end pour problem

hi

first time builder and first time poster here

I am building the chesapeak 16 and just did the end pours today.   Long story short.    I  overheated and cooked the  epoxy in the second pour.    I am using the mas slow hardener but because it was cool today and it didn't seem to want to kick,   I put some heat on it from a portable space heater.  That worked well for the first one.   The second pour didn't go as well.   I used the heat right after the pour was in place and after 15 minutes it expanded and smoked and turned kind of granular.   I was watching as it happened so I grabbed a stick and pushed it down best I could.  Seemed like the cooked part was only about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep so I mixed a small batch of epoxy and did another pour over the top.   Now I'm  wondering if I should have removed the cooked stuff and then re-poured???   I hope it will be ok.

 

Thanks for your thoughts

John


8 replies:

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RE: end pour problem

When I did the first end pour on my MC 16.5 (poured behind a dam, not with the boat standing on end) I poured in 3 batches without letting the previous one cook off.  The first batch kicked about the time I added the third.  I had smoke and bubbling epoxy.  It looked like Mt. Vesuvius with epoxy boiling out and running down onto the floor.  I just kept scraping off the excess until it all settled down.  Once it cooled and set I sanded the top where the deck was to go and proceeded to finish the boat.  1 1/2 years later the end pour has been well tested and there has never been a problem.  I would think you will be fine and had you tried to get it out you would most likely have been stuck with a real mess.

Good luck with the rest of your build.

Paul

RE: end pour problem

thanks for sharing that story and well wishes - made me feel better and gives me hope that it will be OK.     The deck went on last night with no issues to report.   Yay!

John

RE: end pour problem

 

John -- Sounds like you are just a few days ahead of me!  I've just done the end pours on mu Chesapeak 16 and will be installing the deck tonight!

 I did the first end pour (stern) using a dam and lots of tape ... but it was an incredible mess! 

Even with what seemed to be a ridiculous amount of tape -- I still had leaks.  I ended up taping over the top and putting the kayak as vertical as I could get it inside my garage last night at ~11pm.  This morning things seemed ok (but I haven't taken the tape off to fully inspect yet)

 I went back to a "vertical" pour for the bow, so the boat is leaning against my house curing as we speak.  Now you've got me wondering if I'll have the remnents of a volcano to deal with when I get home tonight!

My previous build was a strip and plank Great Auk - and I did the end pours after the deck was installed.  I have no idea if things overheated ... maybe ignorance is bliss!!!

 When mixing up the epoxy for the end pour I cut up and add scrap fiberglass cloth that was left over trimmings from glassin the hull.  This makes a really thick - pudding like mass that I pour into the ends.  It seems to work -- and saves me a few $$ worth of eppoxy!

RE: end pour problem

When I did the end pours in my MC 16.5 I made cardboard dams covered with packaging tape for horizontal pouring and installed them with modeling clay to seal it all up. The MAS slow was mixed with phenolic micro ballons to cut down on epoxy and to make it lighter in weight. I did three seperate pours for each end about an hour or so apart and it just got warm to the touch with no overflow problems. Somethings you just have to take your time with...

 

RE: end pour problem

 Those suggestions are helpful.   Next time,  and there will be a next time,  I'll do the pours in 3   "lifts"   and consider using the lighter micro balloons or cut up cloth.    I've no shortage of wood flour....but it is heavy.   Thanks for posting those pictures of such a clean end pour.  I have a new standard to shoot for.

 

John,  about attaching the deck...

I found that in addition to the ring shank nails,  packing tape (witth the fibers)  was helpful to get a tight deck to hull seam.  I taped between each nail and had just the right amount of squeeze-out so that I had no need to fill any gaps.  Not a bad first attempt at that rolling bevel - if I do say so myself.   Man this boatbuilding is fun!

RE: end pour problem

 Those suggestions are helpful.   Next time,  and there will be a next time,  I'll do the pours in 3   "lifts"   and consider using the lighter micro balloons or cut up cloth.    I've no shortage of wood flour....but it is heavy.   Thanks for posting those pictures of such a clean end pour.  I have a new standard to shoot for.

 

John,  about attaching the deck...

I found that in addition to the ring shank nails,  packing tape (witth the fibers)  was helpful to get a tight deck to hull seam.  I taped between each nail and had just the right amount of squeeze-out so that I had no need to fill any gaps.  Not a bad first attempt at that rolling bevel - if I do say so myself.   Man this boatbuilding is fun!

RE: end pour problem

Great idea about the packing tape between nail positions!

I used 4 car carrier straps and things went pretty well -- although 6 straps would have been even better.

For my next build, my wife's boat, which will start as soon as I finish this one -- I will definitely be much smarter and won't make the same mistakes again.  I'll make new ones!

Are you planning to install rub rails?  I'm thinking about it - but haven't decided yet.

RE: end pour problem

I'm also on the fence about adding rub rails.   Leaning toward putting them on. 

So I had another little epoxy episode today.    Yesterday I put several coats of epoxy on the deck  to fill the weave.   This morning I moved the boat  (its getting heavier)    outside to sand  and take advantage of a light breeze.   Got it set up and left it for a bit.   Came back and the sun was on it and little dots of fabric telegraphed through the epoxy.    There are two lines of "braile"  along both  shear clamps  from the bow and back  a  couple of feet.    I quickly moved the boat back inside.   Man,  what a bummer!  Oh well,   I'm  glad I caught it when I did.   I sanded the dot/lines back to flush and applied some more epoxy but the white dots are still visible.   I was going to finish the whole top bright  (still might - its really not too bad) but now I may have to be conventional and wrap the hull paint over the shear to cover the cool bronze nail heads and  these  self inflicted  birth marks. 

John

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