Fibreglassing upwards

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NickNap

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I need to glass some trunking under a horizontal surface above a berth. I anticipate my efforts sagging before curing and getting myself in something of a mess in the process.
Is there a trick to this? I'm wondering about supergluing everything in place first, including the matting.

Anyone got any tips?
 
First cover the area with plastic sheets to contain and drops.

Get a box of disposable latex gloves, put 2 or 3 on each hand, you can peel them off one at a time as required when things too stick.

Cut all glass to the required shape and size, apply a small amount of resin to the area, in a sheet of glass or plastic, wet out the first layer, pick it and get your hands under it and dab into place with your fingers.

You might find it better if you place the wet glass over the back of your fingers, you then centre the glass and using your fingers, work out from the centre just spreading your fingers and moving your hands apart at the same time.

Do not wet out any glass in advance as the resin will start dissolving the binders and glass will sag all over the place.

You can put a dry cloth over a wetted area and apply more resin with a roller not a brush.

You will also need a small grooved roller to consolidate the glass and remove any trapped air.

If you mix small batches and take your time between mixes, the older layers will have started to cure, this will reduce the risk of a big plop and start all over again.

Take some time to visualise each step and the time required 'before' you start, applying wet on tacky is safest; you can do a few layers and wait a bit, then apply resin with a roller and place the next patch dry and roll with the wet roller then the consolidating roller, takes a bit longer but a lot less mess.

Hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend......

PS. I have a job to do in Cairns mid May, all overhead, about a metre wide and 4 metres long, should be a doddle.
 
Yes gluegun,duct tape or superglue the trunking into position so that it stays there by itself, then glass it to the bunktop.

It is much easier to lay up your 2 or 3 strips of cloth(woven cloth, not chop strand matt,which is messier to handle at diy levels) on a board first,wet on wet. Now roll the 3 layers lengthways up around a bit of plastic tube and transfer them to the job like this, using disposable gloves. Finally, simply (!) unroll them in situ, using a new dry brush to press into place as you unwind the roll. Practise with say 12 inch lengths first and get more ambitious if you really need to.
Of course you will have abraded and 'wet out' the surface under the bunk first. The wet glass should stick just fine to the wet conduit/bunk top.
And lay layers of newspaper inside the lockers and over any adjacent woodwork and floor.
If you start to get into a mess, with the glass getting stuck to your fingers, it is time to change to new disposable gloves.
Are you using epoxy or fibreglass resin ? A thermometer will give you the actual temperature of the underbunk area (may be colder than you think), with polyester resin you want to get enough catalyst in the fibreglass but not so much that you have insufficient working time, epoxies as you know are mixed to one ratio only and you buy either a slow, medium or fast hardener to vary the working time you need. At least 15 centrigrade and low humidity is great and watch out for condensation inside the boat. If in doubt run a lecky blowheater across the area before starting the job to drive moisture off the trunking and bunktop.
Hope that helps and trying not to write down to you..
 
Listen to oldsaltoz, if there is one person on these forums I'd trust with anything to do with this subject, it's him. His advice is unfailing, and I don't give complete credence to the views of many on here, and he is one of the few.
 
use gel coat without wax as a first coat this will not go off and wil remain sticky then apply choped stand followed by resign and then roll and then build up coats as required ,the theory is the glass will stick to the tacky gell coat and will not fall down then as the resign goes off it will stop the air getting to the gel coat and it to will go off,result .thats how the fibre glass expert told us to do it and it worked a treat ,we did the entire joint hull to topside on a 30 foot boat that way whithout to!much mess ,Kieron
 
There's no doubt whatsoever that being able to use nails makes life easier! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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