Pearl

[Jim Dodd]

Sanding the inside of Pearl, for couple of hours this afternoon. About half done.
Note . I keep the center form strapped in, while I'm sanding. Then take it out to finish sanding the middle. Takes a lot of stress off a hull, that is only half fiberglassed.



Thought I'd share a couple of sanding aids. One is an old metal cut off blade, I believe it was an 8" blade, The 7 1/4" blades work also. Knocking off chunks of glue that I didn't, or couldn't get with the scraper.




The other is one of those stiff 9" sanding disc. I have a 60, and an 80 grit. You can fold them to fit almost every contour in a canoe. ROS often leave swirl marks. They always show up right when you are wetting out the cloth. I have started hand sanding, and these discs do a good job. Just stay with the grain. And wear gloves !









Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Inside of Pearl is Glassed. No seal coat, and just one fill coat, on top of the wet out coat.. I need to get a weight. But We are in the middle of another snow storm. Can't believe it !

Now it's time for Flotation chambers. I have a bunch of old patterns, but none matched up, so Time to make another pattern.

I like the Pink foam for patterns. It's easy to work, and shape.

The Flotation chamber will be arched to give me even more flotation. Note the bend in my story stick. It is marked at 1" intervals. It is centered, and I measure from the center of the story stick, out to the hull, every inch. That measurement, is then transferred to to pattern( pink 1/4" foam)
Here is some pics that show , how I make the pattern, for the strip panel, that will eventually be made of 1/8" strips.

 

[stripperguy]

JIm,
Nice technique! I'll have to remember that method, I like the look an arched and angled bulkhead. I also like a longer deck, but a short deck and an arched bulkhead would look nice together. I like a deck because it makes for a comfortable and convenient step when traversing beaver dams and snags.

 

[Sven]

Do you build your strip panels over a form of some sort?

I like your technique, seems very effective!

 

[Jim Dodd]

Hi Sven

I hope to get some pics tomorrow

I used this technique on Composite canoes, using foam. It is much easier with foam, just not as appealing to look at.

 

[kinniguy]

Jim - Great posts and tips, thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Do you build your strip panels over a form of some sort?

I like your technique, seems very effective!

Hi Sven

I gave up on trying to form a curve in my flotation chambers. Even with the 1/8" strips, I couldn't get them to hold the desired arch, without steam bending, and I ruled that out.
So I'm back to my regular method. In fact I'm glassing Chambers today !
Again I will try and get some pics up !

Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Flotation chambers in.
When the epoxy cures, I'll simply scrape off the excess unwetted cloth. When I feather the edge.
a couple of pics.

 

[deerfly]

Jim, quite a few pearls of wisdom in this thread

beautiful work too

 

[Jim Dodd]

Thanks Deerfly !

Glad that glassing is done ! And happy with it !

Easily trimmed the cloth yesterday, and now I need to either dig out some Ash for trim, or switch over to Black Pearl.

Black Pearl has been waking me up in the night with ideas ! Need to close the ends, and start filling voids between the Carbon and Kevlar.
The other day, while glassing chambers on Pearl, I had a little resin in a cup, so I dripped it into a gap, close to the shear. It worked great.
So yesterday, I picked up some 20 ML. syringes, and 14 ga Needles. The biggest I could find. Hopefully, I'll be able to use them for injecting resin!

Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Just put the scale to Pearl. 32#, that's with flotation chambers.
Now for trim. If I could keep that at 10 # or less, I'll be happy !

Jim

 

[Sven]

I was curious about strips holding a curve like you have on your foam tanks. Steamboat bending has always been intriguing to me, so I bought a steam generator at tickler the other day. Looking forward to experimenting with that in the near future. I could see that steaming the strips for those tanks would add a considerable amount of time/steps to your process. Your tanks look great the way they are anyhow!

Looks like you will end up with a decent weight when finished!

 

[Jim Dodd]

I was curious about strips holding a curve like you have on your foam tanks. Steamboat bending has always been intriguing to me, so I bought a steam generator at tickler the other day. Looking forward to experimenting with that in the near future. I could see that steaming the strips for those tanks would add a considerable amount of time/steps to your process. Your tanks look great the way they are anyhow!

Looks like you will end up with a decent weight when finished!

I may try steam next time. I really like the idea and looks ! As thin as I cut the strips, I expected them to hold the curve. Not The First time I've been wrong !
I just wasn't prepared this time.

Took a few minutes, and feathered the glass on the chambers today.

Looked through my wood pile, and I have enough Ash for trimming both canoes.
Tomorrow ,I'll break out the Skilsaws, as I need to cut gunnels, strips for inserts, and strips for another canoe.

By the weekend, I'll be ready for some fun at MWMs Event and auction!

Jim

 

[stripperguy]

Hey Jim,
On the occasions that I've needed to create curved panels, I have stripped over a profiled form, leaving some extra material (and form) extending around. Then I leave a couple staples in place (in the excess panel area) while sanding and glassing. Pop the last staples out after glassing and sand and glass the second side. Depending on the strip thickness and cloth weight, you may or may not need to hold the panel in shape while glassing the second side. When everthing is cured and stiff, just trim off the extra material and you're golden!!

 

[Jim Dodd]

Funny ! I was just thinking of you Stripperguy !

I need to dig out the foam panel you sent, and compare it to a 1/8" strip panel !

Here's a pic of my attempted 1/8" panel bend. I glued it up flat, and bent it, even applied a little heat from a blow drier.. Then coated both sides with resin. Let it cure 3 or 4 days. When I released the blocks that hold the panel to shape, the panel relaxed to almost flat. I would have liked to glass the underside, and that might have held. ?

 

[stripperguy]

You would've needed to have glassed both sides of that panel to have it keep that curve... it would definitely stay curved.
Are you going to do some load-deflection tests, foam core vs. wood core? If you're careful about support and load application, you can glean some valuable engineering properties.

 

[Jim Dodd]

You would've needed to have glassed both sides of that panel to have it keep that curve... it would definitely stay curved.
Are you going to do some load-deflection tests, foam core vs. wood core? If you're careful about support and load application, you can glean some valuable engineering properties.

Yes On both.
I didn't want to glass the insert twice, on the outside. Next time, I'll do better !

Yes load deflection test, between the two. And weight, with the thin strips I have..

Sorted through my lumber, and I'm short on Ash. Need to check my sources ! Bumber, as I was all set to cut !

Jim

 

[kolo]

Hi all. It's been a while since I last posted anything, but I've been following all the different builds, tempting me to build a second canoe - a solo this time.

I was thinking about the problems people have described here in creating curved panels for the bulkheads and then it struck me, why not just build it with the strips going horizontally, not vertically, just like how the hull was created. Solves the problem of getting the curve to stay put, you can incorporate multiple curved sections if desired and would blend into the hull more easily.

Now, not having installed float tanks in my last build, this is all speculation on my part.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Now WHY didn't I think of that ? That is a great solution !

I'll have to mock one up, and see how it looks !

It's too late now, as obviously, They are glassed. I used very thin 1/8" WRC , it should also work horizontal.

Thanks Kolo !

Jim

 

[stripperguy]

Have you even seen a bulkhead (or flotation chamber) with horizontal strips?
I have, eeeww!! As much as I say performance over aesthetics, that's where I draw the line...

Jim, I'm sure you have a left over panel somewhere, cut up a sample chamber with horizontal strips and see if you're as repulsed as I was.