First time builder Ashes Solo Trip

[stripperguy]

Yes, I put the football on top of the main layer of glass. I’m not too concerned with getting that right. More so on the extra glass I put on the stems.

I usually cut my stem strips about 4 inches wide, with the weave at a 45 degree angle (bias cut).
This way, the stem pieces can easily conform to the compound curves at the bow and stern stems.
Also, since the glass fibers are at the 45 degree angle, they tend to NOT pull out or fray, the way straight cut cloth edges do.
Here's a look at wetting out one of the stems...BTW, these stem strips were applied to the freshly wetted out hull, all of the resin was still completely uncured.

I laid the bias cut strip over the stems and tug from each end. This coerces the cloth to partially wrap around the stems immediately.
Then, I roll the stem strip into place along the apex of the stem.
Then, I begin rolling the stem strip into place along the sides, starting at the apex of the stem. I alternate sides before working toward the sheer and keel lines.
Since the glass fibers are at that 45 degree angle, they easily conform.
Last pic shows the Dynel cloth laid into place as a wear strip.
Lastly, yeah, that's my jokester son getting ready to lick that resin, such a funny guy. He's been helping me glass boats since he was 7 years old...

 

[Bentpushrod]

I usually cut my stem strips about 4 inches wide, with the weave at a 45 degree angle (bias cut).
This way, the stem pieces can easily conform to the compound curves at the bow and stern stems.
Also, since the glass fibers are at the 45 degree angle, they tend to NOT pull out or fray, the way straight cut cloth edges do.
Here's a look at wetting out one of the stems...BTW, these stem strips were applied to the freshly wetted out hull, all of the resin was still completely uncured.

I laid the bias cut strip over the stems and tug from each end. This coerces the cloth to partially wrap around the stems immediately.
Then, I roll the stem strip into place along the apex of the stem.
Then, I begin rolling the stem strip into place along the sides, starting at the apex of the stem. I alternate sides before working toward the sheer and keel lines.
Since the glass fibers are at that 45 degree angle, they easily conform.
Last pic shows the Dynel cloth laid into place as a wear strip.
Lastly, yeah, that's my jokester son getting ready to lick that resin, such a funny guy. He's been helping me glass boats since he was 7 years old...

Very nice explanation, and great photos! I just got done redoing the stems, I’m much happier with them now.

 

[Jim Dodd]

First the threads that always seem to occur, when adding Bias strips or even the extra layer over the Football, are easy to address the next day with a scraper ! The epoxy is still soft enough, yet cured enough to make feathering the edges, and removing the strands .

Always wet out the Bias strips, Widest one first. When you feather these with a scraper, you won't have that lump under the wider Bias strip. You want those bias strips to be invisible, and that is the key ! Widest one first !

Take note, there are 4 layers of cloth, where the Bias strips cover the main, and extra layers of cloth.
In the end ? They are very hard to see.

 

[Bentpushrod]

First the threads that always seem to occur, when adding Bias strips or even the extra layer over the Football, are easy to address the next day with a scraper ! The epoxy is still soft enough, yet cured enough to make feathering the edges, and removing the strands .

Always wet out the Bias strips, Widest one first. When you feather these with a scraper, you won't have that lump under the wider Bias strip. You want those bias strips to be invisible, and that is the key ! Widest one first !

Take note, there are 4 layers of cloth, where the Bias strips cover the main, and extra layers of cloth.
In the end ? They are very hard to see.

Beautiful!

 

[Alan Gage]

If a 3rd is in the cards for me, I'd buy some inexpensive pinking shears to try to mitigate that tangly mess. I had a real hard time with this on the inner stems.

When I do the inside I do the cloth in the stems the day before I lay the rest of it. This lets me spend the time to get it laid in properly without worrying about getting behind on the rest of the hull. I'll run the glass about 10" back from the stems.

Then, the next day when laying the full inner layer, I only have to overlap the previously laid stem glass by a couple inches which means no fiddly cuts or positioning. This area is often covered by a float tank, hidden under a deck, and, even if not, is not very visible so the overlap will hardly be noticeable, if at all.

Alan

 

[Boatman53]

I would advise against pinking shears. The glass fibers most likely dull them and unless they are yours, your wife will not be happy. They also will create lots of tiny little fibers that might not release until you are rolling on the resin. If you are committed, I definitely would do a sample test piece to see the effect.
Jim

 

[memaquay]

Saw a post somewhere, maybe on this site, where a fella ran painters tape along the football layer, and when the glass has started to kick off, he just cut along the inside edge of the tape, made for a neat job.

 

[Bentpushrod]

She’s off of her forms!

 

[Gamma1214]

Looks great! Inside is a lot cleaner than mine was.

 

[stripperguy]

Looks great!!
Did you weigh it yet? I always find it interesting to see how much weight is removed when sanding.

Now it's time for everybody's favorite part...sanding the inside!
I use an old pair of ski goggles along with a really good dust mask.
Not knowing your typical weather, will there be enough warm days to roll it outside for sanding?

At least you don't need to be as fussy on the inside as the outside. Assuming you only wet out the inside, the cloth weave will hide a multitude of sins. No need to worry about cross grain scratches, just get rid of all the glue and be sure it's nice and fair. I usually use no finer than 60 grit for finish sanding, 36 grit for roughing in.

 

[Bentpushrod]

Looks great!!
Did you weigh it yet? I always find it interesting to see how much weight is removed when sanding.

Now it's time for everybody's favorite part...sanding the inside!
I use an old pair of ski goggles along with a really good dust mask.
Not knowing your typical weather, will there be enough warm days to roll it outside for sanding?

At least you don't need to be as fussy on the inside as the outside. Assuming you only wet out the inside, the cloth weave will hide a multitude of sins. No need to worry about cross grain scratches, just get rid of all the glue and be sure it's nice and fair. I usually use no finer than 60 grit for finish sanding, 36 grit for roughing in.

Thanks! Didn’t even think of weighing it at this point, think I’ll do so. Yeah, snowing out right now, it’ll be inside sanding for me.

 

[Bentpushrod]

The hull comes in at 22 lbs.

 

[Bentpushrod]

Inside has been glassed.

 

[stripperguy]

Whoohoo!!
You’re in the homestretch now
Add the gunnels, a couple thwarts and a seat and you’re ready for soft water.
Have you decided on which wood for all that trim?
Will you cap the gunnels? Sandwich the gunnels?
Seat hanging or on cleats, or maybe on some sort of pedestal?
Lots of decisions left, but not that much work.

Oh wait, what about bulkheads and/decks…

 

[Bentpushrod]

Whoohoo!!
You’re in the homestretch now
Add the gunnels, a couple thwarts and a seat and you’re ready for soft water.
Have you decided on which wood for all that trim?
Will you cap the gunnels? Sandwich the gunnels?
Seat hanging or on cleats, or maybe on some sort of pedestal?
Lots of decisions left, but not that much work.

Oh wait, what about bulkheads and/decks…

Not the most popular choice, but going for Poplar for gunnels. Going to sandwich the gunnels, no scuppers. Cherry for thwart, and seat. Seat on cleats. Mini decks of cherry. I have enough cherry, I could do gunnels, but really want to try the poplar.

 

[Alan Gage]

Not the most popular choice, but going for Poplar for gunnels. Going to sandwich the gunnels, no scuppers. Cherry for thwart, and seat. Seat on cleats. Mini decks of cherry. I have enough cherry, I could do gunnels, but really want to try the poplar.

Sounds like the perfect choice to me. Not necessarily the specific choice of woods but trying something just because you want to try it rather than feeling you have to do it a certain way.

Alan

 

[Roybrew]

Looks great! I'm very impressed at the 22lbs before inside glass. I'm curious how the poplar is going to do for gunnels.
Roy

 

[stripperguy]

I must have mentioned this before…I once built a 37 lb 17 ft tandem using Southern Yellow Pine for sandwich gunnels.
Partly because I was cheap and so was the SYP but also since it was fairly lightweight.
Those gunnels survived about 25 years of my total neglect.

 

[Bentpushrod]

Waiting for epoxy to dry, whipped up a thwart from Cherry.

I must have mentioned this before…I once built a 37 lb 17 ft tandem using Southern Yellow Pine for sandwich gunnels.
Partly because I was cheap and so was the SYP but also since it was fairly lightweight.
Those gunnels survived about 25 years of my total neglect.

 

[Bentpushrod]

I must have mentioned this before…I once built a 37 lb 17 ft tandem using Southern Yellow Pine for sandwich gunnels.
Partly because I was cheap and so was the SYP but also since it was fairly lightweight.
Those gunnels survived about 25 years of my total neglect.

Love hearing that pine lasted that long! Kind of why I want to try Poplar. Technically it is a hardwood, it’s light, it will be encased in epoxy, so no rot worries, and I’m not planning on beating the crap out of the boat, I think the poplar will survive.