JEM Watercraft

Tor..
Thanks for the nice words but some times I just get lucky when building a boat and everything comes together.

Something new for me............
I have been rolling on the epoxy and in that process I have had some pock marking on the boat ( dimples ) in the epoxy. Usually sanding gets rid of them but I tried something new today.

New for me since I haven't done it in the past ( some of you do this , I haven't till now) Stopped at the auto parts store and got a package of what they call plastic spreaders , for doing body work on vehicles with bondo.

Came home an wet in the canoe with epoxy then with paper towels and one of the spreaders ( squeegee) I squeegeed the excess epoxy off the boat. The paper towels were to clean the spreader on as I progressed down the length of it.

What was dimple is now nice and slick , one more application and it should be as smooth as a baby's rear.

See ... You can teach an old dog new tricks , if he just pays attention to you.

Figured I would post this for anyone who has not tried it , it is the cats meow and slicker then ______________ ya fill in the blank.



Chuck.

A couple of pictures back up the line , I showed you the rough end fillets for the canoe.



This is what they look like now.



Got that idea from dangermouse01 (Mike) and what a good idea it is. The one light area is sunlight reflecting off it.

It is one of those things that takes more time to do but does add a little touch of class to the boat. Besides adding a 1/4 inch of epoxy and wood flour at the bow and stern plus about 3 feet down the center line of the boat. Good looks and wear an tear protection for the hull.

Chuck.

Hey chuck
An idea on spreaders, I use old credit cards, health cards, and any of the fake plastic ones they send in the mail to tempt folks to get the next best card. They work great

I use the credit cards for the fillets on the inside and some of the outside ...Needed a wider one to cover the panels that make up the canoe on the outside ... Yep , getting lazy in my old age.

Been using an old Cabelas one for the last 5 or 6 builds. You can always count on Cabelas .... The good card in in my wallet.

Chuck.

Picking on Matt , something I really enjoy doing .... I posted this on my web site where it is almost nice , safe and sound from Matt since he is a moderator on there but he can delete and change things.

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Matt.....

I Want a ............. REFUND ...........

It's all your fault about the canoe. It is 99% done and I just weighed the sucker. UNECEPTABLE ... No Where near my standards for a canoe. Especially one that is only 14 X 30.

Yep , it weighs that much and I still have a few things to do to it. The way things are going I will have it at the 30 or 31 pound weight.

The fat lady weighs 28 pounds , right now. Guess I will have to do a lot of sanding to put her on a weight reduction diet before taking her out in public. No more big Mac's for her or onion rings and fries with a chocolate shake. No Sir , No more of them.

I'm thinking 5 pounds might be my fault , perspiration that has soaked into the wood when making her. But that still does not reduce the matter about my REFUND for the kit and to top it all off , you better send a check for all the beer I have had to drink while making her.

By the way ... Make that a good check and remember ... I get to keep that fat/heavy lady for my paddling pleasure. If you really push it , I might grant visitation rights but only for a look and touch , no fun and games.

Mike... If I would of used those squeegees earlier then I would not have had to put the fat Lady on a diet and saved her some weight.

This old fart in the south having... WAY ... to much fun on this canoe build.

Chuckles.
PS. Yep , 28 at this time an solid as a rock. Ain't that great. No , not the rock thing they sink in water , the weight.

I'll send you a check. In fact, I'll come pick up that sad excuse for a canoe and get it out of your sight!

jem wrote:I'll send you a check. In fact, I'll come pick up that sad excuse for a canoe and get it out of your sight!

Give me a week or so ... That way it will be ready to paddle. I never give something back that is in worse shape then when I got it , You know , that stack of wood panels and other stuff that was with it.

Chuck.
PS. Make sure your vehicle has some overload shocks on it for the trip back. I would hate to have your vehicle bottom out on the bumps in the road.

Taking a little longer on this build then I was banking on , what the heck I have till November to get her done.

I am using the Interlux Brightsides , Teflon , Polyurethane off white. You have to sand the hull , then put on a primer , sand most of it off then three coats of the Polyurethane with 16 hours between applications.

Next step is to varnish the remaining panels and the outside is done.

Two reasons for this..... since the canoe is only 14 feet and low I wanted some visablility when paddling it and the off white will do that.
The other reason , the Teflon paint is some slick stuff and lets you scoot threw the water and weeds. It is not as bomb proof as the graphite and epoxy mix but I don't plan on paddling any rock gardens with this canoe. Only nice sandy southern rivers , spring fed ones.

This is the primer coat which will have most of it sanded off before the Teflon paint goes on there. Have to let it dry then a 2nd coat then all the sanding......



The/my kayak and the same thing was done to it about 10 years ago.



Chuck.

Chuck,
I have to give a vote for the squeegee method also. I grew up fixing old cars up, but never put 2 and 2 together as far as using this method for applying fiberglass to wood.
While boat building, I was using chip brushes and then sanding, sanding, and sanding. I thought rollers were to expensive.
I saw a youtube video of a guy using a spreader to wet out his fiber on a S@G boat build and it was like lightning struck. I thought "That's what they mean about using a squeegee to remove excess resin". I always imagined a window squeegee.
This revelation happened on my current three kayak build right before painting the first.

I will never use a chip brush to wet out fiber again . My two oldest kids are also aware of this now also. Spreaders do an excellent job.

It is a major time savor and gives you a top notch finish!

Har- Jeff

Progressing along like a heard of Turtles.

Sanded this morning on the primer till I got sick of sanding and said ... That's It !!!!!

Got the 1st coat of the Hatteras off White on the canoe , now it has to sit for 16 hours then a light sanding and the 2nd coat , then one more for the 3rd and it is done.



Chuck.