8255 Build

[longballlumber]

Doesn't look like progress but actually is. Top side sealed and wiped. Thanks Mike. Not sure why I didn't remember the wiping part. Asleep at the wheel I guess.

When you seal ply you intend to paint you're not trying to form a finished surface with the resin. That's the job of the primer and paint. Your really only trying to make the wood part of a composite with the wood fiber being the matrix. Leaving all that resin on there is just making work for you to sand smooth.

So slather on some slow cure. Let it soak for 15 minutes or so. Then wipe the surface with an old tee shirt or something. I already spent a lot of time sanding the bare wood. With the wiping method my next sanding dance will be easy breezy lemon squeezy.

No Problem, it's what this hobby stuff is all about. Believe it or not, it wasn't until recently that I realized you needed to let it soak in AND then wipe it off while it's still uncured. I was doing like many others; LOTS of sanding.

Another good tip is any area that IS NOT going to be painted, but you want a nice thin layer of epoxy is to "tip" it out with a foam brush. This can really give you an smooth event coats. Great spot for this is the interior of the hull just in case it takes on any water, you don't want the wood soaking that up.

Later,
Ball

[Shooter]

Mike, please elaborate on the 'tip out' method. I can never get a smooth coat on the inside of the boat when I apply it a little thicker. There are always little dots that appear....and they are not dust particles or contamination. I think they are tiny air pockets that are present when I mix the epoxy. I've even tried pressurizing the mix in a paint can at 50psi. No luck. Vacuum would do it, but I don't have a source.

[T.S.Davis]

Makes a difference which hardener you use. Get some 207 special clear. It allows the air bubbles to purge. It still won't be perfect but close. Dries like glass.

[rickwess]

Mike, please elaborate on the 'tip out' method. I can never get a smooth coat on the inside of the boat when I apply it a little thicker. There are always little dots that appear....and they are not dust particles or contamination. I think they are tiny air pockets that are present when I mix the epoxy. I've even tried pressurizing the mix in a paint can at 50psi. No luck. Vacuum would do it, but I don't have a source.

Fish eyes? Some epoxies have have high surface tension. Great for laminating, not good for sealing. If you Google around you'll find recommendations for finishing cedar strip canoes, for example. West Systems was not recommended for finishing if I recall.

[T.S.Davis]

Wonder how it would. Come out on bare wood if I did the soak and wipe and followed with multiple coats of Klass clear. Should work. I'll try it on this tub.

[rickwess]

I'm sure that would work well. All I had was laminating epoxy (MVS), so I knew I couldn't get a good finish on the tub of my ML GP310. That's why I monkied about and put CF down.

[longballlumber]

Wonder how it would. Come out on bare wood if I did the soak and wipe and followed with multiple coats of Klass clear. Should work. I'll try it on this tub.

I've hear of others doing this (mostly riggers)... My concern is getting into the nooks and crannys. I feel like I can do that better with a brush better than spraying.

[T.S.Davis]

I don't wipe the nooks and cranies out.

[longballlumber]

I don't wipe the nooks and cranies out.

Sorry, I missed that you would still be coating with epoxy and wiping out. Really that might be "enough" for the FE boats. An FE boat is only concerned with water intrusion compromising the wood structure over time. In most cases an FE boat doesn't see a great deal of water unless there is a catastrophic issue. With nitro powered boats you need to protect against high concentrations of Nitro-methane and the engine well sees constant water intrusion.

I still go back to requirements. Clearly defining your requirements will help define the solution. Epoxy in the right places can provide both strength and protection. At a certain point, epoxy is only adding weight. It's a balancing act.

[flraptor07]

I don't wipe the nooks and cranies out.

I always wipe my nooks and cranies.......TMI?

[Shooter]

Fish eyes? Some epoxies have have high surface tension. Great for laminating, not good for sealing. If you Google around you'll find recommendations for finishing cedar strip canoes, for example. West Systems was not recommended for finishing if I recall.

Thanks Rick. I agree. I've been using a very thin coat of 'finishing resin' for the outside. It fills the grains and easily sands off. For the inside I still like to use West Systems to build up fillets around the frame pcs for strength. When I spread it out on the bottom of the tub is when the problems occur. Maybe I should just hit the fillets alone with West Systems (I think this is what Mike does?).

[ray schrauwen]

When its time, can you give us details on how you use klass kote? It is available in Canada, I just have to order in from the west coast since I haven't found a local seller yet.
Basically the whole story of how you do your painting because what I saw last summer was top shelf!

[Shooter]

You talkin' to me, Ray? If so, it's mostly in the finishing. Way too much time wet sanding and polishing.

[Shooter]

Earth to Terry. You still alive? Are you lost somewhere out in the Lexicon???

[T.S.Davis]

Ummmmm. What'd I do? Sicker than a dog. Been busy negotiating boat deals. Feel like a broker.

I'm 99% ready for primer on the 8255 and the old tide Thomas that Ty runs. Primer tomorrow me thinks.