Glue

Or more accurately, epoxy.  Ugh. What a sticky mess. Last year, when I built my CLC Tandem Wherry (see the 'Andiamo' pix), I got my first taste of working with this miracle stuff. It's very intimidating at first, but it turns out to be not nearly so daunting once you get into it. There are lots of ways you can use it:  It can become a waterproof coating, glue, a bonding resin for fiberglass or other strengthening composites like kevlar or carbon fiber, a strength-providing fillet, filler for mistakes and gaps, and it can even be molded into structural parts.

In this case, I'm using it as a super strong glue. After cutting all my bulkheads and doublers, it's time to start gluing them up. You mix small batches of resin and hardener, in carefully measured amounts. You add some filler to thicken it up to the desired consistency, and get to work. The stuff can get pretty goopy and drippy, and once it cures, it's crazy hard to sand and smooth.

So last year I learned that it's much easier to clean up epoxy while it's still wet. I downloaded the Russell Brown's booklet Epoxy Basics, which gives some great tips on how to really do this work in a craftsmanlike way. I'm making an effort to put his techniques to use.

Another day or two of this procedure and I'll be ready to start setting up the building frame, garboard, keelson, and bottom stringers. It's by no means the end of epoxying...I should become an expert at it by the time this boat is done. More in posts to follow...

Meantime, it's Antarctic weather here in Wisconsin this week, so what better way to spend the time than working in a nicely heated garage on an enjoyable project!

Bulkhead #4

Pleased with the hole cutouts. I used a plunge router with a circle jig to cut two holes and then connected with my jigsaw.

You can never have too many clamps. I ran out tonight.

An example of cleaning up a glue joint before it sets. See...no drips or clumps.

I made an epoxy mess out of the stem, and paid the price sanding and scraping with a heat gun later.