New Builder
I have just finished the hull on my 16ft Abenaki.
My glue has dried WHITE in some places, and there are voids between the boards in many places where the glue did not fill well. Should I use a wood putty to fill the nail holes and gaps? More glue?
Also,
I hope to start fiberglassing soon, and I am having trouble deciding on varnish and epoxy to use. What do you guys think is best for a beginner?
Thanks
john
Wood Putty?
Another builder from Lincoln, NE! Hey we ought to meet up sometime. I also enjoy bluegrass - play a banjo. I'd like to see our canoe. I built a Redbird last year and I am finishing a kayak now.
Unless you fill the holes with something, you will get bubbles in the glass - so you must. I've had best luck by adding wood dust to epoxy to use as a filler. There have been several threads on this issue you might want to look at.
I use West system (I can purchase in locally). I've been very pleased with it. I used Interlux Schooner for the canoe finish and was pleased with that. Select Sail in Omaha carries both the epoxy and finish.
Dale
Unless you fill the holes with something, you will get bubbles in the glass - so you must. I've had best luck by adding wood dust to epoxy to use as a filler. There have been several threads on this issue you might want to look at.
I use West system (I can purchase in locally). I've been very pleased with it. I used Interlux Schooner for the canoe finish and was pleased with that. Select Sail in Omaha carries both the epoxy and finish.
Dale
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thechrisperkins
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- Location: Alaska
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Johnny,
I woudn't use glue to fill any voids. I found that on the 2-3 places on my hull where I tried to fudge with glue, it was noticable. But then again, I'm probably the only one who will notice.
There have been a couple of different solutions posted, from filler strips to thickened epoxy. Here is one more to throw into your bag of tricks that worked well for me. I used a water-based woodfiller used by furniture makers at our local woodshop. It will sand and fair very nicely when it is dry. The only "got-ya" is that it will darken with resin, so use a lighter shade and practice on some scrap to color match.
I ended up using a light oak color to match my WRC with epoxy. Now I even have a hard time finding where I used it at.
For what it is worth,
-Chris
I woudn't use glue to fill any voids. I found that on the 2-3 places on my hull where I tried to fudge with glue, it was noticable. But then again, I'm probably the only one who will notice.
There have been a couple of different solutions posted, from filler strips to thickened epoxy. Here is one more to throw into your bag of tricks that worked well for me. I used a water-based woodfiller used by furniture makers at our local woodshop. It will sand and fair very nicely when it is dry. The only "got-ya" is that it will darken with resin, so use a lighter shade and practice on some scrap to color match.
I ended up using a light oak color to match my WRC with epoxy. Now I even have a hard time finding where I used it at.
For what it is worth,
-Chris
Air and Water, we need both to survive. The medium is irrelevant, movement is life.
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canoeblderinmt
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- Location: Butte, MT
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JohnnyMilla_
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:39 am
- Location: Lincoln NE
I tried a test piece with the Elmers wood putty, but it is very white, and I don't like the look. I may have to try the epoxy/dust method.
I have a question, I put the keel on without knowing that it could negatively effect the fiberglassing. It has a 3/8" in strip with a concave groove on both sides of the piece. I have been sanding it to achieve a flat triangle keel, but there is still a 1/8" lip where it meets the bottom of the boat. Do you think this will cause the epoxy and glass to "tent" in this area?I was told that with the keel I have, I could expect gas to get trapped, and cause a bubble seam.
I am thinking about glassing the two sides, and keel in a 3 part process. Bias stripping the keel last. I am also worried that the stems, which I have added to the old Strippers guide to canoe building Abenaki plan, will stick out oddly from the side of the canoe causing another problem spot. Would it be wise to sand this as close to the boat contour as possible to eliminate any possible gas build-up as well?
I have a question, I put the keel on without knowing that it could negatively effect the fiberglassing. It has a 3/8" in strip with a concave groove on both sides of the piece. I have been sanding it to achieve a flat triangle keel, but there is still a 1/8" lip where it meets the bottom of the boat. Do you think this will cause the epoxy and glass to "tent" in this area?I was told that with the keel I have, I could expect gas to get trapped, and cause a bubble seam.
I am thinking about glassing the two sides, and keel in a 3 part process. Bias stripping the keel last. I am also worried that the stems, which I have added to the old Strippers guide to canoe building Abenaki plan, will stick out oddly from the side of the canoe causing another problem spot. Would it be wise to sand this as close to the boat contour as possible to eliminate any possible gas build-up as well?
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JohnnyMilla_
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- Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:39 am
- Location: Lincoln NE
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Glen Smith
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- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada
I have used wood putty before with good results but I had to buy a whole variety of colours so I could mix and match.
The avatar is too small for me to see anything wrong except for the fact that the keel was installed before glassing the hull. It should have been installed after.
As for the outer stems, you could have some excess overhang on the sides. This sometimes happens when outer stems are added to a canoe that wasn't designed with outer stems in mind. I think you should plane and/or scrape them down to get a fair line from the hull to the stems.
The avatar is too small for me to see anything wrong except for the fact that the keel was installed before glassing the hull. It should have been installed after.
As for the outer stems, you could have some excess overhang on the sides. This sometimes happens when outer stems are added to a canoe that wasn't designed with outer stems in mind. I think you should plane and/or scrape them down to get a fair line from the hull to the stems.
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John Michne
- Posts: 116
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- Location: Clifton Park, NY
- Contact:
John -
If you used a yellow PVA glue like Titebond or Elmer's, it will dry white (and weak) when it is used below about 50 degrees F. This is called the chalk point, below which the glue is less effective.
On the filling, see my web site, http://michneboat.com . Scroll down the introductory page and click on My Web Site, then Builder's Corner. There is a list of articles designed to help beginning builders, and Filling the Cracks is one of them. I use thickened epoxy colored with wood flour for filling. The epoxy is structural, unlike wood putty.
Build on!!
- John
If you used a yellow PVA glue like Titebond or Elmer's, it will dry white (and weak) when it is used below about 50 degrees F. This is called the chalk point, below which the glue is less effective.
On the filling, see my web site, http://michneboat.com . Scroll down the introductory page and click on My Web Site, then Builder's Corner. There is a list of articles designed to help beginning builders, and Filling the Cracks is one of them. I use thickened epoxy colored with wood flour for filling. The epoxy is structural, unlike wood putty.
Build on!!
- John