My first teardrop - the Kampster, Final Posting

[Miriam C.]

Sorry your question about the hatch got skipped. I think an 1/8" hatch seal will be harder to work with. Remember that you want the hatch seal to compress 50%. Now if you have a 1/8" seal that you like then make your cut 3/16" That is 1/8 for the skin and half of 1/8 for the seal.

I was thinking of using Grant's hatch seal. It's .4" high and I seem to remember him posting somewhere saying it compressed down to very little. I was figuring 1/8" for the compressed height of the seal (not the total height). Maybe I need to figure a bit more.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Brad

I did it again didn't I. I was doing math for Grants seal. I will just take a time out.

[bbarry]

I did it again didn't I. I was doing math for Grants seal. I will just take a time out.

No time out necessary! I think we got it figured out over in the other thread. Grant says his seal will compress down to 1/16", so 1/8" allowance for the compressed seal and 1/4" notch should be fine. Thanks again,

Brad

[bbarry]

CHRISTMAS is here! Or, at least it feels like Christmas. A package from RAKA arrived today. My wife even said it was exciting (I think she was humoring me). I ordered a gallon of 127 (standard) epoxy and 2 quarts of 350 non-blushing hardener. For additives, I chose pine flour to glue pieces together and microballoons for fairing. Add a couple of measuring pots and squeegees and the total is...$138.03 with shipping. Good, efficient if not effusive service from Larry at RAKA. Ordered Friday, arrived following Thursday.



This will be my first time working with epoxy. I'm excited to attempt skinning the inside of the frame this weekend. Also newly procured: a flush cut router bit, spar varnish for the inside and some blue foam board insulation. Wish me luck!

Brad

[Senior Ninja]

BB,
Looks as if you're going to learn a lot and have fun doing it. Enjoy.
Steve

[angib]

Epoxy beginner's tip:

Think of a sensible amount of epoxy to practice with....., and then mix half as much, or less.

All epoxy users have to experience a batch going off faster than expected - that's how you learn how fast it goes off.

All epoxy users should have a paperweight consisting of a block of solid epoxy in the shape of the bottom two or three inches of a mixing cup with either a brush or a mixing stick bonded into it....

Andrew

On edit: actually, the solid block of epoxy is a good test - leave a little epoxy to go off in the mixing cup, turn it out when set and feel round the edges for soft or sticky patches - if you have those, you didn't mix the epoxy thoroughly into the bottom 'corner' of the mixing cup - and that poorly-mixed epoxy could have ended up on the job.

Practice scraping both the sides and the bottom 'corner' of the mixing cup with your mixing stick.

[Wolffarmer]

Epoxy beginner's tip:

All epoxy users should have a paperweight consisting of a block of solid epoxy in the shape of the bottom two or three inches of a mixing cup with either a brush or a mixing stick bonded into it....

Andrew

I have two. One clear and one a lovely beige of pine sawdust and some silca.

[bbarry]

All epoxy users should have a paperweight consisting of a block of solid epoxy in the shape of the bottom two or three inches of a mixing cup with either a brush or a mixing stick bonded into it....

Sounds like a plan. I did plan on testing a few ounces on some scraps...thanks for the tips!

Brad

[bbarry]

Will cured epoxy bond to the plastic mixing cup? Or can it be peeled out once set?

Brad

[Wolffarmer]

Will cured epoxy bond to the plastic mixing cup? Or can it be peeled out once set?

Brad

It will peel out. At least a few times. Seems to get harder each time.

[Wolffarmer]

A lesson I learned nobody mentioned. When working in cold weather and using fast hardner. Do not hold the mixing pot in the palm of your hand. Probably would be good practice for slow hardner also. Though it probably won't set off nearly as bad.

[bbarry]

That's good to know!

It's supposed to be a high of 40 tomorrow. The shop I'm working in is heated, usually about 60 degrees, which is about the lowest that the RAKA 350 non-blushing is recommended for. I'll probably crank up the furnace a little bit and get it up to 65 or so. At that temp, I should have about 30 minutes working time. I won't have a full day to work as I have a few other jobs to get done and of course, tomorrow's Valentine's Day! I'll report back and let you know how it went.

Brad

[Miriam C.]

Will cured epoxy bond to the plastic mixing cup? Or can it be peeled out once set?

Brad

I used Styrofoam bowls and threw them away. Much cleaner!

[S. Heisley]

I'm using large, washed-out plastic cottage cheese and margarine food tubs for my CPES epoxy. I use a washed up yogurt cup to measure with. I was surprised to find that, yes; the epoxy does peel right out of them! Buy a good supply of cheap brushes to use with the epoxy, though. They don't clean up; must be thrown away.

By the way, save the lids to cap the tub of excess mixed epoxy. If you want to take a lunch break between coatings, the lid will help keep the epoxy from thickening too much. Put the brush in a ziplock baggie and seal it up with the handle sticking out. This should keep the brush soft for an hour or so.

[angib]

By the way, save the lids to cap the tub of excess mixed epoxy. If you want to take a lunch break between coatings, the lid will help keep the epoxy from thickening too much. Put the brush in a ziplock baggie and seal it up with the handle sticking out. This should keep the brush soft for an hour or so.

Which suggests that CPES has a high solvent content and so isn't really pure epoxy resin - it's behaving more like paint or varnish.

Doing either of these things with pure epoxy won't be any help - the resin will set just as fast.

But the epoxy-soaked paintbrush will only be stuck inside the baggie and not bonded to the workbench, so that's a plus!

Andrew

[S. Heisley]

Thanks for your input and correction, Andrew. So, I guess how the epoxy reacts depends on the kind of epoxy you're using.