Frustrated with fairing

[Trayder]

My sander and I have become one today. I sit here typing while my hands are still shaking from a day of abuse.

I am a bit anoyed with the fairing compound I am using. It is a Polyester blend, because I am finishing the boat with polyester gel-coat, but it does not seem to be getting hard enough.

Does anyone know what that means?

Did I not add enough hardener or too much?

[Miles Offshore]

Traydor, The temperaurecombined with humidity might just mean a little longer dry time for you up north this time of year if you are using the reconnened mix of hardener. I would just give it a little extra time to dry if that does not work then Im afraid you will have to remove the old filer re-apply using a hotter mixture. Are you by chance using "West System"?

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA TRAYDER
I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT BUT I CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH THE FAIRING AND SANDING PROCESS. I HAVE SPENT, SHOOT I CAN’T REMEMBER HOW MANY DAYS SANDING AND FAIRING. THIS WEEKEND I SPENT ANOTHER 14 HOURS OF SANDING AND THAT’S JUST THE INSIDE. I HAVE BEEN USING THE WEST SYSTEM AND THE FAIRING MATERIAL HAS BEEN EITHER THEIR #406, #407, OR #410 DEPENDING ON WHAT I AM DOING. I HAVEN’T HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH IT HARDENING IN FACT I HAVE TO WATCH NOT TO MIX UP TO MUCH OR IT WILL CURE IN THE POT. I THINK I GOT 1 TO 2 DAYS LEFT ON THE INSIDE AND THEN PRIMER WHICH OF COURSE WILL NEED TO BE SANDED AND THEN PAINTING. MY HANDS ARE A WRECK A LOT OF MY SANDING THIS WEEKEND WAS IN PLACES THAT I COULDN’T GET A SANDER INTO. NEXT WEEKEND I SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE MY ORBITAL SANDER. BOY I NEVER THOUGHT USING A SANDER WOULD BE BETTER THAN WHAT I WAS DOING THE WEEK BEFORE. THE TIPS OF MY FINGERS ARE A WRECK.
GOOD LUCK YOUR FRIEND THAT KNOWS YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING ALL UNDER THE HEADING OF FUN.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Trayder]

Hello Guys-

Spoke with the guys at the fiberglass shop and they told me I was not putting it on thick enough? Who knows. The stuff I am using is called Fair So light, it is made by LBI fiberglass, a glass shop in Groton CT. They told me not to worry about it not getting hard enough be cause it will, but not quickly when applied too thin. As I did. So. What I now have to do is put the stuff on 4x thicker than I need and the sand it down. Fellow-Ship, I have a feeling my fingers will soon be feeling your pain.

Miles- I figured it was the temp/humidity as well but my project is inside a "heated" garage. I had the room up to a 75 degree constant yesterday. But I figured the humidity was the culprit.

Scott- you just wait till I perfect the Re-Gel Coating process [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] . Granted you may have already finished your boat and have been using it for 5 years by the time I do actually perfect it. Hehe [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[John R]

Trayder, I know from building fishing rods that excessive humidity will seriously degrade the performance of hardeners. While I don't know how or if that will impact your fairing, with rods, if it is too humid, the epoxy may never cure.

I mixed an epoxy once for building a rod, wrapped the guides and they never truly cured as I mixed and applied them over a humid weekend. The rod is still tacky to touch over a year later. I didn't know it then but one of the golden rules in rod building epoxies is to never mix & apply in humid conditions. Whether or not this translates into your issue I have no idea.

Another thought to consider, again - I'm near clueless on this issue - if you apply 4x the fairing compound so it hardens, will it be hard all the way through? Or will you sand through a hard shell only to find a not cured layer underneath??

Just a couple thoughts....

[Scott]

Hey Jason

4 times thicker!!!! I'm going to here you "cussing" that thing out from down here....WOW... What are you doing with the bottom of the boat .... That is where I would like a new gel coat .. but seeing your pain .. maybe I'll just leave well enough alone and do the Interprotect Epoxy 2000 thing....

John R - Fellow rod builder we may have to talk sometime and compare notes on building .. I'm restoring (that seems to be a theme in my life right now!!)some old Harnel trolling blanks .... hope to use them this fall for Striped bass well that is if the boat ever gets done!!

[Trayder]

Hello Guys-

Its cured!!! Although I applied it "thin" it would still cure just much slower than when applied very thick.

Scott- this fairing is for the transom, where I have to fill in the notched area, since I will now have a full transom. I first filled the area with 3 layers of mat but now have to fair it with the two sides. Fun fun fun [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

here is a pic:



[ March 18, 2002, 07:59 PM: Message edited by: Trayder ]

[Scott]

Sorry to here the troubles with fairing!!!! Jason I know you hinted to me to Gel coat the boat and I've been thinking about it but I dont know now....think I'll keep on the painting path...I really hope you wont have to redo all that work .. yikes!!!!! What about a little heat in the garage ...I'm sure you've already gone that route.....just remember ITS GOING TO LOOK AWESOME WHEN ITS DONE!!!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Miles... why do you ask that about the WEST SYSTEM... you've got me intrigued??

While working on mine I have always picked an area and gone nuts with it....epoxy work then fairing it out ...I was too scared that if I did all the epoxy work first then had to sand the whole boat I would lose it...
Fellow-Ship I hear you about sanding the inside of these boats ... some places are alittle difficult....well that an understatement...Your sanding out the whole deck aren't you???...There are still a couple of places that I have repaired but havent figured out how to Fair yet...spots like in the channels for hatches and the deck...yuk!!!

[Miles Offshore]

Trayder, glad you got it solved!!! The reason I was inquiring about the West system is I helped my friend replace stringers in his 78 Formula back in Jan/Feb (outside)in fairly cold conditions and I was extremly impressed with the performance of the product.Easy to mix, apply , and set up to the touch in less than an hour and seems really strong and lightweight as well) Personally I will never use standard resin again. Glad you got it done, Craig

[ March 19, 2002, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: Miles Offshore ]

[Scott]

Miles -Thanks for the info on the WEST SYSTEM I thought something went wrong when you had used it ....thats why I asked I've always had great luck with it.....burned up a few plastic cups [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ...but otherwise always worked well for me..

Jason....Whew… glad to hear about the success.. what is going to be the final color of the boat...I guess you mix pigment in with your final topcoat...after all the fairing is complete?