Yes..I read that several times. It doesn't address my question of 1708(glass and mat stitched together). This is a thicker material than mat alone... I was hoping someone with experience using the mat/glass combo has some knowledge as to the flexibility versus csm or 17 oz alone...
I used 1708 on my stringers and didn't have any problems with it bending from stringer to hull.... I was using poly resin though. In the article above seems the only thing different with epoxy it won't wet out clear but stays somewhat white.
1708 conforms well to any substrate. You won't have any issue with that. As RR stated the only issue with using 1708 with epoxy is...your wasting resin and therefore money. Epoxy does not require the CSM mat whereas the Polyester resin DOES require it. All the CSM does when using epoxy is soak up additional resin and costs. The fabric will conform and layout pretty much the same. 3/4 oz CSM does NOT stiffen the fabric to any great extent.
1708 conforms well to any substrate. You won't have any issue with that. As RR stated the only issue with using 1708 with epoxy is...your wasting resin and therefore money. Epoxy does not require the CSM mat whereas the Polyester resin DOES require it. All the CSM does when using epoxy is soak up additional resin and costs. The fabric will conform and layout pretty much the same. 3/4 oz CSM does NOT stiffen the fabric to any great extent.
BRD, the key to laying glass is to make sure and precoat your plywood with resin first and then lay the glass on top of the resin. This allows the resin to to come up thru the glass from the back side as well as from the topside when you apply more resin. Using a short nap roller and applying pressure will force the resin into and up thru the weave of the fabric. DON'T over roll it however. Once the fabric goes kinda Clear you're done. Move on and don't come back. Vertical surfaces are the toughest especially with epoxy. It doesn't setup as fast and therefore wants to settle to base and not stay of on the vertical surface. You have to babysit it and continually pull the resin back to the top of the vertical surface in order to keep the fabric wet with resin. YOu'll get the hang of it and you'll start to discover just how much resin it takes to wet out the fabric. At first you'll use Way to much resin, everybody does. Remember you only need to use enough to wet it out and make it go clear and that's all. any more is just a waste.
Thank WOG. It's super cold here now, and my garage isn't heated so I'm at least another month out from being able to do this. I already had a hard enough time with the resin while I was doing the stringers, in that it took soooooo long to cure(cold outside). I think I'll invest in a large heater for the garage to make it warm in there!
Like the project, its coming together pretty good, can't wait to dig into mine and finally get the ball rolling but just like your issue its been cold and raining seems like every time I get days I can start the weather takes a dump on me, but Im deffinantly ready to start
Alright guys!! Weather has warmed up (yes...this happens in February) and I'm about to glass in my first stringer. Thanks for all the tips this winter, and I should have pictures after this weekend. I can't wait much longer to get her in the water after the new throttle and shifting cables, new tach, new steering cable, freshened up tilt/trim hydraulics, overhauled carbs on the ol' 6 cylinder merc, cosmetic updates( including removing the 70s vinyl stick on wood trim to vinyl stick on 2000s carbon fiber trim!), cassette deck removed and replaced with a never-to-be-out-of-date Bluetooth mp3 radio ;-), fully lubed and overhauled mercontroller(now like BUTTAH!!). For a first boat without many things on it...there is a LOT of stuff!!!
Thank for the kudos. Ran out of resin for the other side today, but I'll pick up some more, bed the other stringer this week. I'll glass this weekend and start the floor!!
BRD, the key to laying glass is to make sure and precoat your plywood with resin first and then lay the glass on top of the resin. This allows the resin to to come up thru the glass from the back side as well as from the topside when you apply more resin. Using a short nap roller and applying pressure will force the resin into and up thru the weave of the fabric. DON'T over roll it however. Once the fabric goes kinda Clear you're done. Move on and don't come back. Vertical surfaces are the toughest especially with epoxy. It doesn't setup as fast and therefore wants to settle to base and not stay of on the vertical surface. You have to babysit it and continually pull the resin back to the top of the vertical surface in order to keep the fabric wet with resin. YOu'll get the hang of it and you'll start to discover just how much resin it takes to wet out the fabric. At first you'll use Way to much resin, everybody does. Remember you only need to use enough to wet it out and make it go clear and that's all. any more is just a waste.
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