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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Boat Builders and Repair :: fiberglass in pieces

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HighPlainsDrifter

03/06/2011 09:37PM

among the reasons in the above posts, add this from the "The Epoxy Book" from Systems III (page 12 5th paragraph)

"Avoid using fiberglass mat with epoxy resins. The binder that holds the mat together is dissolved by the styrene in POLYESTER RESINS. EPOXIES don't use styrene as a diluent, making it almost impossible to properly wet out the mat."

mbeyer

03/08/2011 03:05PM

Good stuff ....thanks.

Glad the matting was givn to me instead of buying it.

Cedarboy

03/06/2011 08:38AM

I agree with BD.
CB

buffalodick

03/06/2011 08:20AM

mbeyer,
What is the weight of the cloth?
I don't see a problem with this on the inside of the canoe but the outside is better done with a single sheet as it will result in a much smoother surface with no steps.
Dick

mbeyer

03/06/2011 10:22AM

6 oz cloth.

I have some matting in largers sizes. What are the draw backs for matting vs cloth?

mbeyer

03/06/2011 08:07AM

I have woven fiberglass in 6 sq ft sheets. Not big enough to cover whole canoe. Any issues with piecing togethter my fiberglass? I would slightly overlap each sheet wihile putting down resin?

buffalodick

03/06/2011 10:28AM

quote mbeyer: "6 oz cloth.

I have some matting in largers sizes. What are the draw backs for matting vs cloth?"

mbeyer,
Matting is usually a much tighter weave and heavier than normal open weave 6 oz. cloth. The weight designation of fiberglass cloth as I understand it relates to the ounces of resin required to fill the weave for a given area such as a square yard. Matting being a tighter weave and thicker will most likely hold a lager amount of resin which will translate to a much heavier canoe than you probably want to have.
On my most recent canoe I used a close weave 5 oz. cloth on the outside and inside to save a little weight without sacrificing strength.
I hope this info is helpful to you.
Dick