which is better..chopped or hand laid???

[whisker]

hi guys,
i found an ole timer been in boat business for 45 years.. he said he installs transom with a chop gun..which is better hand laid or gun?

 

[steelespike]

Re: which is better..chopped or hand laid???

As far as boat hulls go as I understand it hand laid is
stronger and easier to repair.I would think transoms would follow.
My guess is advantages of a chop gun are for the builder not the consumer.

 

[Kevin70]

Re: which is better..chopped or hand laid???

I would think that they are about the same. Mat is just short strands of glass, just like the stuff that comes out of the chop gun. Mat is just held together with a light bonding agent that disolves when it touches resin anyway. I don't think the average person would be equiped to deal with the mess of the gun method.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: which is better..chopped or hand laid???

K70 has it right, you can do a good job or a bad job with either one. If it's only chop then it's not that strong, but neither is a hand layed mat only layup, you need roving or other types of glass to make it stronger.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: which is better..chopped or hand laid???

Whisker, Long strands of fiberglass are much stronger than short strands. Therefore you want hand laid long strands (not chop gun) for the hull. The covering on the floor is perfectly suitable for using a chop gun, as is the inside cover of the transom. I guess as a rule, hand laid for all exterior surfaces (hull and deck). The chop gun is acceptable (not optimum) for the interior surfaces.