DMK,

I'm in the middle of an Eastport pram, too, & was just thinking about this today. I haven't run out (yet) but my jugs seem to be getting pretty light. I'm getting ready to epoxy in my bulkheads tomorrow.

I was under the impression their would be enough epoxy in the kit to finish the boat. I've been pretty frugal myself. I definitely have not waisted much. Very little, for sure.

Am I going to have to spring for a couple hundred bucks more for enough epoxy to do the job? That doesn't seem right to me.

Frank

DMK,

I've got to correct my previous post. Just checked & it feels like I'm just a little over half way through with my epoxy. Don't know if I'll make it through the entire process but I'll definetly be able to keep working for a while!

Sorry for the false info in my previous post. I had been thinking about it & obviously thought I was using more than I actually was. Can't find any way to remove my post or I would.

Sorry,

Frank

The number one reason to run out is excessively thick fillets. Number two is putting coats on too thick onto bare wood and number three is using too much to fill the weave. The biggest reason for doing these things is lack of experience. As builders get more practice they use less epoxy.

John has said that he sells the kits with enough for experienced builders to be able to finish the boat with what is supplied. Less experienced folks will probably have to get more.

One way to economize is to use a fairing compound instead of straight epoxy to fill the weave and fair the hull, but that only works for a painted hull.

Good luck

Laszlo

Does the basic kits come with enough resin to complete the boat and sailing option? The boat I'm planning on building, the NE Dory, like many of the CLC boats, they have a sailing option. I've studies the parts list for the basic kit and sailing option, and it appears that the fiberglass (resin & hardener) come with the basic kit.

If that is true, then myself (inexperienced builder) should have plenty of resin to complete the basic kit. And if that is true, if I later add the sailing option I'm likely going to be using "aged" resin and be needing a little more? 

���I am in the final stages of building my NE Dory. This is my first boat build. To complete the boat and the Lug sail, I used all the kit supplied epoxy plus I am about half way through another half gallon.

Hombre, I'm building the NE Dory right now. My understanding is that the kit comes with enough epoxy for an experienced builder to build a rowboat. If you're doing the sailing kit too, then you need to buy more epoxy. I'm almost half way through my resin and I'm about to glass the outer hull. Hopefully I'm on track...

Mike, do you remember where you were in the build when you cracked open the second container of resin?

Yes, I was applying the final coats of epoxy to the seats. As a first timer, I did have several instances of waste. Mixing more than I needed for the job on hand, applying to much for what I was doing. I do believe if I did it again I could have easily completed the kit with the supplied amount. I don’t think it would be enough for the sailing rig.   

  In my experience building big buildings and other things these things seem true.

1. A 10 minute job takes two hours.

2. Fasteners, paint, dirt and epoxy take 1.5 x what people think is enough.

3. Always put a contingency dollar amount in your budget estimate to cover numbers 1 and 2.

I   don't mean to hijack the thread.  just getting started building the teardrop camper, and i noticed the reference in one of the messages in this thread about inexperienced builders "filling the weave" with epoxy.  i was wondering about that today when i applied a strip of fiberglass 3" wide material along the backbone of the inside of trailer top.  following the instructions, i laid down a layer of epoxy, then the strip of fiberglas (nestling it into place) then covering it with more epoxy.

does the epoxy need to completely cover the the "top" of the fiberglas tape, or is it OK for the weave to show?  i know i need to use enough epoxy so that it makes the fiberglas transparent.

thanks

If the glass is properly wet out there's no structural need to fill the weave.    Whether to fill othe weave or not depends on a couple of things. First, are you putting on another layer of cloth? If yes, you don't need to fill the weave. Next, do you need/want a smooth surface? If yes, you do need to fill the weave.

Finally, the choice of what to fill it with depends on the final finish - epoxy for a varnished finish and fairing compound for a painted one.

Have fun,

Laszlo

thanks, Laszlo.  i'm working on joining panels together along their length, appying the fiberglas and epoxy on the inside of the camper shell.  so i will proceed without filling the weave as you suggested, since this is the unfinished side.

ken  

Ken, just adding to what Laszlo said, the NE Dory manual says "When properly done, the cloth will be transparent but the weave will still be very evident. If you apply too much epoxy on the first coat the cloth will float to the surface and you will have a weaker structure."

   john--thanks for that info.  

as the old adage says:  read twice, build once.  i reread the first part of the teardrop manual and that instruction is clearly there.  i missed it on the first reading!  it also says to use the epoxy spreader rather than a chip brush to apply the epoxy over the fiberglas.  i had missed that, too.

thanks again

ken