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Core Sound 17 #221


Randy C.

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Charlie,

My garage is insulated and heated, I'm just too cheap to turn it on when it's 60 inside. I use it enough during the winter building things for free(Christmas, birthday's, etc.). As long as the epoxy cures I'm OK with it taking a little longer, I don't really have a deadline. I would like to get it wet this year though, and actually see if I can make it go down the lake and back.

Howard,

Thanks for the tricks. The ziplock bag sounds like the ticket. My Grandpa always said, give a lazy man a job and he'll find the easiest way to do it. I must be lazy because I'm always looking for the easiest way.

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I tried the zip lock bag a couple of times- way too slow for me :D

I just use a flat stick, usually the one I mix with, glob the filleting mix into the corner for a few feet, drag a filleting tool along, which pushes excess resin mix out to the sides, leaving a clear area where it dragged. Then I use a putty knife to scrape up that excess and put it back in the container, Then I do it again, further along, til I get to the end.

By the time you get the stuff INTO the bag and the corner cut, I'll be halfway down the fillet.  Then I lay the glass in right away and wet it out.

Now if you aren't gonna be glassing, then a neat trick is to pour some rubbing alcohol ( or denatured but it costs more) into a container, dip your gloved finger into the alcohol and smooth the fillet.If you work carefully you can get fillets that require zero sanding afterwards. I use this trick when installing the knees under the deck for example, and on other just cosmetic areas. Let the fillet tack up a tad first of course.

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Charlie,

Your way sounds like it works pretty good. I'll probably try both ways for fun, just so I know. I WILL do the tape at the same time as the fillet though, as that does sound like the easiest way by far. I assume that you do both layers of tape while everything is wet?

One thing for sure, I'm getting a lot of ideas. Thanks.

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definitely both layers. I want it all to go in at once, so when it cures there's a total chemical bond there. If you waited, you'd need to sand ( or scrape) to get rid of the selvage edge on the tape before the next layer went on.

Oh- and notice- the tape selvage has one thin edge and one thicker edge- Put that thicker edge to the OUTSIDE so the other layer is going over the thinner one. Also arrange it if possible, so that the thicker edge is in the easiest to reach spot, so when you DO scrape or sand it you can reach it. Of course, double taping, that thick edge will wind up on the outside on both sides- oh well- it can't all be simple ;D

Another small trick- sometimes the selvage edge will pucker on you - if you will cut the tape to length, then clamp one end somewhere and STRETCH the daylights out of it ( evenly though) that will help stop that puckering. Then roll the tape up and set it somewhere where you can get it easily so when you start to install, you can just unroll it onto the fillet.

I pre cut all the pieces for a particular job, then roll them all up and place then ready to use. Then once I start working, I don't have to stop and mess with cutting glass.

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Randy,

I started out using the slow hardener, but stopped doing that several years ago except on the few, occasional really warm days.  It is not uncommon here to have sleet on the July 4th, and the heat on in the house to break the chill when getting up in the morning, in June, July, or August.  I use the fast hardner 95% of the time now.  I only make up small batches too, since I had several "smokers" when first learning the use of the epoxy, and that was with the slow hardner and in the dead of winter.  Four to five pumps of Epoxy 105, then matching pumps from the hardner makes a big enough batch to work on for 20 minutes or so, then I repeat it.  This works well in this climate and for my speed.  I bought a bag full of the small plastic drink cups and they work great, are cheap, and easy to toss when done, and have lasted over a year and only half gone.  I bought a bag of the acid brushes, the ones with the metal handles, which works really well for wetting where the squeegee won't fit.  They are cheaper than the chip brushes with the wooden handle and I buy them by the bag too.  I think I got those either at Duckwork or Jamestown...cannot recall.  A couple of years ago I found tongue depressors at an arts and crafts store for about $6 per a box of 500.  I haven't even made a dent in that box yet.  I bought wood flower from Duckwork about 2 or 3 years ago and have added to that from sanding and the band saw (coarser of course  :)).

Hope some of this helps.  I am seriously considering a CS20 and the Texas 200 next year, but will decide after visiting at Matagorda Bay when the folks make it in and at the Duckwork's Mess About.

Greg.

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Charlie and Greg,

Thanks for the tips.

I glued up(scarf joints) the four sheets of 9mm for the bottom tonight. Seemed like everything went fine. I put a straight edge along the sheets to make sure they were lined up. I mixed up too much epoxy, and it happened to me like it did you Greg, it got so hot I couldn't touch the cup. In about an hour it was hard as a rock, I used the fast set. I was able to dump it out of the cup in a big chunk. It was warmer tonight than it was last Saturday, around 70. Ten degrees does make a difference. I'm going to try to get the 6 side pieces glued up tomorrow night. I will attach the 6mm to the 9mm for the bottom after the first joints set up for a couple days. I'm running out of floor space fast. I'm taking pictures as I go, I'll try to post some later this week. Thanks again for your help.

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Ray,

After Howard's reply about being careful when measuring, I went to an automotive paint wholesale house yesterday and bought some measuring cups. They are idiot proof, which is what I need, because I too might forget where I'm at when mixing. They were only 47 cents each, not too bad in my book. I will, however, be more careful not to mix so much next time. Over mixing is a lot more costly than a 47 cent cup.

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  Not too long ago I decided my pumps were worn out.  I switched to using an electronic scale.  Now I measure by the gram.  I put the empty mixing cup on the scale, zero the reading, pour in as much resin as I need, zero the scale again and top it off with the appropriate amount of hardener.  Actually, I don't need to zero the second time if I'm feeling up to the arithmetic  :)

  I'll never use a pump again.

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I guess I just use the pumps more often, so they don't get gummed, but I've used pumps quite successfully for 20 years with no problems. They DO wear out eventually but at 10 bucks a set they are cheap to replace.

I also measure for very small jobs, but I have the pump stems marked so I can get half a pump also. Never have any problems, and I have three sets running at the moment.- one set for WEST, one set for some RAKA and one set for Graham's epoxy

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Randy - Don't forget that Ray is in the snowy Northeast and Charlie's way down South...  Here in NC I use fast hardener when it's cold and slow hardener most of the time.  And there are times (100 degree days) that I've wished for really, really slow hardener. ;)

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eggzactly!!!

Really cold weather for us here at lattitude 28.33 N is below 40. And when it gets that cold, I just don't go to the shop, cause in a day or two at the most, it'll warm back up into the 60s, and my shop will be in the mid 60s, or higher, with no heat. My only heat is a 220 volt electric space heater and a kerosene space heater, both of which I rarely use. In fact, I haven't turned on any heat out there in the last two winters.

It's currently 82 here

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I live in southwestern Michigan, right on Lake Michigan, which seriously affects this climate and why I tend to use the fast hardner most of the time.  In fact, I often drape the work with plastic and then set electric space heaters under the plastic tent to speed up the work.

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Charlie,

I totally understand that you and Ray live in different climates. I was merely making an obsevation.You said you always use slow, and Ray said he uses fast up to 90 degrees and then he only adds 1/3 slow hardener. I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was just making an observation. Sorry if you took it any other way, I didn't mean anything.

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;D

Randy- it takes a WHOLE lot more than that to tic me off. I didn't take it any way- I was pretty much teasing.

Ray and I often accomplish the exact same task differently. We've both learned from the other- little tricks, etc. As we have from others here. Hey NONE of us was born doing this stuff.

In fact, Ray and I email each other to discuss projects sometimes.

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Heck lets be real here. Differences of opinions???? ;)  If any of us were really smart enough to give free advice that others should listen, the lessons that most of us have learned should include telling others to stay the heck away from any and all of this madness. I mean where else in life can you work so hard and waste so much time to see absolutely nothing done for the effort and in the process you are deliberately destroying your liver, skin and bank account in the same act, yet  still keep coming back for more when you are done? ;D  ;D

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Yeah- got it. We spent the night on the boat last night and I've been in the shop since we got home except for a few brief breaks like this one for a glass of water.. I'll get back to you this evening or when the downpours begin, which ever is first.

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