,

Greg
" Choose to chance the rapids, Dare to dance the tide..."
tszpieg
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:51 am
Location: Ada, MI

Post by tszpieg »

Greg,

Thanks for the reply. I thought I remembered reading another post about the Elmer's stuff in tubes before, but couldn't find where that was.
Can you tell me if that stuff covers with the epoxy well? Do those spots look good after the epoxy, or would you recommend using epoxy with wood flour?
Thanks again Greg.

P.S. I have abuddy moving to Great Falls, MT as we speak. That area is on my list of places to visit/canoe.

Thanks again,

Terry
canoeblderinmt
Posts: 415
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 12:04 pm
Location: Butte, MT

Post by canoeblderinmt »

Terry,
I've seen the Elmers at Home Depot. and many hardware stores. I've used it on my two canoes. The epoxy covers right over it. I like it for two reasons: 1. You can easily mix several colors together to get a good match for the strips you are patching. Using epoxy and wood flour is tough, because the wood flour darkens quite a bit, so it's hard to match colors. 2. This stuff sands easily. Cedar is very soft, and it is sometimes hard to sand the hard epoxy flush with the soft cedar on each side.

Greg
" Choose to chance the rapids, Dare to dance the tide..."
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ealger
Posts: 387
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 5:14 pm

Epoxy and Glass

Post by ealger »

Terry, raising the grain and then doing a light hand sand will help ease the application of the glass material as it's laid on dry. You must be sure that the wood surface is dry before proceeding with epoxy!

With regard to using solvents to clean up epoxy: there is a health hazard using solvents and the epoxy application can be done without using them. Vinyl gloves and Tyvek sleves offer protection for the hands and arms. Use disposable rollers and throw away chip brushes. Clean up your squeegees with white vinegar in a spray bottle. If you get epoxy on your skin, do not use a solvent (or vinegar) to clean up as it will be absorbed into you skin! Use a hand cleaner like SBS 30 followed by soap and water.
Ed...
Ed Alger
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