Finishing after fiberglassing Options please

Discussion in 'Materials' started by Hacklebellyfin, Sep 12, 2011.

  1. Hacklebellyfin
    Joined: Oct 2008
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    Hacklebellyfin Junior Member

    Hi,

    After fiberglassing a whole outside ply hull, I still see and feel the 200gr fiberglass weave by some spots (mostly the sides of the canoe).
    Shall I :

    - Sand+epoxy repeating as many time necessary until I don't feel the weave then paint (enamel) + polyurethane varnish.

    Or

    -Directly paint enamel +sand and repeat until I don't feel the weave then Varnish.

    Or

    -Directly paint then varnish + sand and repeat until I do not feel the weave.

    Thank you in advance.

    Peace.
     
  2. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    gonzo Senior Member

    Are you looking for a painted finish or a clear (varnish) ?
     
  3. Hacklebellyfin
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    Hacklebellyfin Junior Member

    Hi Gonzo,

    I m looking for a painted finish.
     
  4. Hacklebellyfin
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    Hacklebellyfin Junior Member

    To be precise, I m looking for a white color finish possibly lacquered, surely clear so we may see the white paint.
    But must of all i'd like to know if i do have to fill the woven spots with epoxy or may I work a short cut?

    Like the wood color very much but it is too hot here to let my epoxy going bitten by UV and turning yellowish...

    Would like a coat of graphite powder/epoxy on the bottom as well but I still can't find graphite powder in retail shops ( hardware, fine arts, electronics) and anyway it is black therefore hot and surely will lump my epoxy.

    Thanks for the talk .

    :)
     
  5. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Obviously you must fill the weave of the fabric .

    Once the weave is filled, A local boatbuilder trick to eliminate print thru is to post cure the hull before applying the finish coat. The local post cure is to wheel the skiff out of the workshop into the bright sunshine of the parking lot , erect a simple black plastic tent over the boat for the weekend then let the hull bake in the sunshine. Bring the skiff back inside...give it a final going over with sandpaper to reveal any print thru.... then finish coat. The results are noticeable... It works.
     
  6. Herman
    Joined: Oct 2004
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    Location: The Netherlands

    Herman Senior Member

    In your countries that indeed is the way to go. Do not forget to turn the hull 180 degrees after a day or so. Baking it nice and even.

    It is very crude, but it works.
     
  7. Steve W
    Joined: Jul 2004
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    Location: Duluth, Minnesota

    Steve W Senior Member

    I have found it necessary to post cure strip plank composite hulls also if the owner wants a dark color, we just plan on repainting after a year, it always amazes me that the plank lines which are quite visable on shiny black awlgrip after a season in the sun usually come out within the thickness of the paint.
    As to your situation, i find it best to apply a filler coat of filled epoxy to the hull while the glass is still green, at this stage of cure you can trim off any glass that hangs past the sheerline etc with a razor knife and shave off any overlaps etc with a sureform but the resin is still kinda soft so that you get a chemical bond with the filler coat. Use your filler of choice in the resin, phenolic microbaloons, aerosil etc. When it all cures together you will be sanding the filler coat, not the glass, follow with a good epoxy primer then your topcoat of choice, im not sure where the varnish you are talking about fits in if you are not after a clear finish.
    Steve.
     
  8. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Yikes...BLACK !! I think is was Herreshoff who wrote......only two colours to paint a boat, White or Black, and that anyone who paints their boat black is a fool.

    I see pro built black finished boats in which all best practice techniques were used to minimize print thru but after a few years look crude.
     

  9. Steve W
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    Steve W Senior Member

    Yep, I agree with Herreschoff,but you know,the customer is always right,ha ha. The very popular dark blue is not much better, thing is tho,once you have repainted after post curing the seam lines are mostly gone and the eye dosnt see longitudinal lines so much, i laid new teak decks and built a hard dodger on a Cherubini 44 a few years back and i could run my hand over the hull and feel every plank line from the plug but you couldnt see it at all on the boat.
    Steve.
    Steve.
     
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