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Jessy 15’ build log - Philadelphia, PA


Justin C

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I actually glued sandpaper to a scrap piece of azek I had laying around. I didn’t take a picture of that though. Since it’s thinner, it’s harder to hold. I’ll have to fabricate handles for it - something like a plane handle where I can push/pull. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Any advice on how to get the resin pump to pump again? I went to apply another coat of epoxy and the resin pump is not filling up and it pushes out air. I disassembled the entire pump and cleaned some hardened pieces out of it. Even got the part with the plastic ball out. Put it all back together and nothing. Being so messy, I’d rather not take apart the hardener pump to compare them. Again, any advice on this?

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This is usually caused by the resin "crystalizing" in the jug and then the crystals get sucked up in the pump and cause it to lose vacuum. The solution is to heat the whole thing up to re melt the crystals. All resins do this. We do it in the microwave, squeeze some air out of the jig so you don't pressurize it, put the cap on and microwave it for 60 seconds at the time checking in between. usually takes about 5-6 minutes. You can't microwave the spring of the pump of course so you might have to clean it again. Also check that the white plunger is making good contact with the inside walls of the clear plastic tube on the inside, sometimes ive been able to "spread" out the plunger rim with my fingernail a bit to widen it and it makes better contact with the inside of the tube. give it a try. Some just order new resin but it is doable. I keep my epoxy in the garage at 80 deg and haven't had any issues for months now. I got a call from another builder today who said he keeps his on a heat pad at 60 deg and his started crystalizing after a few months. 

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I just dealt with a gallon jug of glopped up resin from a supplier I guess will remain nameless (not B&B).  The pump is long gone, filled with solidified glop.  The third of a gallon or so that remains in the jug is gelled.  I suppose I could try hot water or microwaving, but I did that once before and it took hours to decrystallize a smaller amount using hot water baths.   I only need a few more ounces to finish up this project.  So I ordered a pint from the supplier, even though I'm paying for hardener I don't need.  This is a project and resin I inherited from a friend (long story).  It's a common problem up here in the north.  Our basements likely don't stay above 60 in the winter, and most of us find our living quarters are probably not above 65, so there's really no place to keep the resin warm for months on end absent building a special little heat box.  Even the dog doesn't get that luxury.   This seems to be a problem especially with 2:1 resin, not with 5:1 (West).

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I brought them back indoors where it’s just above 65. We are expecting a freeze warning tonight and wind chills in the 30s tomorrow. It’s May 9th?.

 

I may just need to snuggle the resin up with me at night all nice and warm?.

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I am dealing with a well-crystallized jug and non-pumping pumps now. I am the guy that kept mine on a heating pad at >60 this winter but it still solidified. Not allowed (why even ask?) to use the microwave so I will do the water bath approach - it has worked for me before. Here are some pics of my heat box setup. Made of ply scraps and during the build winter before last I used a very small forced air heater and a controller. The sensor was taped about midway on the jug contents and it worked well circulating warm air around the jugs; I set it at 80 in the morning and it got the epoxy to >75 to work with, and I kept it at 65-70 the rest of the time. Last winter I took out the little heater and put the jugs on a heating pad in a plastic bag and set the controller to 62.

 

There must be brand differences in chemistry that affect crystallizing, based on empirical observations. In general my experience is like Paul's but I have some old 2:1 resin (not B&B)  that wasn't in the heat box this winter and it flows fine.

 

 

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@Nick C thanks for sharing pics of your set up. Prior to seeing this, I was considering wrapping the jugs in a heated blanket and just setting it on low overnight. In fact, I brought the jugs in and placed them in front of the lit fireplace last night. Looks like a lot less floating in the resin this morning. 
 

What forced air heater did you use? I have a small space heater that I would consider using as well. 

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I got the little heater as an alternative to a light bulb setup with some means to circulate air since my designs were becoming weirdly complicated. I added on the little box on the side as a "plenum" with baffles and fiddled with it to make air flow around the jugs. This is the heater I got:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XDTWN2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had the idea that the heater thermostat might be adequate but it wasn't so once again I went to the source of all things and got this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Overkill for this task but I can think of multiple subsequent uses (like if I take up home brewing, or get a lizard). It controlled the heating pad and would work for a larger heater also up to 1500W.

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, Nick C said:

I got the little heater as an alternative to a light bulb setup with some means to circulate air since my designs were becoming weirdly complicated. I added on the little box on the side as a "plenum" with baffles and fiddled with it to make air flow around the jugs. This is the heater I got:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XDTWN2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I had the idea that the heater thermostat might be adequate but it wasn't so once again I went to the source of all things and got this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Overkill for this task but I can think of multiple subsequent uses (like if I take up home brewing, or get a lizard). It controlled the heating pad and would work for a larger heater also up to 1500W.

 

 

 

I appreciate the detailed description though I may not use this exact set up. This will be valuable for future builders referencing your post!

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I keep my current supply of resin I'm using in a box made of sheet foam with a light bulb heating it and never have problems with crystals or being too thick to pump, but my extra resin is kept in an unheated shed and does crystallize before i can use it. I just set the jug in a pot of water on my wife's electric stove. Set the heat on low and leave it until the resin clears. I keep an old pot my wife discarded for this purpose. (I learned long ago to not use her good utensils!) If the pump is clogged with crystals, leaving it in the jug will clear it too.

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  • 1 month later...

I had my father over last weekend to help with glassing the hull. I laid the cloth out the night before and I played the part of a tailor and trimmed it to fit like a suit. 
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I mixed the epoxy by pouring it in measuring cups and mixing thoroughly. We just poured it along the keel and let it run down one side of the hull bottom. We wet it out with foam rollers. 


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We then did the same for the hull sides and up the sides of the rub rails. (Despite trying my best to work the bubbles out of this area, I’ll have to sand out and re-glass)

 

We then rolled the boat out of the garage and let it bake under the midday sun for a few hours. Just after the epoxy set up, we rolled on a coat of slightly thickened epoxy to fill the weave. 
 

I have three areas about the size of a quarter that did not take the epoxy. It’s still gummy and I was able to soak up the liquid and dry the weave. Not sure why or how this happened as this is the first time I’ve experienced this.

 

Overall, it was a fairly easy day.

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I personally never had very good luck wetting out glass with a roller. I always use a bondo squeegee to wet out glass and use a roller then  a squeegee to fill the weave.  That works for me, a roller seems to try and lift the glass from the wood while wetting out.

No bigger than the few voids you have I would ether try injecting some epoxy in them with a needle or just letting them be.

 

Scott

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I forgot to mention that. I did use a plastic bondo spreader when I was filling the weave with slightly thickened epoxy - it worked well.  The roller did not lift the fabric at all. I poured it down the side of a centerline and let it soak in. Once it was clear, I spread the rest around and it rolled easy.  It actually went much quicker than I anticipated. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I’m ready to install the keel and stringers. In thinking how to properly affix straight pieces of wood to a rounded hull, what is the best method to accomplish this?

 

I have considered using screws through the keel/stringers just enough to grab into the hull. I have also considered weight - plain old bricks. Possibly a combo is best?

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I screwed through the hull from the inside to attach the keel.  It is bedded from end to end in epoxy, with enough screws to snug it up along the entire length.  I did a complete dry fit before adding epoxy.  The screws were stainless, sunk to just below flush, and filled with epoxy and later the 3 coats of neat, which puddles up a tad in the center of bilge over the screws.

 

I don't know the Jessy, so no good advice on the stringers.

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