three years later I am laying in the glass

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NewGuy
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:07 pm

three years later I am laying in the glass

Post by NewGuy »

My canoe is taking a little longer then I thought but it is finally starting to look like a canoe.
I put the outer glass on earlier in the summer. Relatively few problems, but a couple of things I would like some advice on.

1. there were a few wrinkles in the cloth that I didn't notice untill the epoxy cured. I have sanded them down and they are smooth but I can see them. I am prepared to live with it as I don't think it will cause a structural problem, but I am wondering if another coat of epoxy will solve the blemish problem. The weave does not seem to be exposed.

2. I have sanded the hull with 80grit and the hull is smooth, however there are many little pit marks of shiny unsanded epoxy. Should I sand these out? Will they show if I varnish over them? I can't feel them when I run my hand over them but I do see them.

3. my stems are wider then normal at the ends of the canoe. This is the result of not shaping them properly at the beginning. I believe I have solved the structual problem but the glass didn't cover the blunt nose. (about 1.5"wide) I am thinking of just painting on some epoxy on the end to protect the wood, and then fit the brass bang strips on at the end. Is this enough or should I feather in a glass patch as well?
Rick
Posts: 727
Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 9:23 am
Location: Bancroft, Ontario

Post by Rick »

1. there were a few wrinkles in the cloth that I didn't notice untill the epoxy cured. I have sanded them down and they are smooth but I can see them. I am prepared to live with it as I don't think it will cause a structural problem, but I am wondering if another coat of epoxy will solve the blemish problem. The weave does not seem to be exposed.
Hmmm... I don't see how you could have sanded out the wrinkles without exposing the cloth. Epoxy will provide another layer of protection and will show whether the cloth will be visible after varnishing. Applying varnish only is an option - if you decide the looks aren't great, you'll have to sand it all off to apply a patch... more work.
2. I have sanded the hull with 80grit and the hull is smooth, however there are many little pit marks of shiny unsanded epoxy. Should I sand these out? Will they show if I varnish over them? I can't feel them when I run my hand over them but I do see them.
If most of the surface is sanded down to eliminate gloss, the varnish should bond OK... small pinpoints of gloss may be difficult to sand out without sanding into the cloth.
3. my stems are wider then normal at the ends of the canoe. This is the result of not shaping them properly at the beginning. I believe I have solved the structual problem but the glass didn't cover the blunt nose. (about 1.5"wide) I am thinking of just painting on some epoxy on the end to protect the wood, and then fit the brass bang strips on at the end. Is this enough or should I feather in a glass patch as well?
Apply the fiberglass. The stems might be subjected to collisions with sharp rocks and fiberglass will provide more protection and waterproofing than the thin brass band, especially since the stems are 1.5 inches wide.

Good luck!
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ealger
Posts: 387
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 5:14 pm

Shiny spots in epoxy

Post by ealger »

Small shiny spots can be scuffed with a scotch brite pad, if you're concerned about the varnish not sticking to the epoxy. Use of the pad is also a way of scuffing up epoxy to add epoxy without sanding.

The common green pads are OK. Other grades of pads are available at automotive paint shops. Several grades of course-ness are available.
Ed...
Ed Alger
NewGuy
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:07 pm

Thanks for your collective advice

Post by NewGuy »

Thanks guys I will take your suggestions.

I am now wondering if perhaps I have exposed the cloth by sanding the wrinkle down to far?
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