Pete's Whiplash 20 LSH

[Shooter]

Yeah, I think I need to stop sniffin' glue and get back to building.

[ray schrauwen]

Before there was CA glue you HAD to curve parts to epoxy them together or it was really hard to jig up. Yes, I'm dating myself....

Those Guillow's Balsa models would have been a piece of cake to build with CA waaay back...

[Shooter]

Oh, you're not that old, Ray!

Got some hobby time this weekend. Back at it. I sanded everything flat and glued on the sponson ride surfaces. I sanded off the side excess and left some overhang on the trailing edge to adjust later...

[Shooter]

I glued some of that heavy duty coated sandpaper (the red stuff!) on my airplane sanding block. This stuff practically NEVER wears.

Sanded in prep for the final pads. I added quite a chamfer to the outside edge to get it to fit right. Sanding with the block in contact with both rails at the same time made for a nice flat surface for the pads to glue to.

[Shooter]

I did a lot more sanding. Sides, transom, recovery pads, etc...

I'm getting ready to seal it up. Anyone have suggestions to thin out West Systems epoxy?

Hopefully I'll get a few days off work around X-mas to bang this project out. I have a lot of other cool projects going on that I want to get to.

[Shooter]

BTW - I picked up some of the 'UFO' brand odorless glue. Very expensive, but what a difference. So far, so good. No allergies.

[longballlumber]

I'm getting ready to seal it up. Anyone have suggestions to thin out West Systems epoxy?

Your choice, but the makers of West Systems doesn't necessarily approve of thinning with a solvent although people have done it successfully. You can use heat (hair dryer), but don't heat the epoxy it will shorten the pot life quickly. Try heating the area directly on the hull your trying to coat. Sealing up a wood hull is a PIA!

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/thinning-west-system-epoxy/

You could also try using the 207 finishing hardener... It's much thinner and the mix ratio is 1:1. I know Terry has used it. I have some, but haven't used it yet.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/hardener-selection-guide/

Later,
Mike

[detox]

Z Poxy finishing epoxy will be a little easier to sand

[Fluid]

Ditto on the Z Poxy finishing resin (not the epoxy glue!). Thinning regular epoxy has problems - the water in the alcohol will cause the epoxy to be more 'rubbery' when it cures. Using acetone instead of alcohol may loosen some of the adhesives you used to stick the boat together. Best to use stuff designed for the job.

.

[Shooter]

Thanks guys! I will not thin the west systems. I have some old Zpoxy 'finishing resin' that was laying around from a previous job. It's brownish in color. I will seal the inside with this if I have enough. Otherwise, I will just use the un-thinned west systems and try to brush it under seams.

As for the exterior, the idea of sanding any type of resin/epoxy has me a bit frightened. Always seems to load up on the sand paper. KlassKote however is pretty decent and I've worked with it before. If I paint the outside of the hull with KlassKote epoxy primer and paint, do I need to finish the outside with resin prior to painting?? Thanks again.

[ray schrauwen]

You can use De-Natured Alcohol to thin 2 part epoxy including Z-poxy since it has NO water in it. In Canada you can not get this so I called MAS and they said I could use a bit of Lacquer Thinner or Acetone to thin the epoxy further than what it is.

I don't know about West Systems, sorry.

Ditto on the Z Poxy finishing resin (not the epoxy glue!). Thinning regular epoxy has problems - the water in the alcohol will cause the epoxy to be more 'rubbery' when it cures. Using acetone instead of alcohol may loosen some of the adhesives you used to stick the boat together. Best to use stuff designed for the job.

.

[detox]

I have allways sealed exterior with finishing epoxy then sanded with 100 grit paper first then used 220 for final sanding before spraying on primer surfacer. After primer surfacer has cured i wet sand with 320. Spray on another thin coat of primer surfacer then sand with 400. Then paint.

Follow directions with Z Poxy resin. You should squeegy off excess with first coat then sand. Next apply another thin coat then sand. Usually two coats are all that is needed.

You can also use the West epoxy for finishing, but it will be a little harder to sand.

[ray schrauwen]

Thanks for the info Detox! Great info as always!

[Shooter]

Yeah, Thanks D. Your boats always look great. Appreciate the tips.

On a sad note, I am retiring 'The Pearl'. Gutted her. Way too much time into the finish and paint on that one.

[ron1950]

shooter does the pearl still look that good? and your retireing it? id have to retire my whole fleet by those standards...it looks great to me...