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Hi fellow boatbuilders: I am presently a couple of days away from finishing the final fairing of the KH Barrelback that I am building. I sure could use a little friendly advise on a couple of questions that have me thinking. Would it be best to completely epoxy coat the boat frame before I start the plywood cold moulding method?, And how do you feel about coating the plywood with epoxy before it is applied against the frame side , will it help or hurt the adhesion of the epoxy if it is coated with dried epoxy before the glueing of the wood to the frame. Would anybody give me a good guess on the number of sheets of 1/8 1088 Okuume if I were to cover the sides with 3 layers and 4 layers on the bottom of the 20' Barrelback? I would sure apperciate your input. Thanks RayV

good question...i was wondering the same thing about my sea knight....

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Built the 17' Glen-L "Sea Knight"

Not bad questions at all and you are thinking about how to save time later.

Yes, it is advisable to encapsulate your frames before you start laminations. Why? simple. It is easier, far easier.

Could you encapsulate the inside surface of the initial lamination before applying to the frame? Yes, and not a bad idea again because it is easier not working between frames later. Remember, as you epoxy your laminations to the frames you will get runs on the inside of your plywood laminations. If you want to keep your frame exposed on your finished boat, be sure to climb under and clean those runs up while they are still in the green unset stage. If you inside framing is not exposed on your finished boat, then the cleanup is a personal choice

A point of information. Epoxy adheres best to itself if is not fully cured. The best bond between epoxies surfaces is a chemical bond. The rule is that if your epoxy has cured more than 72 hours, it is advisable to sand it to create a mechanical bond. Of course, this is true if temperatures allow normal cure times. All bets are off with the current state of "global warming".

Some wait and don't do anything until the boat is turned. Some seal the inside with CPES. Some use epoxy paint. The options are wide and varied and your final desire will guide you on your path.

Hope this helps

dave

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Dave

My Riviera build - the Midnight Cry Project

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Few things in the world measure up to the thrill and satisfaction of boating in a boat that you built.

G, Day Ray. Based on a 20ft Tahoe it takes 18 sheets 8ft x 4ft of 3/16" ply or 24 sheets if 1/8", I used 3/16". Only encapsulate parts of the frame that will be inaccesible after skinning the hull. I would not pre-seal the plywood prior to installation, for epoxy to properly key it would be necessary to sand all the surfaces prior to installation .
Regards Ron.

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Ron from Aus
http://picasaweb.google.com/MisterPlyWood/RonsBoat

Thanks for to replys, What I had to do is flip the boat frame over in order to build the transom, For the life of me I could not see in my thick head just how it would look when building upside down on the stand, ( love the way it turned out ) so while I was busy patting myself on the back I decided to epoxy the entire inside of the frame. I am glad of that beer hazed decision, so now that it is back upside down on the stand, I am cleaning off all the hard drips and finishing the fairing, At the end of the month after we fly home from the D.R. I will pick up the plywood I need wail in Toronto at Noah's and its time to start the cold moulding, I can't wait! One other question, My wife is so much better on this computor than me, Could anybody explain how is the best way I can get pictures loaded so I could share my joys and sorrows with you's. Thanks guys sorry for all the questions but I sure need some help! Thanks RayV

Ray - the easiest way is to upload the picture using the upload attachment at the bottom of the page you are entering the post in.

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Dave

My Riviera build - the Midnight Cry Project

Video of Midnight in Action
Blog

Few things in the world measure up to the thrill and satisfaction of boating in a boat that you built.