Before I commit another goof--a question...

[Podunkfla]

Jim... I would lean towards something like PL2000 urethane or some similar caulking tube products. Squeeze out a bead and spread it with a notched trowl. I like Gorilla glue for woodworking. But I have found it only works when you have two surfaces in very close contact. If you have any space it just foams up to fill it, but has virtually no bonding strength. It also is not flexable like urethane's in a tube for expansion and contraction. Just my .02...

[Micro469]

MJ, John and Auntie,

Thanks again for the help. I do understand how well epoxy would work as a glue...my only discouragement about that is that it is messy, hard to clean up. Gorilla glue is an attractive choice--simply because I would like to avoid sanding the edges if I can...

So, what is the best way to clean up gorilla glue--any urethane glue?

I may sound dum here but what is the difference between sanding and 'scuffing'--

I really appreciate the help, folks!

Jim

I didn't have any problem. I mixed it in a plastic container, brushed it on the roof, laid the panel down and clamped it. The leftover epoxy I just let harden, then threw out the whole thing...container, epoxy, and brush..

[kayakrguy]

Hi guys,

Slowed down...been on Red Cross RRV duty and this has been a bad week for fires....bad week for sleep, too

Anyhow, we did manage go epoxy the outside of the hatch.

Now, some questions:

The hatch skin took pretty well but I DO have some gaps on the ribs...can I put glue in there and will it and strengh if I do?

Brick, if gorilla foams if the fit isn't tight, are you saying urethane caulk will not? I am concerned here because the fit for the walls has to be pretty good or better, perfect to stay dry. I WILL fill with epoxy fill it after I put the roof down but still I want a good seal...

John, When I say 'messy' re epoxy I mean drips etc. I have been using acetate to thin the stuff and do clean up--do you know anything better?

Once again, thank you all very much!!

Jim

[Podunkfla]

Brick, if gorilla foams if the fit isn't tight, are you saying urethane caulk will not?

Yep... the urethane stuff doesn't foam and sticks to just about anything.

[asianflava]

Brick, if gorilla foams if the fit isn't tight, are you saying urethane caulk will not?

Yep... the urethane stuff doesn't foam and sticks to just about anything.

If you get it on your clothes, Fuggetaboutit

[Miriam C.]

The hatch skin took pretty well but I DO have some gaps on the ribs...can I put glue in there and will it and strengh if I do?

Jim
PL construction adhes. in a tube (Urathane)will fill the gaps and seal both sides. Don't get the PL that has the stripe. It doesn't fill as well and isn't as strong.

Just push it in with a gloved finger or a putty knive.
I think Liquid Nails also has a glue that fills gaps.

[kayakrguy]

Hi Folks,

First, thanks for all the good pointers. I decided that it would be best to re-visit the hatch gluing. Having glued up the hatch in place in the hatch opening, I had to rely on the 1x2's which were ratched strapped into place to do all the work of providing pressure. That was fine on the spars, but not on the ribs.

So, yesterday I gorilla glued the hatch skin to the ribs and applied clamps...voila...it worked and there is good contact all the way around..



Having done that, we also put the last ceiling panel in place...



I also placed cleats between the ceiling and roof. Their pricipal purpose was to anchor the ceiling trim...which I put in today, finally getting it bent around the curve at the front FREE ADVICE: stain your trim, if you use it, but DON'T varnish it before putting it in....stiffens it immensely. Will send interiour pics later.

We found two auto dome lights at a local auto supply store--$8--they will be our ambient cabin lights--mounted just inside our doors for 'come home at night lights' They are incandescent. All our other cabin lights are LEDs

Tomorrow, I hope to run the wire to all the lights and vent, anchor the wires and be ready to mount lights and then it is on to the ROOF!

Weather is affecting build at this point. I actually brought the hatch cover into the house to finish drying. We have mild (50-60F) but very humid weather and quite cool at night. I now understand what everyone means about how slowly epoxy will dry in cooler/damper weather. It is supposed to be rainy for the next several days...

Still trying to decide between epoxy/urethane caulk for the roof mount. Just hope whichever I do does a good bond!

[srfrcrux]

okay, sooooo
it's okay to GG the top to the spars...and then epoxy the wood and then spar urethane it for UV??? Sorry if this jacks your post...just trying to get the thoughts processed

[kayakrguy]

crux,

Sorry for the confusion..

The outer skin was epoxied after gluing the skin on...used Titebond III.
The gluing took well to the spars...left gaps on the ribs....
I put gorrilla glue on the ribs, clamped those and got a good adhesion.
Next, I am going to epoxy the INSIDE of the hatch...both to seal it and to get additional adhesion. Besides, I am using bendy birch and the epoxy will stiffen and strengthen it.

When all this is done and the roof is on (and epoxied). then I will paint.
I haven't done anything specifically directed at UV yet...

Hope that helps...

Jim

[srfrcrux]

No worries Jim,
so you titebonded the roof to the spars and GG the ribs...
what are the ribs (little blocks placed inside to help glue the headliner and sides)??? or ?
And if they are in the inside how did you glue them up after the headliner and top where on...sorry I'm a novice.

ribs BBQ????
crux

[kayakrguy]

Crux,

Well yes, ox ribs, actually

The ribs are those curved pieces at the outside edges of the hatch cover.
The straight stuff are the doubled 1x2's. The ribs are cut from 3/4 ply using a pattern made from the curve of the walls onto paper and transferred to the plywood.

There was no intention to use gg and titebond separately on the spars and ribs. If the original effort had worked both the spars and the ribs would have been titebonded to the skin. However where the titebond did not take, I simply scraped most of it off and used gorrilla glue because I thought it would be able to get a good bond over any residue left on the ribs, skin. And, it seems to have worked fine...

Jim

[srfrcrux]

ah yes......
I do recall that now!!!
thanks for clearing it up for me...
ox!!! when's it gonna be ready?