Bumpy Layup

What do you do when you have a bumpy layup?

I have a few spots where the glass isn't touching the core, but when I grind them out, there is no air inside. The bubble is filled with resin. Bad squeegee job.

Can I leave them?

 

If there is(or going to be) more than one layer of glass I would grind it flush and not worry about it.

 

There are no more layers of glass. There is only one very thick layer of triaxial on the boat. Nothing else. Just bog/fairing and paint over the bump.

I don't care about the few little bumps, cosmetically, since they are inside the hull and hidden from view by cabinetry.

Structurally... am I in good shape to leave them?

 

How big are the bigger ones?

 

How numerous are they?

 

Grinding the glass, particularly if it is only one layer, will cause a structurally weak spot. You should bevel the edges and laminate a patch.

 

I did bevel and patch one void. Thanks for the advice there.

These resin filled voids are at largest, 10cm long, 1/2cm in width and 1/4cm in height. There are six of them. The smallest is 3cm long by 1/8cm high by 1/2cm wide.

Do I have to grind, bevel and patch, or can I leave them alone?

 

I would leave them alone, especially if they are horizontally aligned, but I would do it the way Gonzo said if I did anything.

 

A bit of extra resin is not a major problem. As long as the laminate has good adhesion to the core, it should be OK.

 

Thanks, guys. Looks like I did grind one of them by mistake the other day. I sheered off the glass and now am just looking at resin. Guess I'll patch that one. The rest, I'll leave alone.

Hoyt: They do run along the 0deg fibers in my cloth, so I'm lucky there, I guess.