Re: [Paddlewise] Fiberglassin'

Kenny Sturgeon inquires
> does anybody know of any good resources for
> me to learn how to do some fiberglass work? On the web would be great
> (instant gratification) but books or magazines would work too!

On the 'net, browse (with attention also to the health & safety aspects) the
web sites of several of the epoxy companies that are often used by boat
builders.  These web sites do contain quite a bit of how-to information:
http://www.westsystem.com/
http://www.masepoxies.com/
http://www.systemthree.com/
http://www.raka.com/

Also see http://www.boatinglinks.com/lists/liststuf.asp?WPSid=555
for a whole page of fiberglassing/epoxy-related links (scroll down to
'Maintenance', and then click on 'Fiberglass, Epoxy' to see the links)

Of course, there's no reason why one must work with epoxy resins rather than
polyester resins, but that's another whole debate.....
The basic techniques of applying and wetting out the fiberglass cloth are
the same for both epoxy and polyester, so the technique-related information
in the above web-sites is good.

As far as a text resource, the out-of-print 'Boat Builders Manual' by
Charles Walbridge is a classic text.

Other suggestions:
- wear old clothes (a Tyvek jump suit even better - especially for
grinding/sanding fiberglass)
- wear disposable latex or nitrile gloves (keep the resin off your skin)
- a respirator with organic vapor cartridges is not a bad thing to invest in
- practice on something besides your Caribou first
- keep in mind that fiberglassing work is 95% preparation - once the resin
is mixed, the curing reaction begins and you better have all your supplies
laid out within arm's reach.

With a bit of practice, you'll find that fiberglassing is a skill that has
many uses - fixing boats, paddles, attic vent covers, stepladders, etc.  One
of my good friends has a '69 Chevy Nova that is structurally at least 50%
fiberglass :-)

Have fun,
Erik Sprenne



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