Eastport Pram - Covering some bad fillets

Hi everyone,

I am in the final weeks of an eastport pram build that started about two years ago, and I thought I would poll the collective wisdom here to see if anyone has seen anything done in my shoes.

I put some bad fillets on the visible parts of my pram. It's more than one of those "only the builder will notice it" problems and I'm thinking of some ways to try and fix the problem.

Has anyone seen or done a way to cover ugly filets?  I have been thinking about attaching webbing over the fillets so that 1) you can't see the the error anymore and 2) I may get some utility in being able to attach items to the webbing.

Thanks!


4 replies:

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RE: Eastport Pram - Covering some bad fillets

You could possibly use a Dremel tool to grind down the bad fillets to prep for new, nicer fillets.  The fillets could also be a slightly larger radius so that it encapsulates the old fillets, ground or not.  If you do a larger fillet over the top, make sure to scuff up the old fillets with some 60/80 grit sandpaper for a mechanical bond.  There's nothing wrong with larger fillets, it only adds strength.  I actually dropped my Eastport Pram a couple times off of the sawhorses and my 1" radius fillets didn't even flinch.  Good luck and let us know how your resolved this "design alteration opportunity".

RE: Eastport Pram - Covering some bad fillets

   Thank you CaptainSkully!

RE: Eastport Pram - Covering some bad fillets

Wharry,

If you're painting instead of varnishing, you can cover the structural fillets with cosmetic fillets made with phenolic microballoons instead of woodflour. When they've hardenend, wrap #80 paper around a cylinder (I used discarded eposy rollers) and sand them smooth (microballoon fillets are real easy to sand). Repeat until all your sins are covered, then prime and paint as usual. Here's the results on my Brand X dinghy. No sign of the original eyesore fillets.

Laszlo

RE: Eastport Pram - Covering some bad fillets

   Wow, Laszlo - that looks amazing. I had never heard of that optionb before.

Thanks to you both for the great advice. I'm going to try and sand it down a bit and then I'll make a decision....will definitely keep you posted.

 

 

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