Glassing lap bump?

General Discussion
1

Im sure i am just missing what is going on, but here is the situation.

I glassed a sky blue botton with a tapped off deck. Resin was standard Poly and set and dried well. Heres the problem, how do i cut the lap without gouging foam? Also, once this is cut, there will be a noticible bump where the glass ends, and the raw foam begins. Glassing over that bump will leave a depression all over the deck, and a higher spot on the rail where the two layers overlap. Im not sure what to do about these highspots and depressions in the glass around the laps. My initial though was sand down the high spots to be even with the low spots. But you cannot sand lam Poly resin. What should i do?

Resin - poly and MEKP

Glass 2x 6oz on the deck, 1x 6oz on thwe bottom. 

Only the bottom will recieve the sky blue color. 

Lastly, i have glassed before. However this is my first cutlap job, so dumb it down for the rookie haha

 

As always, thanks for reading and any input you can give

Angus-

 

2

Cut laps are normally cut before full cure when its still some what tacky. If allowed to full cure its a bitch and the risk of hurting the foam is higher. If the bottom is going to be the blue and the deck is clear, I'd either light grind the rough spots on the lap or do a small hotcoat fill along the cutlap only. The hotcoat fill (my preference on your situation)will allow you to sand easier and keep from messing too much with the cut line. If you only do the light grind with no hotcoat fill, make sure when you go to lam the deck to fill the cutlap with extra lam resin to get all the bubbles out. After that cures, if there is still a bump, you can do a quick small hotcoat fill along the cutlap, let it cure then sand it down to level it for the full hotcoating. I personally don't like messing too much with the colored lap to keep from gumming up the area or messing up the cut line. I try my best to squeegee it down really good so when I go to cut it its just a ridge with no bumps and higher edges that catch and screw up the deck lam.

3

Next time read up on the steps and process required to glass a board before you just grab some resin hoping everything will work out or that the Bros over at Sways can somehow rescue you.  You’ll be lucky if you can cut the lap without any damage. Use a Stanley knife and blade instead of a razor blade.  You’ll need the extra strength and grip to cut glass that should have been cut with a razor when it was the consistency of cheese,  Press the knife down onto the hardened glass with one hand and pull the glass and tape up and away as you cut.  If you use this technique you will not press down hard enough to cut deep into the foam.  When you’ve got the lap cut;  Press the edge of the lap down into the foam with a thimble or seam roller…  You can and it is standard procedure to grind or lightly sand the edge of the lap.  If you don’t have a die grinder and Rol-loc disk set-up; use a hard sanding block and some 60 or 80 grit…  Then baste the edge of the lap with a brush and lam resin.

4

Really McDing, soooooo grumpy!  Half the fun and where you learn the most is in the recovery.

Relax hippo, all is not lost, and put down the razor blades.  Epoxy cut laps are done like this all the time, especially when bagging with tint.  Go to your surf supply or auto body store and get a flat body file.  http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/flat-body-files-p-12263.aspx

You take the file, and similar to a violin bow where the musician is only playing one string, you file right on the ridge made by your tape under the cloth.  I do it this way on all my vacummed boards.  If you tinted, would end up with about an 1/8" color fade, where the lam thins out.  Easy to leave, or cover with pin line.  Just make sure you get rid of all the masking tape under the cloth.

Forget the die grinder, as you are much more likely to gouge.  15 minutes and you are done.  Way slower than the 1 minute to have done a razor zip cut when still wet, but way better than trying to jamb a razor blade through hard resin and cloth and the trip to the emergency room that follows.

5

…what I do not get it is why do you have those high spots and low spots…

The only problem you have right now should be the harder edge to cut…

Because: you tape the foam (the deck) then do the lamination and just that…I mean, cut laps are cleaner in that lap edge than free laps if you are newbie.

So seems that you put too much resin on the rails and the resin drops to the edge, etc

After the cut, I suggest a mixed technique between the others say; kind of safer too: masking both sides of the edge, 1/8 total (1/16 each side) and apply resin with a small brush, very flat; pull the tapes until harden. Masking again the foam part only, then flat out and smooth everything with 50 grit sandpaper (Grey one or Yellow one) glued (with super 77) to an air grinder (2")

All these to get rid of those bumps, etc

Then, with an small brush put another coat of resin besides the edge on the foam, let it kick, then lam the deck.

6

I didn’t actually mention at this question is 100% hypothetical! Sorry boys I forgot to add that to my original post. 

So lets say the resin has gelled, do I break out a bladed instrument of some sort and cut along the tape then? And I mean that bump, is not a puddling of resin. It is two layers of cloth over the rail, while the deck only has one. And around the lap where I would cut, is a bump from layer one of glass wrapped around to the deck, that I then “glassed” over with leaving that notible bump. I need to somehow bevel the edge of that first bottom layer to not leave that bump. And that is my question

7

Go ahead Mr. Contractor;  Answer thr “Hypothetical”.  You’ve got more experience in “Hypotheticals” than myself.  “Similar to a violin bow when the musician is only playing on one string”  Really?? LOL

8

The answer is above easyer to do bottom first then ether sand,baste or press down lap or a combo of the three. Then glass deck.

9

**

10

Since it's hypothetical at this stage....

1.  USE GOOD TAPE! (Yes, I'm shouting that.  3M #233 is a favorite around here and is worth the extra $ - just ask Resinhead.)

2.  Stick it down good - use something smooth like the back of a teaspoon to make sure the edges are firmly attached to the foam and cover all exposed deck foam with craft paper.  It's easy to make a mess if you don't.

3.  Mix your color additive well and mix more than you think you'll need.  Save a bit in an extra container just in case.  Pour the colored resin through a filter cone to remove any pigment chunks.

4.  Use a flexible squeegee with the corners rounded off a bit.  Getting even color is difficult but this will help. 

5.  Pour your resin liberally - flood the board and fiberglass.  Squeegee lightly to get it spread around, then let it soak in for a minute or two before squeegeeing a bit harder.  Don't get too crazy with pressure and try to get the color even.

6.  When resin is cured to a stage where it's not too sticky, put some wax paper protection on your racks, flip the board and do your cut with a new razor blade.  It is helpful to peel your laps back to the tapeline and hold the razor blade at an angle so it doesn't cut too deep in to the foam.  It's hard to describe exactly when is the perfect time but if timed correctly, it does cut fairly easily.

7.  Use a seam roller to press the edge of the cutlap down in to the foam.  That is a nice tip that was posted here several years back by Gene Cooper.  It saves you from having to grind/sand/file the edges.

8.  That should give you a fairly smooth surface to glass over when you do the deck lamination.  If using Silane finished cloth, the laps going to the bottom from the deck can be freelapped - no need to trim, just leave the ragged edge but squeegee it as flat as you can.  You may still have a bit of a ridge or 'step' where the laps end on either side... as suggested, 'baste' those areas with clear catalyzed laminating resin with a brush.  Once that sets, go ahead and hotcoat it.

9.  Don't sweat too bad if you expose some weave here or there while sanding.  A gloss coat or speed (acrylic) finish will make that disappear.

10. Do your homework before glassing it.  There is a ton of information on the internet, including videos on Youtube, as well as instructional DVDs available through retailers.

 

PS - Sorry Huie.  Was busy typing and didn't see your post.

 

600×600 17.2 KB

11

After I’ve cut the lap and sanded where needed. I have a little roller tool. 1" wide and wooden like a pastry roller. You can find them at cooking stores. I’ve had mine for 20 yrs. Its probably 50 yrs. old. I use the edge along the cut lap to slightly push the glass down into the foam. Lightly. If you push too hard, it will leave a flat spot on the rail.

Works great and lap is flat and flush. No trace of the lap being cut.

Also works killer on any bumps along  free-laps.

Only works on the bottom lam.

I also do not cut my laps till the next day. Rock hard and not sticky. Heat gun softens the lap, and cuts like a hot knife through butter. Greg Webster taught me that trick! (thanks Greg).

I also fold up my laps and cut with a bent razor blade. They are sharper than most other blades. I’m not a fan of cutting down into foam. I notice that down cuts cause bubbles. I should know, I pinline lots of other peoples boards. Just my opinion.

If I remember, I’ll take a photo and post it.

I’m all about the tools.

Barry Snyder

12

Man John, you beat me with the picture.

Yeah that’s the one.

Barry Snyder

13

haaa’’ is he not saying the resing has gone off long ago and is hard

if  so then all other bets are off

**
**

cheers huie

14

Kind of confusing, the second post seems like he glassed the top with one layer, then glassed the bottom with one layer colored. If that’s the case, there’s only so much you can do. I think Huie has it, but if it’s laminating resin, he’s going to get the sanding pad or file gummed up. 

If he only glassed the bottom, it would be easy to cut along the tape line with a razor blade. I use a one sided razor blade holder, it makes it easier. Barry’s method of heating and lifting along the tape line would make a nice clean cut without cutting foam. The the roller to push it into the foam. 

15

ok, ok… this is a 16 year old kid who didn’t ask his question very well… maybe we can cut him a bit of slack?

Angus, spend more time reading up on cut laps; its all here several times over.  You don’t wait until they are “set and dried well” or you’re just making more work for yourself.

there are tons of threads on here with info on taping for cut laps, trimming cut laps, sanding cut laps… try to read up on the basics before you pose a hypothetical…

do a google search for “site: swaylocks cut lap cutlap” or something like that…

16

Here's a photo of Mark and Ray doing a "standard" cut lap on a Megga Fish...two layers of tape.

 

17

Here's a photo of a surfboard where we planned on cutting into the foam when doing the cut lap........

 

728×466 36.1 KB

18

i am scratching my head here keith

has he done this job and left it to go hard’’  or is he seeking how to do it correctly from the start?

 

 

**cut lap with blade in to foam went out with button up shoes’’
**

 

 

 

   cheers huie

19

and here's a way to do a cut lap where there's no risk of gouging foam........learned it on Swaylocks......

 

 

728×474 38 KB

20

...

728×425 45.7 KB

728×410 32 KB