Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
By:Etienne Muller
Date: 3/26/2008, 6:58 am
In Response To: Epoxy: the dreaded runs... (Todd Sullivan)

: I'll be bonding hulls-to-decks next couple days, then should be ready to mess
: with the final epoxy coats. Had 3 fill coats (plus seal & wet-out) on
: the hulls. Today, with the help of my new ROS (thank you very much
: Etienne) I buffed those fill coats down to the smoothness babies butt. If
: I can manage some smooth layers of epoxy, should be smooth-as-glass, and
: I'd be happy. Concern is I can't seem to spread my epoxy (MAS resin w/
: slow hardener) thin enough that it won't develop runs. Can go back an hour
: after applying and 'tip' any runs smooth, but seems I'll go back another
: hour later and there will be more runs, and now they've started to set.
: I'll do more damage than good trying to smooth them out. I've applied
: varnish to many-a-thing that weren't flat in my lifetime, usually with
: decent results. Doesn't seem like this should be so tough!

: Ended up taking off a good portion of those original fill coats (stayed out
: of the glass!) just to get something smooth. Prefer not to do that again.
: Both time consuming and expensive. Was hoping to apply remaining coats
: with the little 4" trim roller, but this doesn't seem to allow for a
: very thin coat. Realize I'll likely still need to do some sanding between
: coats, but I'd like to have better (smoother, w/ fewer runs) results with
: these finish coats than I did with the fills. Anyone know any tricks they
: might pass on? Might I have better luck w/ a faster hardener? Any advice
: will be appreciated.

: Todd

Hi Todd

Are you adding further epoxy coats after you have sanded your fill coats? If you are I wonder why. Why not just varhish? Adding further epoxy coats is just adding extra weight?

Et

Messages In This Thread

Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Todd Sullivan -- 3/25/2008, 9:22 pm
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Pedro Almeida -- 3/26/2008, 8:16 pm
Re: Epoxy: taping seams and rollers *LINK*
Rod Tait -- 3/26/2008, 10:38 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Etienne Muller -- 3/26/2008, 6:58 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Todd Sullivan -- 3/26/2008, 8:41 am
Stop now. You're done.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 3/27/2008, 6:48 pm
Re: Stop now. You're done.
Acors -- 3/28/2008, 5:17 pm
Re: Stop now. You're done.
Todd Sullivan -- 3/28/2008, 10:15 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Glen Smith -- 3/26/2008, 10:08 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Jesper B -- 3/26/2008, 5:16 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Greg Clopton -- 3/26/2008, 12:29 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Pedro Almeida -- 3/26/2008, 8:35 pm
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Bill Hamm -- 3/27/2008, 7:18 am
Re: Epoxy: the dreaded runs...
Michael McCluskey -- 3/25/2008, 9:50 pm