Try this again...

[1BadTitan]

Well Gentlemen, apparently I need everything spelled out for me. As you all already know I have been rebuilding my transom in my 14' Fiberglass fishing boat. You have all helped me out so far, but I am a bit slow when it comes to what I need to do. So far, I bought a 4x8 3/4" B/C Exterior grade Fir from HomeDepot. I cut out 2 pieces to make my transom, glued them together with TiteBond III Ultimate wood glue and screwed it together with #10 x 1 1/4" galv wood screws. I sanded it all and filled the holes... That came out great. Today I sealed the edges of my new transom boards with Poly resin and laid a layer of CSM and resin on the face of it. I'm using Evercoat Boatyard Polyester Resin for this job.
Now on to the boat side... I filled the spot I cut through with the sawzall with West System Six10. I then filled the holes in the outer skin of the transom with the same stuff. It had many small holes from the PO and his obsession with hooks and bolts. I sanded the outer skin, and about 12" in all around where I'll be installing the new transom. Its all been wiped with acetone afterward.
My questions are:
1. What do I use to bond the board to the existing outter transom skin? Glue, resin, putty...
(not epoxy too much $$... I've spent enough on the stuff I already have)

2. I bought some West System 404 filler and have alot of shredded csm for my "peanut butter"... How will I keep the resin from kicking off before I set all this in place?

3. While I was doing the new boards, the resin was starting to kick a little too fast. The can has the mixture on the label as 17cc of hardener per quart of resin... How do I calculate CC's into drops or any other measuremant? Does anyone have experience in this?

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Try this again...

#1 Most here use a thickened resin, (the receipe is on the forum, just search Peanut Butter) it's just resin thickened up with cabosil and chopped fibers, and this works well. Other have used epoxy, and I've used both and also have used just CSM and resin, now this is if you've got two good smooth surfaces to work with, I just appy a couple layers of CSM to the outer skin and a layer to the wood and clamp them together....never had any issues at all...

#2 Make sure everything is ready to go before catalzing the resin. Wood properly fitted, clamps adjusted, cloth cut (if you're using the CSM method)...get the drift, basically have everything prepared and do a trial run to make sure all is really ready to assemble. The temperature greatly effects the cure time, I see you're in PA so the cooler temps will lenghten cure times. You should have a good 15 minutes or so, plenty of time if everything is arranged and ready to go.

#3 Here's my method for adding the MEKP. I used graduated measuring cups and do it all in CC's 29.5 CC = 1 ounce, so if you're doing say 24 ounces or resin the math is 24 x 29.5 = 708 2% of 708 = 14.1 so add 14 CC or MEKP and stir well...very well.. if you're using metric cups it's really easy... 100 ml or resin...2 ml MEKP simpe. Whatever method you use it's 1.5 - 2% MEKP....

CW

 

[1BadTitan]

Re: Try this again...

Thanks buddy... I did it today when I got home. I used chopped fibers and West System 404 to thicken it up, man it got thick fast! I only used one layer of csm between the existing outter skin and the boards, hated to cheap out, but its all I had on hand. So I mixed up some extra PB and spread it on the outter skin, wet out the layer I had on the boards and stuck them together. I have 6 work holders clamping it in there. I then took another batch of PB and laid it all around the edges where the wood and glass meet. Tomorrow I'll pick up some more csm and start cutting and fitting strips to start filleting. Or can I use cloth? I have plenty of cloth... I have 5 yards of cloth and a gallon of resin, that should be enough to finish this job. If I pick this up tomorrow, will I have to first sand the work before I start to lay the cloth out? I wouldnt think so, because the transom was dry from yesterday when I covered that, but it was slightly tacked when I picked it up today.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Try this again...

What kind of resin R U using? I gallon of resin will NOT be enough to wet out 5 yds of cloth. You do not need cloth for filleting. Take a look at the drawings in the link in my signature and it will show you how to finish your transom. A typical transom takes approx. 3 gallons of resin. You use PB to fillet (create concave coves so the glass CSM and cloth with lay around the corner more easily) You then use full layers of CSM and Cloth to tab the Transom to the hull. If you search the forum you'll find plenty of pics and descriptions on how this is done.

I'm not sure why you started this new thread. Myself and a lot of other knowledgeable members gave you solid advice on your previous thread on how to install your transom. I have repeated it here along with Cadwelder. We can't do it for you. In your other thread you said you looked at the drawings and understood what to do. I'm really at a loss on what you want us to do. I posted one of the best threads here on the forum for you to study that has pics and descriptions of exactly how to build your transom, how to mix and use PB to fillet in the transom, how to use the CSM and 1708 cloth to finish the transom and tie it into the boat. What else can we do?

 

[1BadTitan]

Re: Try this again...

Hey woody, I read everything from my last thread and it all made sense, I just needed a little clarification on a few things and the thread was dead... No one was responding anymore. Sorry to constantly bother you, but I only want to do this once. I'm using Evercoat Boatyard resin, I bought 2 gallons, and have used one so far setting the transom and making all the PB to curve the edges. Sorry my lingo was off a bit, I already have the filleting done. Now I need to tab teh transom to the hull and give it a finished look. Is there any particular finish coat I should use instead of the resin I'm using? I intend to paint it after its done.
Again, sorry to bother you guys... I just want to make sure I'm doing this right.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Try this again...

You are not bothering anyone. Just appears that you are not doing much searching and researcing here on the forum. There are tons of pics and examples to show and tell you exactly what to do with your boat. I gave you the links. You need to cover your entire transom with a layer of CSM and then another Layer or two of 1708 Biaxial cloth and extend them approx. 6 to 8 inches onto the sides and bottom of the hull. If you do this you will need more than a Gallon of resin. Does the resin have wax in it? If so you will have to lay all of this up at one time. Do some studying and reading as I have suggested.

 

[1BadTitan]

Re: Try this again...

The resin doesnt have wax in it. Today I tabbed the transom to the hull, the resin from yesterday was dry but if I held my finger on it and pressed, it felt a bit tacky. So I did feel the need to sand first. its coming out pretty good. Its all tabbed in and I applied the CSM over the inner board and around the corners. I also capped the top with resin, Shredded fiberglass and west 404 for thickening. It was the consistancy of cake icing. I worked it on and worked all the air out. Then I took strips of csm and placed them up and over my work. Tomorrow, I need to lay out my 1708 and I should be done.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Try this again...

Resin without wax will always feel a bit tacky even when cured. Takes several days for it to fully cure and the tack to go away. No need to sand for the next layer if you don't have wax in the resin. Better if you don't. Are you putting full layers of CSM and 1708 over the Entire Transom and onto the sides of the Hull and bottom?

 

[1BadTitan]

Re: Try this again...

I did one full layer of csm before I set the board in. After it was in, I laid another complete layer of csm on. Now I just used 1708 in 5" strips to tab in the hull. Tomorrow I was just gonna lay one big piece of cloth in to over lay the whole job and be done with it. I think that should be enough, its just a 14' fishing boat with a 6hp tiller on the back.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Try this again...

That full layer will prolly take more than 1 gallon of resin if that's all you have left.

 

[1BadTitan]

Re: Try this again...

Well after finishing all my tabbing, and making the cap, I no longer have that gallon. All I have left is about 8' of fiberglass cloth. I'll get more resin and finish this thing up. Thanks for all your help woody, your scetches of how it should be layered were the biggest help.