LM18 Houston Tx

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VT_Jeff
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by VT_Jeff »

Looking great! Totally understand the "build now, paint later" mentality!
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.

Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
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Jeff
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by Jeff »

Congrats!!! Nice work!!! Jeff

ericwensel
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by ericwensel »

Seams taped. Did not have time or energy to fully glass so will have some sanding to do.

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Jeff
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by Jeff »

Nice work!!! Jeff

ericwensel
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by ericwensel »

Glassed the inside of the hull and sanded. I had a few small lamination problems where the glass fabric overlapped. Glassing the bottom seemed easier but it was over 30°F warmer when i did the bottom. I was able to grind out the problem areas and fill in with epoxy / chopped glass mixture.

I dry fit the stringers and bulk heads and it all fits nicely.

Image

Next step will be flipping again and painting. I received the Alexseal paint which includes Fighting Lady Yellow topcoat (for bottom) and Cloud White (for deck and cockpit area). I am using the brush converter with the roll additive. If anyone has rolled Alexseal and has any tips, i would be happy to hear them.

I have a couple very small areas that i want to sand and smooth before painting but within a couple weeks, i hope to have a painted hull ready to flip over again.

Before i paint, i need to add the bow eye. Any tricks to getting it in the right place. I assume i will need to flatten an area on the bow. I am thinking i will add a wood bloc in the bow and maybe glass over it. that will give me a flat spot to tighten the bolts down. See image below. Suggestions welcome.

Image

I am looking forward to the filleting and taping work that comes next.

jacquesmm
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by jacquesmm »

What you suggest is the correct way to install that bow eye. I don't grind the outside but instead simply bed the flat plate in epoxy putty or 5200 but either method is good.
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FluidDynamic
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by FluidDynamic »

ericwensel wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 12:05 am Glassed the inside of the hull and sanded. I had a few small lamination problems where the glass fabric overlapped. Glassing the bottom seemed easier but it was over 30°F warmer when i did the bottom. I was able to grind out the problem areas and fill in with epoxy / chopped glass mixture.

I dry fit the stringers and bulk heads and it all fits nicely.

Image

Next step will be flipping again and painting. I received the Alexseal paint which includes Fighting Lady Yellow topcoat (for bottom) and Cloud White (for deck and cockpit area). I am using the brush converter with the roll additive. If anyone has rolled Alexseal and has any tips, i would be happy to hear them.

I have a couple very small areas that i want to sand and smooth before painting but within a couple weeks, i hope to have a painted hull ready to flip over again.

Before i paint, i need to add the bow eye. Any tricks to getting it in the right place. I assume i will need to flatten an area on the bow. I am thinking i will add a wood bloc in the bow and maybe glass over it. that will give me a flat spot to tighten the bolts down. See image below. Suggestions welcome.

Image

I am looking forward to the filleting and taping work that comes next.
Check my thread out "panga 20 build". I rolled alexseal and it looked sprayed. There is some dust in it, but could be buffed out. You have to look close to see it. One think I quickly learned was to place 3 or 4 coats of primer on wet on wet to build enough thickness so you can sand flat before topcoat. Some people will argue against that, but it worked for me.. I also put two coats of Alexseal the same way before sanding to build up thickness.. The third and last coat went on next. You may have to do a fourth coat. When rolling, you want to get alot of paint out of roller before applying it to the boat. If the rollers loaded up too much, you will end up with runs. Once you roll out a 2' to 3' wide section, back roll it with very light pressure very slowly. After you go to next section, don't roll back over the area you just rolled other than to tie in. If you do go back over a spot thats been drying for a few minutes, you will get orange peel. I used cloud white and seafoam green. The paint is very hard. It takes alot to scratch once fully cured. I was also able to blend in an overlap by sanding up to 800 grit, then buffing with Totalbuff with a foam pad. Blended very well.

ericwensel
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by ericwensel »

Thanks FluidDynamic. That is good info.

I decided i would go ahead and glass in the stringers and bulkheads before flipping and painting. Hoping it wont be too heavy to flip. I think two people on each end should be able to flip rather easily. I did more sanding and then put in the stringers today.

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ericwensel
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by ericwensel »

Slow progress but I have filleted and taped the bulkheads at A, B, C and D. Probably will have to wait until it warms up a bit to put in E.
I did not fully glass A or B but will glass the exposed (bow side) of E. I noticed that some builders do fully glass the bulkheads. I would think it is not really necessary for strength but could help add toughness and thickness to the epoxy coating. Hence for exposed panels it seems to be a good idea.
I did not fully glass B on the stern side because i want to extend the bow side deck and install another bulkhead. I am calling it BB (see below orange and green). The cavity between B and BB i want to use for the batteries. I would use the cavity between A and B for the fuel tank.
I am thinking i will build as follows. Instead of a single piece for the bulkhead BB, i would have a separate panel below and above the cockpit deck.
Does anyone see any issues with this approach?

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jacquesmm
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Re: LM18 Houston Tx

Post by jacquesmm »

There is no need to fully glass the frames, only the seams.
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