Richard Woods Flica 34' plywood/epoxy Build

Thanks gonzo!! Do you also recommend I precoat the wood with the bondo polyester resin prior to glueing it?

 

There is no need. The bondo will be a lighter hold than thickened epoxy. The thickened epoxy woukd require grinding the block off or removing it with a bar will break the concrete.

Eother way will work. It all depends on what bond strength you want. The epoxy method with precoating the wood versus the polyester is ablut 5 times stronger.

For a temp jig, polyester bondo will he fine. For a jig mesnt to be in place for a yesr, I go epixy.

 

Thanks Fallguy! But sorry I'm a little confused, are you saying there is no need for precoating the wood, or no need for mixing the bondo polyester resin with a filler like chopped/ milled fiber? These blocks will be holding up the bulkheads. I plan to mix the bondo polyester resin with milled fiber but I don't plan to precoat the wood blocks. Do I have that right?

Thanks again to everyone for all the amazing input I really appreciate it!!!

 

If you are using these to support bulkheads; just use epoxy and some silica. A bit wetter mix like cake batter about 1.5 silica to resin by volume. So 6 oz resin and 9 oz silica.

 

Hi guys, I've been busy with other work, but getting back to the boat building. I put up some bulkheads today, just posting photos

 

Got waterlines marked? Can you laser lineup?

 

Yes waterlines are marked. I ended up getting the green Huepar laser level on amazon based on the good reviews. When I initially tested it, it worked perfectly fine, but now the lines are no longer level and I can't seem to calibrate it or get it level again and the return period is over. Oh well, I'm using a good level and plumb bob, which seems to be working fine

 

Put up some more bulkheads today. I'm wondering if I should cut out the doorways for some of the bulkheads prior to putting it up, or later after the hull is completed? It would be much easier now, but I'm worried the strength would be compromised while flipping the hull? What do you guys all think?

Also at what point do I bevel the 3"x1" timber framing around the bulkheads? Prior to putting up the keel and stringers correct? The plans don't have any instructions on how to bevel the timber framing, so I was planning to go by what the Gourgeon says:

"Use a batten that spans at least three stations as a guide for beveling. Lay it over three frames and nail down its ends. If your frames are only 1⁄4" (6mm) thick, you can just hack away excess stock from the middle frame. If they are thicker, take a handsaw and cut marks on the edge of the middle frame on either side of the batten parallel to it as it crosses the frame edge at an angle. Cut no deeper than the black control edge. Move the batten up and down the frame, sawing or hacking every foot along its edge. Check for fairness. When you have finished one frame, move on to the next.

When all larger frames are marked, chisel away the wood between the kerfs so that you have a series of notches. Check again for fairness, and then scribble across the bottom of each notch with a pencil. Using the pencil marks to guide you, plane the entire edge of the frame. We use power planes to rough-cut bevels, but advise against them unless you have some experi- ence with these machines. Hand planes do just as well, though at a somewhat slower rate."

Thanks for all your help and input guys, I really appreciate it!!

 

I don't think you should get too upset about the laser level.To my mind they are about the most over-rated tool in the boatbuilding world.I own a couple and have used others,but don't trust any until I have tested them.I start by setting up one of the larger frames,midships or thereabouts,and transferring the DWL to the workshop walls with a water level.I mark the walls at both ends of the building and both sides.Then I set up the laser level and see if it can hit the frame plus the marks on the walls.If it passes the test I will continue to use it.It also means the marks will be there to verify the accuracy of the laser for the rest of the build.I admit to preferring the levels that can be adjusted with a screw to those which self level and have to be returned for re-calibration if the accuracy drifts.At the stage where waterlines are marked on the completed hull surface I do find laser levels very useful and the marks on the walls can be used as a datum for moving the painted waterline relative to the DWL if that is what the designer recommends.

 

Hey guys, I'm just about done planking the first hull (see photo 1,2 attached) with plywood. I'm planning to fill the gap in the plywoods at the chine joints with epoxy/silica and then I'm suppose to roundover the chine joint to lay the fiberglass.

I was wondering what would be the best way to roundover the chine joint? I definitely plan to put epoxy/silica in the gap between the plywoods (see photo 3) and then round over that joint. I was thinking of just using my finger or a tongue depressor to roundover the epoxy/silica when I fill it in, but I was wondering should I be using something like a roundover bit with my router, or multitool, or planer as well to round over that chine joint after the epoxy hardens?

Thanks for all your help guys, I really appreciate it!!!

 

I like to use a Festool rts400 sander and 40-60 grit paper. Put about 1/4-3/8" flat landing on then knock down the highs to about 1/8", then I roll the sander over the joint all the way on each section for the entire length. Then I usually go over it some more until even.

 

Also, if you are using silica n epoxy, you may be able to put an outside corner on before much sanding.

i use this tool... a lot

https://www.amazon.com/Warner-Outsi...drywall tool round edge&qid=1620111566&sr=8-6

 

Thanks so much for the input Fallguy, I really appreciate all your advice and help!!!

After I fill the chine joints with epoxy, I plan to lay biaxial glass on the chine and keel outer joints. I'm suppose to put two layers of 200mm and 300mm width strips. I have a 30" wide roll. I was wondering if I should cut smaller strips of 200mm x 30" or should I try to cut longer 200m x 10' strips so that I can minimize the amount of overlap. But I think the long strips might be hard to work with so better to make smaller strips I think and just have more overlap. I was thinking to overlap the biaxial by about 2".

What do you guys all think? Better to do longer bigger strips to minimize overlap or shorter strips that would be easier to work with?

Thanks for all the help and input guys, I really appreciate it!!!

 

Wider strips are always first.

To be honest, I wetted all my tapes on plastic on a table, but they were csm backed so they held their shape.

There are almost zero vertical overlaps on my boat and all the tapes and laminates were done full length. I measured the tape length to nearest quarter inch and then cut them. For example, a 33 foot tape, I would wet in say 4 layers of 8' each(a continuous piece 33' long) using 100% resin to glass by weight. Then I'd roll the glass onto a foot long 2" cardboard tube and walk it to the boat and unroll. This does use plastic up a bit, so you need to be a little careful and keep the epoxy in one area so you can cut it out or flip it and use again or you make a lot of plastic waste.

You really want to develop into clean and efficient habits. Don't do it in pieces. Full length of boat..

If you look at the bottom inside, I hand laid sections, but this was unavoidable as it would have been impossible to unroll glass in 3 planes. The pictures are to show the tapes.

 

Thanks Fallguy that was very helpful!!!

After I lay the biaxial glass on the chine and keel joints, put a fill coat, sand it all with 100 grit sand paper, then I will lay a single layer of 10 oz plain weave over the entire hull. Then I plan to put a fill coat, then a gel/gloss coat. Then I plan to sand it with 220 grit sandpaper, and bottom paint with Interlux Fiberglass Bottomkote NT and topside paint with interlux perfection. Are there any steps I am missing? Or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for all your help guys!!!