Penny pinching PL

[HopeSheFloats]

Hey folks, here's one I couldn't find anything on...I'm planning on using PL to bed the stringers, cool...everyone 'pretty much' agrees thats a fine solution, main thing being is to keep the stringers off the hull to avoid hard spots. My question is..if thats all thats needed{keep the stringers off the hull} couldn't one use just a dollop of PL say every 6 - 10 inches or so? Can't see the reasoning to use three or four tubes{or more depending on size/length} if the goal is just to keep them suspended...what am I missing?

 

[redfury]

Re: Penny pinching PL

The purpose of the PL is to fill the voids where you won't have a perfect fit to the hull. To BED the stringers in can be thought of this way. Take a mattress and put it on the floor. Now lay on it. The purpose of the BED is to keep the lower points ( heavier ) from hitting the floor and to keep YOU suspended comfortably. Same concept for the stringer wood.

The only difference is that no one tucks the sheets over you so tight you can't move anymore

BTW, penny pinch what? I tube of industrial sized PL is less than $7/tube. I just bought 4 of them happily.

Worry about pinching pennies when you get to buying your resin! The local Auto Value wanted $68/gal for polyester resin! You can get it for around $45/gal shipped from US composites!

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: Penny pinching PL

OK, this is where I get confused, Is the wood after tabbing & glassing of any use structurally? Maybe I've been misinterpeting some of what I've been reading..I've been thinking the wood is more of a form for the F/G than a structural component...Getting back to my cheaping out on the PL {lol} hopefully my template and cutting are not so haphazard as to leave any sort of major gaps that would require a complete "bed" or am I wrong and there is a need for the full contact area between the stringer and the hull? Thanks for bearing with this noob, I just like to think out-loud at times and can always use different thoughts than just these voices in my head.

Hey, penny pinching keeps the wife away lol, besides every dollar saved is another dollar in the gas tank which leads to more lake runnin

 

[109jb]

Re: Penny pinching PL

The wood is structural. On most smaller boats there is only enough fiberglass to connect the wood to the hull and to sort of waterproof.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: Penny pinching PL

Thanks 109jb, it's all coming into view now, appreciate both of your help!!!

 

[nelsonssix]

Re: Penny pinching PL

I got the impression you used bedding to also distribute the force on the hull evenly to the stringer. As the hull gets pounded by the water, the fiberglass is being smacked against the stringers. If you have voids in the contact between the stringer and the hull you are concentrating that force to the area only where the bedding makes contact with the stringer. Seems to me you could cause early fatigue in the laminate by only bedding every 6".
Just my 1/2 cent. I found resin locally for $30/gal with 3oz MEKP from a Fiber glass supply shop. If you can check around locally maybe you can pay for the PL by saving money on the Resin. I can't believe how much this stuff varies from place to place price wise.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Penny pinching PL

you also have voids for water to collect, and cause your problem all over again.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: Penny pinching PL

Thanks so much folks for clearing that up, awesome to have a site like this to help 'see the light'. And this was not because I'm cheap lol{I've even sprung for epoxy resin} but more along the lines of..I like to know the 'whys' along with the 'hows' when learning anything...again, thanks for taking the time and for being here!