RB16 new build KY 1st timer

[TommyD]

I like the idea of wet on wet and less sanding. What do you think the shortest length of 2 layers of tape should be. If I work quickly do I have time to to do one 16’ run on my boat or is that 2 dicey? If that is too much is there a way to break the length up and do 2 layers for 8’ today and the rest tomorrow? Or if it’s too much am I just stuck with one layer of 16’ fg then sand and do it again the next day? I’ve never done this so just throwing out ideas. Thanks in advance for ideas.

[Buz]

Whats your working temperature and hardener speed? Answer depends on that. But I don't have the experience to give you a better answer on time.

For instance, its in the 60s days and 50s at night here now. After watching my slow stuff cure, I've come to feel that I could be putting another layer on tomorrow, but I'd need to sand first the next day.

I think you (we) should plan to do one seam, see how that goes and plan from there.

Wet-out then fillet/glue a whole length of seam. Your cured outer seams need sanding and rounding now, but use wet fillets inside. Wet the seam wood wide enough for your staggered tapes with a chip brush, smoothing the glue as you do. Lay the glass in the goo, don't forget the stagger. Lightly press it into the goo without denting your purty, wet, fillet on the inside, and go to sticking it down. By the time you rest up from that hour or so, you'll be anxious to lay that last layer of tape on, staggered, of course.

Writing it out helps me get my mind right too, I'm right behind you on mine.

[TommyD]

Exactly what I did. Got one seam done and thought I had enough time to lay the second.

Looks like low 70’s for a few days then back into the mid 50’s and mid 60’s for the week after that. Lows 30’s and 40’s. Slow resin.

Buz, So I know it’s just a guess but how long do you estimate you have at those temps? How do you tell when the clock is running out?

I ended up using a 4” foam roller to put the resin on, seems faster than the brush.
I put one seem on the chine today and decided to go for it on the 2nd layer of fg. Mixed up 3 different batches of epoxy to finish the job. Was humping cause wasn’t sure when it would screw up.

Kind of anxious to see how it turns out.

attachment=0]IMG_3137.jpeg[/attachment]

Thanks for all the help, I need it! First time working with epoxy.

Buz what plan are you building?

[Buz]

I have at least a half hour of working time with slow. My FB-11 was done with fast in warmer temps and I usually fought it kicking too fast for me, and my slow self.

I've read in a West System book that putting it on over tacky is best, but that just past that is still okay, so long as its still soft it'll make the bond. I doubt you can consider it still "wet" enough the next day with fast or even with slow in the 70s. If a fingernail will only barely dent it you should wait another day till it gets hard enough to sand.

The roller is probably better than what I did. I lifted 6oz tape with it on my rowboat.

My thread is the Ob15 in NC in that lower powerboat forum.

[TommyD]

So if it’s a 30m work time do I not have to get that 2nd layer of fg in place and wetted out in that time frame? Or do I have a bigger window?

[Buz]

Mix enough for one layer at a time. Get the next layer on anytime before that layer gets hard. Your window for laying the next layer (without sanding between layers) is between real wet but already stuck enough not to move and too hard to dent very easily with your fingernail.

With slow, you've probably seen it like that in the morning after a late application the day before, very soft and pliable. And seen how much harder it is by evening, probably too hard then though it may still clog paper.

[Buz]

Also, it looks like your tape is starved for resin. Shouldn't be any white after you stop messing with it. It goes all the way to clear before your done adding/moving epoxy.

[TommyD]

Ok so looks like a decent sized window to work in. The exact information I needed. It was wetted out pretty clear or so I thought. By the time I got to the other end of the boat it had started with some white showing back through. Anything I should do? It’s hard this morning.

[Jaysen]

I'll hae to see if I can get Reid to comment, but at one time the statement was about "cure time at temp" not surface quality. "Wet", to a large degree" is to ensure chemical bond. That is more important than smashing the top layer into lower layers. That said, in an ideal world, you are proper wet and useing compressive forces to remove excess epoxy.

recap:
* I'll tag Reid
* wet is supposed to be about cure time not tackiness
* but actual wet with compressive force is utopia (Fallgauy1000 and his vac table).

[TommyD]

I did use the plastic spreaders and the lamination roller that Reid supplied on that joint.