Advice about ‘glassing

[1dmangers]

Greetings all,
Looking for some help: I’m building my first ever cedar-stripped canoe and just finished fiberglassing the outer hull. I know that I can potentially still see some of the weave before I sand and varnish but in a few spots, not only can I see the weave but also lightly feel the weave….

Is that because I didn’t properly bury/soak the glass on the first coat? Didn’t correctly purge any air on coat two or simply didn’t bury enough on third coat?

Or is everything ok and will smooth out after I sand and varnish?

A closeup of one of the areas in question.

Thanks!
-Mark

 

[Jim Dodd]

My regular schedule, is.
One wet out coat, and two fill coats.
The fill coats are applied, while the previous coat is still tacky.
Some say you can wait 24 hours between coats. I never do.
Don't sand, if you don't have to.
Wait beyond 24 hours ? Sand. You will likely degrade or thin the cloth.

Yes, the weave in your pic needs to be filled.

Jim

 

[Gamma1214]

I occasionally have to touch up an area where I got stingy with fill coats (I tend to try to minimize runs and that lessens the fill).

Touch that up and it'll be fine.

What wood are you using? Looks light for Cedar... Aspen?

 

[1dmangers]

My regular schedule, is.
One wet out coat, and two fill coats.
The fill coats are applied, while the previous coat is still tacky.
Some say you can wait 24 hours between coats. I never do.
Don't sand, if you don't have to.
Wait beyond 24 hours ? Sand. You will likely degrade or thin the cloth.

Yes, the weave in your pic needs to be filled.

Jim

Thanks; that’s actually exactly the schedule I attempted to follow… I did all three coats in a single (long) day. But maybe i rushed the third?

 

[1dmangers]

I occasionally have to touch up an area where I got stingy with fill coats (I tend to try to minimize runs and that lessens the fill).

Touch that up and it'll be fine.

What wood are you using? Looks light for Cedar... Aspen?

Thank you; I will try that. I’ll lightly sand to create the mechanical bond.

Yes; it’s eastern white cedar. Doesn’t quite have the luster of western red, but supposedly a little lighter (in weight) than red.

 

[Alan Gage]

I can't tell from the picture what is going on for sure. It's a vey small photo. It looks like the white fibers might still be visible (or is it a reflection?). If the white fibers are still visible then I suspect those areas were not fully saturated during wet out.

Alan

 

[Jim Dodd]

Thanks; that’s actually exactly the schedule I attempted to follow… I did all three coats in a single (long) day. But maybe i rushed the third?

It also depends on the epoxy you are using.
I use RAKA 127 resin, and 350 Non blushing hardener.

System Three's, Clear Coat, however, is a very good epoxy, is thinner. May require up to 5 fill coats, in My experience.
What epoxy, are you using ?

Jim

 

[1dmangers]

I can't tell from the picture what is going on for sure. It's a vey small photo. It looks like the white fibers might still be visible (or is it a reflection?). If the white fibers are still visible then I suspect those areas were not fully saturated during wet out.

Alan

Some better close up pictures.

It also depends on the epoxy you are using.
I use RAKA 127 resin, and 350 Non blushing hardener.

System Three's, Clear Coat, however, is a very good epoxy, is thinner. May require up to 5 fill coats, in My experience.
What epoxy, are you using ?

Jim

Hi Jim,
I’m using “East System” epoxy from Noah’s Marine. Supposedly a less expensive version of West System epoxy.

 

[Alan Gage]

Those pics don't look that bad. It does look a little funny though, not like what I expect to see with cloth that just needs some more fill coats. Maybe the pictures are deceiving me but it almost looks like there are little high spots rather than low spots in the hollow of the weave. I'm not sure what would have caused that (or if I'm even looking at it right).

If it already has 3 fill coats I'd be tempted to give it a couple rounds of sanding with coarse paper to mostly level things out. Then, if it looked like it was starting to cut into the cloth in places, I'd either give the entire hull another fill coat or just those specific areas before final sanding.

Alan