smile repair

[KWKloeber]

If you're looking to "sand" the epoxy/glass/resin on Sat w/ a D/A or R/O, think about picking up $15 HF 4-1/2" angle grinder and a couple different grade discs and save your shoulders.  Save "sanding" for medium density filler after you true up the surface of the glass with light touch passes of the angle grinder. It also provides an excellent grip surface to grab medium density fairing.

The process I usually use on flat surfaces is to apply resin, roll on the glass or carbon (which nicely adheres to the substrate,) roll on resin or "tip" in the glass with resin and a stiff brush. Only very occasionally will I saturate the glass then apply it (it tends to fall apart if handled anything more than minimally once wetted out.)

Ken

PS when I said "nose" I meant the whole bow (doesn't benefit from adding glass, except to specifically band the joint.)

[mdidomenico]

If you're looking to "sand" the epoxy/glass/resin on Sat w/ a D/A or R/O, think about picking up $15 HF 4-1/2" angle grinder and a couple different grade discs and save your shoulders.  Save "sanding" for medium density filler after you true up the surface of the glass with light touch passes of the angle grinder. It also provides an excellent grip surface to grab medium density fairing.

yup, got a whole box full.  i don't mess with elbow grease sanding resin anymore, learned that the hard way.  if the D/A w/ 40-grit doesnt make it come off easily, the flap wheels follow.

The process I usually use on flat surfaces is to apply resin, roll on the glass or carbon (which nicely adheres to the substrate,) roll on resin or "tip" in the glass with resin and a stiff brush. Only very occasionally will I saturate the glass then apply it (it tends to fall apart if handled anything more than minimally once wetted out.)

yeah i tried wetting the glass first and then laying on the keel.  bad idea, my skills aren't at that level.  i wasted a big stretch of glass and bunch of resin

PS when I said "nose" I meant the whole bow (doesn't benefit from adding glass, except to specifically band the joint.)

oh.  yeah you're probably right.  i'd thought about just using strips as well.  the excess glass in this case just made it easier for me because it's a vertical surface.  i'm sure it's wasteful and costly, but making it easier, even at a higher expense, meant i could actually get it done.  nothing more then that

[mdidomenico]

it looks like the epoxy shrank a bit during the cure, what looked pretty flat a week ago, now has a little ripple.  and since i happen to have a can of 407 left over from another project we'll add a layer of fairing.  whether i add a second coat or not will depend on how my ocd is that day.  there's a divet on the port side that's a little deeper then i thought it would turn out, but otherwise things aren't that out of whack.  it's getting colder here, so i need to wrap this up

[KWKloeber]

Maybe you're aware already but make sure to remove all blush b4 overcoating.

[mdidomenico]

Maybe you're aware already but make sure to remove all blush b4 overcoating.

yup, i tend to overwash/oversand things with soap water/minerals spirits/etc between coats of varnish/epoxy/etc.

its part of the reason i hate doing drywall, put some on, take off way to much, put some one, take off way to much, then spackle bucket is empty...

[mdidomenico]

sanded the filler and applied a second coat.  i've still got a divet in the middle on the port side, it doesn't look great and it'll reduce a little when i sand this coat down, but i think i'm going to call it good there.  a little bottom paint to cover it over the winter and that'll be it (full bottom paint in the spring).  hopefully this is fixed for good or at least a long time now.

[KWKloeber]

Lookin good. It's gettin there.  What product are you using to fair her?

[Noah]

I would "suggest" some epoxy barrier coat primer over the fairing before bottom paint.

[Wurlitzer1614]

Has anyone tried this G/flex method vs. glassing as mdidomenico did? The process for the G/flex seems a lot simpler, faster, and has the potential to last longer (if the claims are true). Grind, fill, sand, fair, and barrier cost? Almost seems too good to be true. Is it?

https://www.epoxyworks.com/index.php/smiles-all-around/

[mdidomenico]

Lookin good. It's gettin there.  What product are you using to fair her?

it's west 407.  no particular reason for use, just what i had