polyester resin ?

[GracieBell1]

Re: polyester resin ?

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I have glassed before but am far from an expert. Would mat, woven mat woven mat and a mat cap be good? Or should I not use a cap? I plan on the first layer an 8" tab and the second to the top of the stringer. I am nervous about going over the top since everyone has so much trouble with air when you go over the top of a stringer. would two tabbings and mat over the whole thing work for the transom? Thanks again, Stefan

 

[drewpster]

Re: polyester resin ?

I found when capping the stringers that you dont have too much trouble with mat as long as the corners are rounded over pretty good and you use plenty of resin. It will also help if you roll the cap down to about half the stringer's width. In other words, wrap it far enough down the stringer that the sides help hold the top tight.
Another BIG help with using the roving is to do the mat and the roving at the same time. Roll the mat down wet and soak it until it is clear, then roll dry roving on to the wet mat. If the mat is soaked pretty good then there is enough resin to also soak the roving. You may have some dry spots crop up so keep a pan of resin close by.
A grooved roller is also a must-have in my book. It rolls out all the bubbles so lifting is minimized.

 

[GracieBell1]

Re: polyester resin ?

Thanks Drewpster...So It will be ok to just use mat to cap it? My motor mounts were all matt as well. Would I be able to bring the mat and roving tabbing up to the tops of the mounts and then just use mat to cap the as well? They were about 1/4" thinck on top.

 

[drewpster]

Re: polyester resin ?

Yes you can cap them with mat. The main reason for it is to seal the surface from water intrusion anyway. All the strength and bond are on the sides and on to the hull. If you need to build thickness to the tops of the stringers, use roving between the mat layers. Just dont bother to roll the roving over the top corners. Some strips of roving only on the tops will build the thickness you need and you can roll the mat down the sides to cap them off.
Have all your glass pre-cut and ready to go for the whole layup. Pour resin (unkicked) in to two or three seperate pots, maybe 1/2 quart or so in each, and have them waiting on your work bench. Only mix the hardener in the pot that you are about to use. Mix the next pot as you use the resin up. This way as you use resin, only the pot you are using gets hardener. When you have used enough, the next pot (unkicked) can go back in to the bucket. (make sense?) Once you do it a few times you will get a feel for how much resin you will need for a given layup. I always pour about 1/2 quart at a time to prevent wasting resin. Just make sure you don't mistakingly pour a kicked pot back in to the resin bucket! Or put a stick used to mix a pot in to an unkicked one. that ruins the whole batch. Even a small amount of kicked resin on a mixing stick will ruin an unmixed batch, so use seperate sticks.
The idea is to have some speed while you are working and prevent wasting resin by kicking too much at a time. I have done large layups by myself using this technique and never had a problem with resin gelling up on me at the wrong time. The trick is to have everything pre-planned and ready before you start and to stay busy until you get everything laid in place.
Have your seperate pots, stir sticks, roller, pan, cut fiberglass, resin, rollers, chip brush, gloves, bells whistles and siren ready to work before mixing the first pot.

 

[GracieBell1]

Re: polyester resin ?

WOW....drewpster I cannot thank you enough. I have read many of your posts in the past and am very excited to get this info. I did not realize I could do that. I assumed that all of the glass for the mounts had to be in big continuos pieces. Like big sheets....Being able to glass the sided of the mount to the hull and cap the tops will make life so much easier. I have been racking my brain on how to cut the glass so it would work....Like the pic below I got from someone on here. I am dying to get back to work on it now.

 

[drewpster]

Re: polyester resin ?

To do the face of the transom or a deck for instance, I try to use larger pieces. It is much easier to use a single sheet on a flat continuous surface. The difficulty comes in when you are doing corners or complex shapes. Sometimes it is necessary to do layups in pieces. I do stringers in strips. Since you are doing members that are never going to be seen, it is not necessary to make the layers pretty. I lay the strips down each side of the stringer and lap joint ends where the sheets come together. You can do butt joints if you need to prevent a lump where the sheets overlap, but a lap joint will be slightly stronger and water tight.

This is a picture of my prep for laying-up the starboard set of stringers.

 

[GracieBell1]

Re: polyester resin ?

This is so great!!! I used a scarf joint on my stringers. They are 12" high until I get to the motor area then they are about 6" high. I used about a 2 foot scarf joint and glued the joint with PL and then will lay the tabbing like you said in long strips. The area in the motor well is funny. Four Winns made an "L" shaped piece that stepped up to get it deck high. I will list a pic. The back side of the string had NO glass but the fron in the pic has about 1/4" in the thickest part, and that is being generous. I planned on working mat and roving over it like it looks from the factory. But the factory only used mat.

 

[GracieBell1]

Re: polyester resin ?

Carzy Right?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: polyester resin ?

Has this thread been Hijacked?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: polyester resin ?

Looks like Gracie Bell needs some instructions on usage of the forum. He originally posted back in Jan. 2010 has since started several other threads and now has been posting his pics and questions here. IMHO not KOOL! He should stick with his own thread and ONLY make comments here about the OP's project. But maybe I'm just old and senile!


I'm just sayin...

 

[twkjr 1250]

Re: polyester resin ?

just cut the boat in half ,get a new boat and start your own thread. not trying to be funny but i would like some help to on my own thread thank you

 

[drewpster]

Re: polyester resin ?

Understood. no need worrying about me commenting again.

 

[twkjr 1250]

Re: polyester resin ?

i dont mind the one liners type qiuck answers to help . don't get me wrong . but it got so long it made think i was on someone elses thread . with that said i commend you for helping other members

 

[GracieBell1]

Re: polyester resin ?

"thats to funny . I was just staring at my new transom before i laminate it in . I realized there is glue inbetween each layer there for the epoxy , resin ,or what ever you use can only satuate the first layer. however i still feal strong that everybodys method is needed , it is up to the individual to study all post and figure what is best for them selves. For me the next time i would do full strenght after it laying in sun;then another coat. still i think mine will still be good to go. confrontations go to my new post these other post are to help solve and fix our boating needs.thankyou and have a very peaceful life."

I am sorry, I assumed you were done after stating the above. My comments and questions were about polyester nor did you ask andy other questions, but my bad!!!Thankx for making your point so clear as I am new and don't understand much!!!!VERY nice of you!!!