Epoxying Blocks for locker dividers

najsmith

najsmith

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Am in the process of making a marine ply divider for the starboard locker. Will run athwart ships tmainly to protect the fuel tank and associated piping.

I have seen people epoxy glue blocks of wood to the inside of their hull to support such structures.

What kind of wood could I use as blocks that could be epoxy treated and survive the riggors of life at sea?

Rgs

Neil
 
[ QUOTE ]
What kind of wood could I use as blocks that could be epoxy treated and survive the riggors of life at sea?

Rgs

Neil

[/ QUOTE ]You could use Teak but Iroko would be suitable and much cheaper unless you can find some scrap Teak somewhere.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
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I would cut the ply to a slightly smaller size than requierd and support centrally. Then 'glue' in place. Once 'glue' is dry remove the supports and fibreglass in place.
I should add that the gap all the way round removes /reduces the chance of stress cracks appearing on the hull.
 
Had thought about this approach - but concerns of the permanence & stresses it might place on the hull when under strain... anything from being lifted out to taking sea-like punishment...
 
Why not do as Peter suggests but fix it in place using fillets of epoxy thickened with microfibres, as suggested by the Gougeon brothers in their advice on building using epoxy?
 
The Pannel intersects with the side access panned for the engine.

Would block only access to side & rear of engine.

She's only 27ft so that makes it cramped down there already /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
G'day Najs,

I imagine you also plan to treat the ply with an epoxy coat or 3.

As you are going to be treating the timber with an epoxy 'Before' you fix it inside the hatch, I suspect the type of timber used would be of little concern, just treating it with epoxy will make the surface much harder anyway, just avoid any oily timbers and you should be right. You can mix your resin and hardener and add up to 40% by volume of Methylated spirits to thin the resin and help it penetrate into the timbers and ply, just keep dabbing it on till it no longer sinks in.

Micro-Fibres (Gorilla Hair) will stick the timber to the hull, clean up any excess when still wet as this stuff is a pig to sand off after it's cured. The back of a plastic table spoon makes a good tool for rounding off the gusset on the outside edges too.

As epoxy is not UV stable you will have to coat it, paint is fine but adding some pigment to a drop of epoxy resin and hardener makes a good flowcoat, mix the resin and the normal quantity of hardener first, it will go off a little faster than normal, so no large mixes please.

Andavagoodweekend......
 
Excellent advice Olsaltoz.

You've given me the confidence to get cracking with this project!

Just got a comment/question about non-oily woods.

Could I get away with the blocks being made of a light soft wood available in DIY stores? Or could you suggest some ideal candidates. Just want to be sure they're strong enough to support the sheet.

Just new to all the wood selections
 
You could use Teak but Iroko would be suitable and much cheaper unless you can find some scrap Teak somewhere [ QUOTE ]


[/ QUOTE ]

Old Clifford shooting out at the mouth again without researching or having the knowledge about what you are talking about as usual.

Go back and read the original post.

It is not recomended that epoxy be used with teak, the oils that preserve teak and give it the benefits to the marine environment that it is good for, also repell epoxy. It is not recomended that teak an epoxy are used together. Hence, a teak finished deck.. How often do you see epoxied teak decks for instance.... NEVER!
 
My normal method for fixing ply panels to a glass hull after coating and waiting for the ply to dry is to use a strip of self adesive foam on the end grain of the ply between the ply and the hull then glass / epoxy in the ply. This avoids a hard spot between the ply and the hull and helps prevent cracking of the hull.

Iain
 
Najs, as long as it's not an oily timber just about any will do, even a non oily pine, if you want the thing to last and expect some ware, just coat between the blocks with some gorilla hair/resin mix and cover the ply edge with 5 mm of Plasticine than cover with food wrap plastic and push it before the gorilla sets and remove after 24 hours, you have a loose fitting slide out compartment divider with hard wearing edge; all you need now in 2 mm coat of gorilla hair on the outer edge of the ply and you have a long lasting bit of kit.

Don't forget about UV protection.

Andavagoodweekend......
 
[ QUOTE ]
Old Clifford shooting out at the mouth again without researching or having the knowledge about what you are talking about as usual.

[/ QUOTE ]What research? - been working with teak and epoxy for many a year (30+) without any problems with bonding using epoxy adhesives.[ QUOTE ]
Go back and read the original post.

[/ QUOTE ] Still reads the same /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif has it changed?[ QUOTE ]
It is not recomended (recommended) that epoxy be used with teak,

[/ QUOTE ]By who?[ QUOTE ]
the oils that preserve teak and give it the benefits to the marine environment that it is good for, also repell (repel) epoxy.

[/ QUOTE ]A wipe over with acetone removes any oils and allows the epoxy to bond to the teak - did you not know that?[ QUOTE ]
It is not recomended (recommended) that teak an epoxy are used together.

[/ QUOTE ]You are repeating yourself but, as I asked before, "By who"[ QUOTE ]
Hence, a teak finished deck.. How often do you see epoxied teak decks for instance.... NEVER!

[/ QUOTE ] Why would one coat a teak deck with epoxy - it is not UV stable.

To repeat myself, for the benefit of the anal retentive, when using epoxy, or any adhesive for that matter, on teak a good wipe over the surface to be bonded with a rag soaked in acetone will remove the oils and allow the glue to "get a grip" as should some here abouts.

If you have a failure along the glue line when working with teak or other oily timbers the probable cause would be lack of preparation/cleaning of the teak (or other oily timber).

Perhaps if the young whipper-snappers who believe everything they read on the internet or in some "dummies guide to joinery" listened to the "voices of experience" there would be a lot fewer DIY disasters. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
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