Wood Flour/Gas Tank Hatch Re-Core

JeffN

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Re: Wood Flour

How is it going Offshore? I usually use the WEST System 406. Seems to work well. In a few places I have used a bondo type product with fiberglass strands in it for high build applications. You can do the same thing wth the WEST, 406 and glass strand too.
 

JeffN

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Re: Wood Flour

No it is not fun. If you have any chopped mat around that is easier. You can just pull it apart and shred it. A friend turned me on the the bondo type product, I used it to tranisition/taper the from core thickness to the inspection plate cut outs on my deck rebuild and around the edge last spring. Just to thicken I use the 406 and WEST. What are you glassing on the old girl.
 

JeffN

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Re: Wood Flour

Yeah been there done that. If yours is anything like mine it will be a lot less heavy when you are done. No rot but it was soaked. What did you choose as a core material? I went with end grain balsa and relieved the core around where the factory screws went through. I filled those voids with the bondo mix. Hopefully there will be no water intrusion now as the screws don't go through the core. I rebuilt the ply panel accross the the cockpit stern too last season. Marine ply with light cloth and WEST, on that piece I used a hole saw to make the areas where the srews go through larger then filled those with a WEST/406 thickened mixture. So same deal the srews don't go through the wood.
 

'84Offshore

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Re: Wood Flour

I just used 1/2" ply for the core.

Just finished installing the ply.....
Coated the side of the ply that mates to the hatch w/ unthickened resin, then coated the underside of the hatch w/ thickened resin, put down the ply and added some weight.

This is really my 1st time doing this kinda job.......I like turning wrenches better!
Man, that resin hardens pretty damn fast........only had about 15min of working time!!
 

JeffN

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Re: Wood Flour

Yes it does kick fast. I remember thinking at the time that I should have maybe used the slow hardner. It will be nice when it is done though, no more soft spots.
 

'84Offshore

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Re: Wood Flour

I hope I used enough thickened resin on the hatch....guess I'll find out in a little bit.
May try to get some mat strips around the edges later today and put a layer over the whole thing tomorrow.
I will try to take some pics.....don't care if it's pretty, just wanna make sure its strong!
 

JeffN

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Re: Wood Flour

It will be fine, I would think. I used stitch mat for the for that final layer on the advice of the supplier that I purchased the material from. On my 25 the deck cover a bit wider than a 24 and I was concerned about rigidity.
 

JeffN

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Looks good just make sure when you put down that final layer that there are no tweaks in the deck. You want it to be level both ways. If it's tweaked it will be tweaked very firmly.
 

'84Offshore

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Final product..........may not be pretty but it's solid!



A final note: remember this is my firsrt time w/ resin/glass........

The amount of catalyst is CRUCIAL to the amount of working time!

During my final layer I used the recommended amount of catalyst for the current temp and the resin "kicked" before I was done!!
On my final "touch-up" i reduced the amount of catalyst a little........the working time was much longer, so much I was nervous it wasn't going to cure but it did.

This was definitly a learning experience!!
 

JeffN

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Looks good. Now get it ready and in the water. You are ahead of me I would think, Our weather has not been very good so I am behind. I worked on mine a bit yesterday and found I probably need a new transducer. It's a boat what did I expect.