Ariel #414

[mbd]

Thanks Ebb! What is truly empowering is the encouragement and knowledge from the good folks on the forum here and other ether places. This is truly an "if I can do it, anyone can" sort of job. Not fun, but not too terribly difficult either. But, I'm still far from done - and still recovering from that "first cut"...

[tha3rdman]

Got it! or I get it rather.

BTW: how much does the corecell run a sheet?

You know, because somebody right now is going to be inspired by what you've accomplished.

Or dreading this winter when they cut into their own . . .

[mbd]

Oh 3rdman... Will I post this before our omnipresent moderator Bill does?

"If you use the 'search' button at the top of the page"...

I got it from Noah's Marine. Here's the link from the Deck Delamination / Core Problems thread.

PS. At the rate I'm going, you'll finish before I do.

[mbd]

I just took this after removing the weights and right before spilling my beer. I hate this tarp.

I do wish more expoxy had oozed out of the seams though. Oh well, I'll have some more chances with the port and fore decks...

[Bill]

Oh 3rdman... Will I post this before our omnipresent moderator Bill does? "If you use the 'search' button at the top of the page"...

Thanks!

[mbd]

A busy weekend - grinding. Lots of it.

BTW, when I cut along the coach roof and toe rail, I cut as close to the edges as my circular saw guard would allow. Don't do that. Add maybe a half or an inch or so to that. The thin strip along the edges is difficult to get at with a sander, and impossible to grind at the right angle for a scarf joint. You can still dig the material underneath the edges out and stuff thickened epoxy into the crevices...

[mbd]

And my first ever fiberglass job - phase one.

First, I slathered as much unthickened epoxy into the cracks as I could and wetted out the bare glass. Then I thickened what was left to fill the big gaps. Next I cut some of my 8.7 oz 4" fiberglass tape into 2" strips which I laid on the seams then wet out with unthickened epoxy.

I tried to roll out bubbles and squeegy off the excess before the epoxy gelled and became unworkable - with mediocre results. I got a can of slow hardener last weekend after I almost detonated my first big batch of epoxy, which gave me more time to work, but still, I attempted to do too big of an area at one time...

I would have liked to finish off with 4" strips and cloth to complete the scarf joints, but I ran out of daylight and weekend. Too bad, because the whole chemical vs. mechanical bond deal, but what can you do? Plan better, I guess.

I sure wish I had one of the experts looking over my shoulder! The job leaves much to be desired I'm sure, but at least the deck is getting put together instead of taken apart for a change. Besides, I can always grind it back down and try again, right?

[CapnK]

Mike -

I've been meaning to post that it sure looks like any 'expert looking' was done from *between* your shoulders, not over them. Nice work, she's looking good!!!