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introducing pete


Pete

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Hi folks,

I've been reading the posts here for while now and thoughtit was about time to get involved.  I've just received the drawings for the Spindrift 10 N which I'll pprobably build soon after I finish the 8 foot Benford Portland dinghy.  I'm in nz so had a bit of a wait for the 10 n plans to arrive.  So I lofted the benford from his small craft book and cut the stations then set them up on a frame which is where I'm at now.  A friend gave me some Totara, native nz durable often used for fence posts and stumps to support hoses, so I'll have a go at strip building her.  Totara's a softwood, that is a conifer, a bit lighter than pine I think and a light pink colour.

I've a nice workshop with good tools so my only excuse will be a lack of experience but there's only  one way  to cure that. 

I'm 55 years old, Danish born Australian with 2 fully grown kids.  I'm into making furniture and a has been surfer.  go sailing often and love it.  Trying to get my wife enthused with the ideal of going cruising.

I'm impressed by the positive attiitude of the folks that post here, also the level of experience and I hope to benefit from all.

Happy new Year,

Pete.

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Thanks kindly John,

I'll take you to task on that offer:).  Is there a best way to keep stitch and glue construction clean?  I guess masking is the answer but wonder if there's a simple and cheap way to go about this.  I think an ounce of prevention has to be better than pounds of cure.

cheers.

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Remember that the whole boat will have multiple coats of epoxy to keep it as waterproof as possible.  You don't need to worry about defined edges.  The trick is to watch for epoxy runs and wipe them up before the epoxy hardens.  Wet's much easier to clean up than dry.  We've all learned that the hard way.  Some of us repeatedly.  Maybe this is preaching to the choir, but also remember epoxy gets warmer and more fluid as it cures, so you need to check back periodically for new runs.  Not knowing your experience w/ epoxy, thought I'd mention wetting & coating w/ unthickened epoxy vs. gluing & filleting w/ thickened epoxy.  Have fun.

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  Hi Pete,

  Welcome to the forum!

  There are special applications where masking can be helpful but for the most part I would just echo John and Paul's comments about applying thin coats and developing technique with experience.  I learned epoxy work through reading and through trial and error (probably like most people here).  I really would have liked to have a live mentor nearby who could teach me but I couldn't find one back then.  Actually I could still learn a lot from watching or helping someone else.

  If there's a boatbuilding class or something like that in your area that might be a good start but otherwise you shouldn't hesitate to get in there and try things to see what works.  If you don't want to subject a whole boat to your learning curve maybe you could put together a stitch and glue toolbox or something like that out of cheap plywood or scraps you have laying around.

  As for me, I would like to be the kind of methodical person who would put together a small project to learn the techniques first but it turns out that I don't mind the fact that my homebuilt boat looks home built  :cool:  Each of my boats looks a little better than the one before, but I don't think I'll ever manage a museum finish.  Also, with stitch and glue construction it seems like there are very few mistakes that can't be fixed with enough elbow grease.

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Elbow grease was what I was trying to avoid!  I didn't realise epoxy thinned as the heat from setting up got to it.  Thanks for the tips.  I did make a small pram called apple pie.  I was living aboard a yacht while working away from home and I used this little flat bottomed dinghy daily for about a year.  I found it to be great with the wind, rowing that is and feet did not get wet when getting out onto the shore:)  Still I remember sanding for way too long so I'll be doing everything I can to make a clean job of the Spindrift.

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Welcome!

When I built my S&G canoe I did mask the seams before applying the thickened epoxy fillets.(see photo)  It saved a lot of cleanup.

Other labor saving:  It's tempting go do something else -- like sleep -- after a big epoxy application, but you can miss the period when it's "green"(not completely cured) and easy to clean up with a knife or scraper.  It's good to take notes on how long it takes for your epoxy to cure at different temperatures.

If you're comfortable with scrapers and sharpening cabinet scrapers, you're ahead of the game.  Scraping epoxy is usually easier than sanding it.

I did make some test joints with scrap plywood before I started the boat.  It was a good confidence builder, especially when I saw how strong the joints were.

This is a good reference -- they're pushing their own products, but there's lots of good general information: http://systemthree.com/members/literature/The_Epoxy_Book.pdf

Another interesting source:  http://www.epoxyworks.com/

post-1584-12949769366_thumb.jpg

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Thanks kindly Dogdad,

I read through most of the System 3 stuff and found heaps of useful tips.  I've been using Resourcinol Formaldehyde on the 8 foot Benford Dinghy.  Its so much cleaner to use I love it.  Have to be real quick though as it sets up in about 5 to 10 minutes.  I've used it to laminate the stem and transom.  So nice to simply wash up with water.  I'm going to build her with the strip planking method as I've been given some suitable stuff which is not Totara as I thought but something that hasn't been identified yet. 

After lofting and building the strongback and setting up the stations building the Spindrift has got to be a lot easier!!

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Hi Richard,

Thanks kindly.  I'm in Gisborne so we are nearly neighbours, at least as far this net stuff goes.  The Lapwing looks an interesting build.  How far along are you with it?  Now you might be able to tell me what this stuff is that I've come across.  Its about the weight and sound of wrc ( could use this stuff for the soundboard of a guitar) I think its a native because all the other stuff I was given was locally sourced, indeed scavenged from the beach.  Its a brown fawny sort of a colour.  Has some small tight knots.  I could take a sample to a local joinery but I've a few mates who are in the trade and they don't have a clue what it is. 

Cheers

Pete.

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This is what works for me: buy a good quality chemo gloves that reach good way up your forearm. After a glue up wash your gloved hands in a bucket of vinegar. That way your hands are well protected and you get good mileage out of expensive gloves. I used to treat gloves as a throwaway item and lot of the cheapies are. But good gloves are worth the extra money. It really is amazing how well they last if  washed well after each use. Unless accidentally ripped they seem to last forever in fact. PeterP

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