Thread: the dumb questions begin

There is no such thing as a dumb question if it avoids a dumb mistake.

There have been posts about this here but I can't find them at present.

This one is on the Wooden Boat Forum, you may have to join to read it.
plastic wrap in scarf joints

Also worth reading

Epoxy Manual - Making scarf joints
Making plywood scarf and butt joints
Scarf Joints
Stitch and Glue, simple wood boat construction .

Working with Epoxy

thanks cliff i figured thered be an answe here somewhere but i did a search for "glueing plywood" and had over 3000 results - think ill have to refine my searches in future.

G'day,
If you buy a set of Michael Storer boat plans (he has a row boat) you will be also buying a mini boat building instruction manual....excellent value.
http://www.storerboatplans.com/


Have fun
Mike

Preform a search for the "Payson butt joint" also epoxy fillets, thickening epoxy, etc. All these tpics are well covered and I'll second the advice to have a look at Michael Storer's site.

Also log onto westsystem.com and systemthree.com and download their user's guides, which will give you the basics and an overview of the products and materials used.

The the only dumb question, is the one that isn't asked, just before you screw something up.

many thanks to all. had a look at the storer rowboat - thats the shape im thinking of but would want something a bit smaller say 11-12ft or so and about 3 ft beam so it will fit in the back of the ute. this boat is really just an exercise in how to build. so doesnt have to last that long (using exterior ply). and for the kids to climb over at the beach in shallow water so doesnt have to be super seaworthy.
thanks to all.

Have a look at SELWAY-FISHER DESIGNS, there is a 12'6" power canoe with a 44" beam will carry 400Kg+ load and only weighs 25Kg.

check out Straydog Boatworks, as they are agents for S-F designs.

Epoxy is easy to use just take your time and plan ahead, resin is thickened with glue powder for joints, and with micro-ballons for fillets.

I actually combined both powders in my glue mix , probably shouldn't but tests showed that the ply gave up before the glue join.

Welcome to the addictive hobby of boat building.

Jeff

clingwrap/gladwrap... epoxy does not stick to it.
black 'builders plastic' does the same job as a 'dropsheet'.
Clear,masking/packaging tape does the ame thing for maksing off jonts/fillets.

Runny glue in the join:
for a fillet, you need to thicken the epoxy with a filler 'flour".
for a butt join, use the wet on wet method.

The advice to get the user guides is very good advice... as is getting any one of MIK's plans for the masses of info contained within.
False advertising to call them 'plans'... more 'small books packed with more info than you'd ever expect' than plans.

Nobody has yet mentioned the annoying problem of waxy coating called "amine blush" when using epoxy. When I started using epoxy resin I had great problems with amine blush when applying subsequent coats. I was told to wash it off with detergent and water and a scourer but I found the best way was to wet sand it off.

I've also found that you pay for the name when buying epoxy resin. Down my way there are two brands available off the shelf. One brand is very well known and is almost twice the price of it's competitor. Maybe one is better than the other, I don't know.


redx.

Amine blush is generally caused by high humidity, and there are now Epoxies on the market that have minimized , If I am allowed to mention Brands, it is BOTE-COTE.

I have used this product and have not had any issues with Blush, when building the MANGROVEJACK, which I built during late spring /early summer.

I am located 40Km's north of Brisbane, and the shed was open at both ends.


Jeff

Most people's shops are such that any subsequent coatings, be they paint or goo, need substantial prep. This means you'll want to sand and tack each surface, just before you apply any coating. Get use to this process, as it's just a fact of life. I've had to to this for decades and until I recently air conditioned my shop, I never realized how much extra effort this actual was.

With the "clean room" I now have, I can paint, coat and other wise control the environment perfectly. When working with a WR-LPU I can dramatically increase the humidity (which it likes) and decrease the temperature. Or I can increase the temperature and lower the humidity all the while knowing dust is being extracted, etc. It's changed the way I do things now, but it wasn't like this very long ago. Unless you have perfect environmental control, you're going to have dust, dirt and contaminates on surfaces you're about to coat, so you need to wash/sand and tack, to insure you're working clean.

Point being, regardless of the reason (blush, bloom, dirt, etc.), prep it . . .

Quick tip: long tube florescent lights make a lot of dust. Switch to compact floresent if you can, as they have much less surface area to spill (vibrate actaully) dust into the air.