Sorry to ask such a newbie question. I did a quick search of the archives and didn’t find my answer and don’t have 30 minutes to search…
When you add reinforcement patches around fin boxes, plugs etc, do you put them over or under the full length glass? I always put them under as the results looked cleaner, but I always get some sand throughs and was thinking that maybe it was better to sand through the edges of the patches rather than the full length glass.
I put them over, that way the full length fibres are more flat and there is less chance of small bubbles. The full length fibres lift up when putting the patch under, so a bump is there anyway. Sanding thru the patch is not as damaging as sanding thru the full length fibres.
This is just my opinion
llilibrel03,
I put them under the glass. 4 oz patches.
llilibel03,
I put them under the glass. 4 oz patches.
I like having some glass OVER my fin-boxes. What I do is glass the bottom, then, when cured, route the hole for the fin-box, glass it in, let cure. Then sand the box flush with the glass. You just have to be careful and it does add some labor time; Then glass the patch over the fin-box with or without taping the slot first.
That’s kind of what I was thinking, but I’m wondering what the professional glassers do.
Balsa, actually in this case I was thinking of FCS plugs.
I glassed over the X2 FCS plugs once (with epoxy), but it does not bond to the plugs. So it makes no sence to glass over these plugs.
I’m also interested in what the professionals do.
Under glass fin boxes 4oz footballs under the glass. Guns and boards for bigfoots will get a 4oz butterfly patch all under. I also try to lap the glass over the rail edge on the side fins.
If you work the saturated glass with the squeege you can get it to lay flat to prevent sand throughs. Also baste and sweet coats with a bit of prep sanding will go a long way to prevent headaches later.
I din't think fcs plugs needed glass over as they are installed after the hotcoat right? I put a reinforcement patch under the lam where the plugs are going to go though
astevens,
I put patches on for fcs too. Make fin marks and put patches down under glass while lamming. It doesn’t go over the plug, obviously, but still adds needed strength around the plugs.
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''.... better to sand through the edges of the patches rather than the full length glass.''
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Exactly right.
Howzit llilibel, I have always put the patchs on top for the same reason that you and Bill mentioned. Think about what happens if you put the patch underneath and you sand through ll around the patch area. You would have no strength and a possible leakage problem. I do my deck patches the same way also. Aloha,Kokua