I’ll definately agree with the relax part. Glad you could also get some use out of this thread.
I’m a little worried at this point…did you go straight from lam to hot coat?
It doesn’t matter if I’m doing poly or epoxy…after lam, the board gets hot coated…the only exception would be a poly board that gets glass on fins. Even then the deck would get hot coated before the fins get installed onto the bottom lam.
Why…contamination…Where do all the epoxy Problems come from? Temp and what ???
If you are trying to fix fin boxes and other problems before the first hot coat…oh my…
Please tell me you already hot coated the board…
Ray
…
Deck and bottom are both hotcoated. Drilled holes in to the air pockets and going to fill with resin tonight or tomorrow and repatch. The do a second hot coat as you suggested and maybe bake it for a night. We don’t have any surf on the horizon so I might just let it sit to cure.
hi tim , i just thought i would add the use of a hair dryer is a good tool if the resin starts to get a bit thick , i normally use one to just keep the resin thin and it flows a lot better into the weave of the cloth , some resins are less viscous than others but a hair dryer is a good help for all epoxies, pete
Hi Pete,
Thanks for the tip, but I have a question in this regard: Doesn’t heating speed up the setting of the resin? So if the resin is starting to gel, isn’t heating it going to make it worse?
As far as my progress with my first epoxy glass job is concerned, I have now laminated both sides, and hotcoated the bottom. In this process, I have had to fill bubbles with the two-holes-and-syringe method; and, I also now know exactly what fish-eyes are 
But it’s my fault, I broke the rules - temp was only about 17C and it was very humid (it started raining while I was doing the hotcoat). So, my second beginner-experience tip is: YES, THE RULES DO APPLY TO YOU! IF YOU WORK WITH EPOXY IN COLD AND WET CONDITIONS, YOU WILL HAVE PROBLEMS.
Speaking of fish-eyes, can I just fill them with a dab of resin at this stage (before sanding the hotcoat)?
Tim
I know it’s a bit of a thread resurrection, but I just wanted to add: Stingray, this has been invaluable to me. I am partway through my first epoxy lam and it’s going so much smoother than it would have without this kind of step-by-step simple guide. Super helpful, and I’m stoked!
I am also getting ready for my first glass job (first time w/ RR epoxy, & no poly experience),
this is what I understand but not quite sure of, correct my list as neccesary.
I am using an EPS blank, RR with additive F and fast hardening agent (thats what they sent me)
1. Sand finished board and do not touch with an ungloved hand
2. install under-glass fin boxes (I also like the idea of an under-glass leash plug as well, can I use the same process as the FCS video?)
http://straightout.com/stream/fcsinstall01.wmv
3. lay down each layer of fiberglass over bottom (1-3)
4. apply mixed epoxy all at once over stringer,
" Pour with one over stringer and one nearer each rail for a total of 3 pour zones. If you move the epoxy too much it will get frothy.spread out with yellow squeegee, turn the laps onto deck"-Guywhocantsurf
.."I've had yellow bondo spreaders bleed....it just depends who made them....do some testing first..."-Stingray (Laps 1 inch overhang?).
5. wait for resin to harden
6. sand laps (just the deck or rails also?)
7. lay down all layers of deck glass (1-3)
8.apply mixed epoxy all at once over stringer, spread out with yellow squeegee, turn the laps onto bottom.
9. wait to harden, sand, and then apply final hotcoat of epoxy with special sanding additive (top and bottom)
10. wait to harden then sand to 100-220
Does this sound right?
P.S. I have also heard of heating or refrigerating the resin before adding hardener to ease lamination process, depending on conditions, anyone tried that?
4. Pour with one over stringer and one nearer each rail for a total of 3 pour zones. If you move the epoxy too much it will get frothy. I believe the froth will still cure clear. (hasn't happened to me so not sure)
6. Not sure what you mean but only sand what overlaps onto the deck. Let it cure pretty good or it can smudge.
8. See 4
9. Only sand what laps onto bottom. Also additive f is used in the lam as well. 1cc per oz for lam. 2oz per cc for hot coat.
One other bit of advice I picked up off a thread from NJ_surfer is to paint some resin onto the lap area first. Helps to get the laps wet out. I took Stingray's advice and did a second hotcoat to prevent pin air. I can't stress enough the importance of clean laps. I found out the hard way, saves a lot of work. Take your time and it will come out great, Stingray did a great job from A to Z on this thread.
RYJU7968........you need to go back and read the whole thread.....read it more than once.....nobody ever says anything about yellow squeeges
...gloved hands...sure ,why not.....read the thread.....wash your hands...it's good for you
I've had yellow bondo spreaders bleed....it just depends who made them....do some testing first...
Yep… paint some resin on the lap area only, from the apex down. Do not get any resin above the apex, or the cloth will stick to it and you’ll have a hard time getting the wrinkles out when you start to pull. If you keep the resin below the apex, the cloth will hang freely over the rail until you deliberately lap the cloth.
Great post guys ! Thanks for all the tips…
[quote="$1"]
Great post guys ! Thanks for all the tips...
[/quote]
You're welcome.......
Resin Research has made many improvements to their products over the last few years. The CE Resin has better brighteners and the whole line of resin products has better UV blockers. Epoxy boards don't yellow like they used to! The Resin Research Kwick Kick works really good. The crew over here at the Lab is even doing cut laps with the Kwick Kick. There's lot's of epoxy resins out there......Resin Research CE and Kwick Kick do the trick!
Stingray
Hi guys, My first board - i have glassed the bottom and the deck and on both sides I can still see the weave - is this normal - I am using epoxy RR resin and 6oz glass - will the weave dissapear with the hot coat or should i be lightly sanding the deck and bottom prior to the hot coat.
its normal (for me) to see a little of the texture of the weave - but if you see a white patch of weave showing, you didn’t wet it out fully. I always sand between coats, but thats just me.
Huck spelled it out pretty good. It will sort of be like nonskid on a boat…but translucent…and resembling the weave of the fabric. No white patches. I don’t sand between coats. I do it exactly like this thread and I haven’t had an issue yet. Other than my undeveloped skills.
-Eric
PS Post pics when you finish.
Cheers guys, No white patches I can just feel the weave through the epoxy - so just to clarify - if sanding would 240 girt be ok… or should i just do the hotcoat and this will then smooth out the weave of the glass. I know its is recommended to do the hot coat when the epoxy is still tacky but i have to leave the board to harden over night in the garage due to the temperature in Cardiff this time of year.
I usually have the opposite problem of it being too hot. According to RR, if you use additive F, you shouldn’t have to sand but many swear by sanding and rinsing. Whatever you do, try to keep from touching the board with your bare hands. I wear two pairs of gloves so if I contaminate one I can just pull it off and have another one in place.
There will be an exponential number of varying answers as to the number of questions you ask. What works for some, doesn’t for others. Hopefully someone in your region can speak up and tell you what works for them.
Hmmmmmm........go with Huck on the weave stuff....no to the 240 sandpaper....
There's things you could have done different...but...you havn't done anything wrong.............................................
If you lam and hot coat (fill coat) in less than 24 hours you get a better chemical bond.....I did not make that up...the miss-understanding is that you need to hot coat when tacky....no..... just 24 hours...and I bet you could go longer....my wife is calling me for dinner so I'll be back later.......don't stress out......Ray
If you end up sanding the lam use a big grit like 60 or 80. You want big grits so it doesn’t get so smooth that the resin won’t have anything to grab onto. Just use it to take down the overlaps and scuff it up some. If you sand too much you’ll possibly sand through the cloth and that’ll make for a very weak glass job.