Montana built D5

To help other builders, please list the boat you are building in the Thread Subject -- and to conserve space, please limit your posting to one thread per boat.

Please feel free to use the gallery to display multiple images of your progress.
User avatar
Cracker Larry
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 22491
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:39 pm
Location: Savannah, GA

Re: Montana built D5

Post by Cracker Larry »

The epoxy resin is almost completely odorless. You must have used a polyester last time? It's not a problem to use it indoors :D
Completed GF12 X 2, GF16, OD18, FS18, GF5, GF18, CL6
"Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made." -Robert N. Rose

Fred in Wisc
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 972
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 8:54 pm
Location: SE WI
Location: Milwaukee WI

Re: Montana built D5

Post by Fred in Wisc »

I use epoxy in my basement shop all the time. A pint of it, all spread out thin laminating cloth, is just barely noticable upstairs. Way less odor than cooking.

But a couple tablespoons of polyester resin would chase you out of the whole house. That stuff is nasty.

It's an entirely different thing. Epoxy is way better in every way.

Enjoy your build.

Fred in Wisc

TomW
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 10123
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:41 am
Location: Smoky Mts of NC

Re: Montana built D5

Post by TomW »

I have a gallon of resin and 1/2 gallon of slow hardener sitting in my dining room right now fixing some furniture here in the house. There is absolutely no smell from the mixes I'm using. Been puttering at things all winter in the enclosed house and my wife has had no objection and she is allergic to about everything.
Good fishing and red skys at night sailors delight
C17ccx, Mirror Dinghy

User avatar
wegcagle
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 2536
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:08 am
Location: Augusta, GA

Re: Montana built D5

Post by wegcagle »

I did use some MAS epoxy once while building my console. Slow hardener. That stuff smelled pretty strong, but not NEAR as bad as polyester resin. I can barely smell the marinepoxy or the silvertip sold here.

Will
Image

GV15, D4 done! Dreaming about the next one

User avatar
gstanfield
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 4655
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:09 pm

Re: Montana built D5

Post by gstanfield »

The marinepoxy slow hardener smells a little like peanut butter to me, but not so strong that it's an issue. I built my son's boat bed inside with no issues at all, also did all my butt joins on my FL14 in my downstairs living room with no issues.

Ok, excuses are now shot down, time to get to work :P
Previous builds: FL14, NC16, and others...

Current build: FL14 (+10%)

bratzcpa
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:05 am
Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: Montana built D5

Post by bratzcpa »

wow - - - thanks for all the feedback. I guess that kind of "ages" me too. When I built that cedar Strippercanoe, it was 1982, so probably must have been a polyester resin . And yes, it was terribly terribly smelly.

So . . . I will charge on forward - having had my latest excuse stripped away fully.

grin

~markb

bratzcpa
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:05 am
Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: Montana built D5

Post by bratzcpa »

well . . . I'm happy to report PROGRESS!!!!

I have most of the inside seems done. Almost ready to move to the outside.

Parts of this were a lot harder than I figured they would be. it all seemed so simple when you read the instructions. But maybe some of that is a learning curve too. AFter the third small 'batch' of mixing and seams, it feels easier too. But here at the things that seem kinda "hard" for meand a few questions too:

- it's messy. I mean the stuff goes all over. I was picturing these nice neat tidy seams, but alas.
- I'm using the 'poor mans peel ply' to try and get things perfectly smooth, but they are a long long ways form perfectly smooth. it sure looks to me like I will have sanding to do. is that normal??? :doh:
- quantity of epoxy. I seem to be going through the epoxy pretty doggone fast. At this point, i just can't imagine that I could possibly have enough. The plans called for 1-1/2 gallon kit. (1 gallon epoxy, 1/2 gallon hardner). What do you think? is this common to need more epoxy.
- I used "zip ties" to hold this thing together. Despite trying to cut these as flush as possible to the hull, they still protrude out with sharp points a little. Any ideas on how to get rid of that?? or to avoid that problem??
- Somewhere along the line, I noticed that I'm supposed to just "paint" the epoxy on all the surfaces. I'm wondering if I do that after all the seams are done, or perhaps first before doing any seams? I hope it is "after" because that's the presumption I started off using.
- Finally, I am going to put a thin layer of cloth on the bottom. I will be using this as a dinghy boat and will likely be dragging this up on the beach, across coral/rocks/gravel/etc. Somewhere I read to just use a light cloth (3.2 or 4.0 oz). Does that seem right to you?


Thank you, in advance for your input and critique.

Regards,

~markb

User avatar
gstanfield
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 4655
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:09 pm

Re: Montana built D5

Post by gstanfield »

- it's messy. I mean the stuff goes all over. I was picturing these nice neat tidy seams, but alas.

It takes practice


- I'm using the 'poor mans peel ply' to try and get things perfectly smooth, but they are a long long ways form perfectly smooth. it sure looks to me like I will have sanding to do. is that normal???

Yes, It takes practice

- quantity of epoxy. I seem to be going through the epoxy pretty doggone fast. At this point, i just can't imagine that I could possibly have enough. The plans called for 1-1/2 gallon kit. (1 gallon epoxy, 1/2 gallon hardner). What do you think? is this common to need more epoxy.

Yes, most of us use more epoxy than called for. The key to using less is practice

- I used "zip ties" to hold this thing together. Despite trying to cut these as flush as possible to the hull, they still protrude out with sharp points a little. Any ideas on how to get rid of that?? or to avoid that problem??

I remove them completely

- Somewhere along the line, I noticed that I'm supposed to just "paint" the epoxy on all the surfaces. I'm wondering if I do that after all the seams are done, or perhaps first before doing any seams? I hope it is "after" because that's the presumption I started off using.

After is how I do it

- Finally, I am going to put a thin layer of cloth on the bottom. I will be using this as a dinghy boat and will likely be dragging this up on the beach, across coral/rocks/gravel/etc. Somewhere I read to just use a light cloth (3.2 or 4.0 oz). Does that seem right to you?

I used 6oz on the bottom of my FL14 and it's indestructible! You could save a pound or two and use 4oz and still have some protection though
Congrats on making some progress. As with most things boat building related it takes more time and money than initially planned for :wink:
Previous builds: FL14, NC16, and others...

Current build: FL14 (+10%)

bratzcpa
Frequent Poster
Frequent Poster
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:05 am
Location: Kalispell, MT

Re: Montana built D5

Post by bratzcpa »

Well . . . . progress on the inside seams continues on. I think I am getting a little better at this, but still not very pretty or tidy!!!

I'm using the peel ply and parts of that end up very very smooth. However, along the edges and ends, it's still quite rough/bumpy. I'm using a piece of lexan and a small flexible plastic card (similar to a credit card) to smooth out the ply and move the epoxy around (underneath the ply). I wonder if this the right approach, or would something like a roller be better?

Also trying to decide if I should get some of the fairing material. This is just a dinghy/tender, but I'd still like it to look "finished" and nice. Also, we'll be climbing in and out in bare feet, etc., so probably need to have it smooth inside so as to not scratch up the kids' feet, etc.

Image

Image

User avatar
gstanfield
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 4655
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:09 pm

Re: Montana built D5

Post by gstanfield »

What your doing sounds good. I sometimes pour the epoxy onto the glass and then squegee it around with a small plastic "bondo spreader" and then sometimes I just use a foam roller to spread epoxy on top of it. I'd not worry too terribly bad about getting it perfect, like you said it's not a yacht that needs to be perfect.

You can use some fairing compound to make it pretty or you could just get it pretty good and the put some kiwi-grip on the inside and it would give a nice textured non skid finish and the cost would be about the same as faired and painted, just depends on what you want.

I did some of my FL14 with spray in bedliner material and it has lasted good and gives a textured finish that hides imperfections pretty good. just another option.

George
Previous builds: FL14, NC16, and others...

Current build: FL14 (+10%)

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests