Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

I have glued the bottom and side panels of my hull this past weekend - joints look strong, but I'm sure messy.  I was probably a bit light on silicone and perhaps a bit too viscous.  I also had a fear of not enough, so when I glassed the inside of joint, I also coated the outside of the joint with the clear epoxy I used on the joints. 

Result is both sides of the joints, which I had used plastic sheet and screwed board into table over joint to compress, I would say are "messy."  I suppose sanding will minimize the mess?  should I sand these joints both sides before beveling and  stitching, while I am in the flat state?

I had some pooling of my excess epoxy and some rippling on the outside of the joint, as of course the plastic wrinkled a bit, and my excess epocy pooled in ripples.

overall the joints are solid, I just want to be sure how to clean them up a bit, especially the outside.  Thoughts from the experienced .....

 

 

 


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RE: Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

If you're going to sand something, it's always easier to sand while it's flat. Just be sure you  don't sand into the glass.

Have fun,

Laszlo

 

RE: Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

I hope you meant fumed silica instead of silicon. Epoxy does not stick to silicon. When working with bare wood a little runny is good. The epoxy soaks in, and the thickener stays in the joint. As previously stated, you can fix anything with epoxy. It is a bit easier to sand now while flat, but I always wait until everything is tack welded, and the outside, until the deck is on. The transoms on the Wood Ducks are a little bit fiddly, as noted by the recent discussions. Don't get too stressed about it. Get the best fit that you can, and move on. If you are struggling alot, add a few stitch holes, maybe sand the panels a little. Good luck JRC

RE: Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

   While the panels are still flat and the joints unstressed, use a heat gun and paint scraper to remove the silica-epoxy that squeezed out on the outer surface. Keep the heat moving, while testing the epoxy softness with the scraper- when a little softened, scrape it smooth and let cool before handling. Silica epoxy mix is hard to sand, and especially hard to sand flat - the soft okoume gets dished on either side unless you use a hard sanding block and some care. 

RE: Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

Thanks for the comments.  I may try to find a heat gun and heat /scrape the outside, Need to remove the wrinkles. Since the inside is inside, and glassed, I may just leve it be, rather than risk having to reglass?  the joints seem rock solid.

I will be moving this assemly from my living room to the garage for rest of work, having bought the inside of my living room for warm enough temp to epoxy.     My pace is slow, as it will be teperature driven and not much 65 plus in sight fotr the garage - but getting the hull stitched is targed for weekend 12/13.

Hope I can rent a heat gun, unless a neighbor has one.

 

Learning as I go, and I suppose I had a little more time to clean the joints before clamping them down to table to cure than I thought. Fair to say excess is not bad, but scrape the excess before compression and cure, and be confident in the mixture and puzzle joint design?

RE: Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

   A hair dryer will probably work. Or, get a quart size ziploc bag, fill with near-boiling water, and lay it on the joint for a few minutes. This will soften the surface epoxy, and that in the joint. Quickly scrape the surface epoxy as it quickly cools. Don't stress/move the panel until things cool, since the softened epoxy in the joint is, well, soft when it is hot. 

RE: Fairly successful start to my WD14, I think, but some epoxy overkill concerns

i can see this network, and my nephews' experience, will get me through the build - thanks again.  Delayed a bit from my work, but will get deck pieces glued (with less slop), then do my cleanup on hull pieces ........then on to bevel and stitch maybe weekend 3/19,20.  Thanks again for the tips.

 

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