Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Boat Builders and Repair :: Feathering the stems
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Cloznuff |
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HighPlainsDrifter |
On my Ranger build, I laid several strips of glass cut on the bias (like shingles) over my stems. I did this after I glassed the entire hull. It was an after thought and if I did it again, I think I would lay up my bias strips first and then cover them with a full sheet of glass. But, regardless of how you do it you have to sand into the glass to feather. When I was satisfied with my feathering, I covered the stem area with epoxy to fill the weave in the bias strips and coat the sanded glass. When you do this, you will probably brush epoxy onto cured epoxy. So, make sure you roughen enough area of the hull to provide tooth for the new epoxy that you are laying down. I have a picture of my stem before feathering. It looks rough, but when I was done you could not see the layers of bias strips. stem before feathering |
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Wables |
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1JimD |
Feather the edges within about 24 hrs with a scraper. Varnish will cover the bias strip edges. Making them near invisible. No need for more epoxy. Lay your bias strips widest one first. I use two. I do this just after wetting out the glass. I can testify that this works ! Jim |
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Cloznuff |
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Cloznuff |
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1JimD |
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HighPlainsDrifter |
Well I will weigh in again. In your #2 of 3 photos, I see a problem that varnish alone will not cure. The spots that are glossy are low areas. You are not done with feathering. If you varnish now and do not fair out the hull, those low areas will always show (given the right light angle). Fair it out, put on a coat of epoxy (not for strength but for filler), sand it, varnish it, and ya got a good job. |
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1JimD |
should go on top. If you are going to put another layer over the bias strips and the main layer. Feather what you have now. Feathering is better done by scraping than sanding. Sanding creates dust that ends up in the pores of the cloth and resin, and will show up after varnishing. Epoxy alone will not add strength. Jim |
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Cloznuff |
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1JimD |
The varnish will cover and make the weave invisible. It amazed me the first time I had this same problem. Clean it good with compressed air, or a good vac. Jim |