Builders' Forum |
|
| ↓ Scroll to Last Comment ↓ | Forum Guidelines | Builders' Forum |  RSS
|
Question for Dana Hager - rub strips
I was hoping Dana Hager of recent Okumefest fame would share some more details about how he applied the rub strips his award winning Mill CreeK. They are beautifully done as was the entire boat. I would like to put them on my boats. I have been to his very helpful photo gallery but still have some questions?
1. Where does one purchase dyneema/spectra fabric? I can not find a web supplier that deals in anything less than 100 yard bolts, or if you have 100 yards could you sell me a couple of feet? ... or maybe CLC would like to carry it.
2. Which fabric did you use? There seem to be many different specifications.
3. I had not realized that dyneema/spectra is an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, which raises the question of how one wets it out or gets it to adhere to epoxy resin or anything else for that matter?
4. I see that you taped off the boundaries of the patch before applying the fabric. I would love to be able to make that work but every time I have tried it, with deck hull seams or cockpit, I end up struggling to get the epoxied tape back off the boat.
5. Any clues you could provide as to how to make a bias cut piece of fabric hold its shape with the precision and symmetry of your patches would also be appreciated. Do you trim them to that shape once they are on the boat? Does Dyneema hold its shape better than glass or kevlar? Did you put the two layers on separately letting the epoxy set between them or all at one time?
6. Am I correct in presuming they are black because the epoxy contains carbon filler?
I hope I am not asking for Grandma's secret recipe, but if I am I won't be offended.
Bob R.
5 replies:
RE: Question for Dana Hager - rub strips
CLC sells a Rub Strip kit and materials that work well for kayaks but not full coverage like I installed on the Mill Creek. Dynel Fabric is available for purchase by the yard (~$9) online by a few places. Give me a shout ( dehageratrcndotcom ) and I can let you know where I purchased the fabric.
The 5 oz cloth wets out like glass and works well when cut on the bias. I used 3M Blue painters tape for masking, trimmed after the epoxy set up, masked again and added the second layer. After the two layers were applied the rub strips were coated with a mixture of MAS epoxy and West System 423 graphite powder supplied by CLC.
RE: Question for Dana Hager - rub strips
Thank you so much for replying. I had misunderstood you to say that you had used Dyneema rather than Dynel fabric, thus the questions about bonding etc. I am still wondering how you get such clean lines when you cut the excess cloth away from the boat. Do you use a blade or scissors? Do you lift the fabric with the tape? When I have tried this with glass, the tape invariably tears and it becomes a real chore to remove both glass and tape. Maybe I am waiting too long to do the triming.
Bob R.
RE: Question for Dana Hager - rub strips
Usually I apply this the night before and trim the next morning. I trim the fabric using a sharp razor blade, slowly pulling up on the tape while holding the fabric and run the blade along the edge as I pull. It is best to trim when the epoxy is green but not tacky, about +/- 12 hrs.
RE: Question for Dana Hager - rub strips
Usually I apply this the night before and trim the next morning. I trim the fabric using a sharp razor blade, slowly pulling up on the tape while holding the fabric and run the blade along the edge as I pull. It is best to trim when the epoxy is green but not tacky, about +/- 12 hrs.
RE: Question for Dana Hager - rub strips
» Submitted by jeffh - Thu, 5/27/10 » 11:26 AM
Maybe this will help a little with the rubrails:
http://www.clcboats.com/forum/clcforum/thread/10585.html