I just finished my lam job, and it had a few problems. Im using RR with fast.hardener, and recommended doses of add. F; on a marko 1.9lb blank. I had some big bubbles down the sides of my laps on my last lam. I think most of this is because i got really careless on the last lam, at about 3.30AM, so i learned something there. In some spots i had to cut out 2x10" sheet of glass off, sand down and fill with more epoxy and cloth. I just did that part today. Im waiting till that cures and ill get back too it.
ANything else i missed here with the patches??? i had soft spots that seemed like dry cloth, and i sanded/glassed those too. Maybe issues with sanding my spackle off, and the blank soaking in epoxy, leaving the cloth too dry???.
When my repairs cure, should just sand it all smooth, dust/vaccum, wipe down with Denatured Alchochol … then HOTCOAT??? i am using a single 10.5" finbox, so i am planning on doing that after hotcoat with a dremel tool (we’ll see how that goes). What do you guys think of Q-cell??? i have some that i was gonna use on the box install, but was concerned about strength issues.
Appreciate all the help on here. I am learning SO much, and my board has already surpassed my expectations. I will geet some pictures up, so you guys might get a laugh or two from the patching situation.
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Keep the tolerences of the box hole tight,no more gap that a 1/16" around the box.This will reduce/eliminate exo-therming(cooking the box holes to death).Especially if you’re using a fast set epoxy.
Feather the edges of your patches, and give the whole thing a roughing up for adhesion if it has been more than 24 hours.
If you have never hotcoated before, it can be frustrating. A cheater coat makes a hotcoat a lot easier, but that is now hindsight for you. So, here are things I learned from here on Sways and by trial and lots of error.
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Heat up your resin, it will flow better, with less bubbles. I do it around 1-2 sec per ounce of resin in the microwave. Do this before you add the hardener, or anything else.
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If you can heat up the board before you begin (without getting it dirty/dusty) do so.
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Mix thoroughly, and thin with denatured alcohol if necessary (I don’t use more than 1-2cc DNA per ounce of resin)
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Don’t brush or stir too fast, you’ll froth up the epoxy with bubbles (that will become ‘holes’ when you sand). Also, avoid air currents on the coat from air conditioning vents, etc. I made the mistake once of placing a fan across the coat while it was curing, and it actually produced ripples in the coat.
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Once you have finished your last length-wise strokes, LEAVE IT ALONE. If you have a few separations/fisheyes, fill them in later, or drip a drop of the resin from the bucket into them, but do not keep trying to ‘brush’ them out. The epoxy gets thicker by the minute, and it will just cause you problems.
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Again, make sure the surface to be coated, the brush, the mixing container, the room, your gloves, etc. are clean.
Also, don’t forget the simple things. I have done some DUMB stuff. Like mixing up a hot/gloss coat before putting the masking tape drip apron on the board, having ‘good’ clothes/shoes on while hotcoating, not running a wire brush through your brush bristles to remove the loose ones, putting the board outside in the sun to cure (if you want to see what the surface of the moon looks like, try it), not cleaning the board before a coat, you name it. I have a checklist posted on my wall I go through before I put the hardener in the mixing bucket, so I won’t forget.
If your glassing mistakes were because the ‘fast’ hardener is a little too fast (it was for me my first time), just do one side of the board at a time, and mix up a new batch for the other side. Boat and kayak builders do it all the time. I did it on a 10’ board, worked well.
Don’t give up, you will get better. If your hotcoat sucks, sand it even (if you can do so without hitting glass fibers) and do it again. A lot of learning to do it well is just that, doing it.
Hope this helps and let us all know how it turns out,
JSS
thanks for the pointers. I found the RR really easy to work with, And have been getting more comfortable with each batch i mix up for the patches. THe main reason my lam came out so shotty, was because it was really late at night, and i wasn;t really on my “A-Game”. i am just hoping that my hotcoat will help cover alot of it up.
One question: i have been touching the board a bunch since my lam/patch jobs. Is the oil from my fingers gonna be a problem when i go to hotcoat?? I am planning on sanding it all with 100 grit and dusting it off and then Wiping with DNA. just dont know if im forgetting something.
Yes, if you don’t sand/clean, you will find your fingerprints will form separations. You will be fine if you sand and clean. When wiping, use one saturated paper towel to get some DNA on there, and a clean one to wipe up, as some dust will remain on the surface if you just dust it off with a brush, and you stand a better chance of getting most of the oils off that way too.
Post pics when you are done,
JSS
WHat about time between hotcoats??? the normal 3 hour flip??? or can i let it sit longer?? reason i ask is i dont feel like doin the second side real late at night again, so maybe i can wait till tomorrow on the second side. thanks for the help along the way guys. i will be gettin some more pics of #1 up soon.
Do one side tonight, and the other in the morning, if you can’t, within 24 hrs you’ll be fine. The hotcoat does not really overlap that much. Don’t forget to pull the tape before you hit the sack. Another stupid thing I have done…
JSS
alright, well i did one side tonight. it came out alright, but i had some bubbles. May have been from brushing it around too much, or mixing too much. I actually mixed too little at first, so i had to mix up another 4 oz. after i spread the first batch out. a little shaky for the first time, but i guess i can sand out the bubbles and/or fill them up. I may be looking at another coat, if all else fails. I dont mind the extra weight, and it wouldn;t hurt on strength i assume. any advice on Gloss coats???
