Applying fibre glass and polyester resin to a new wooden hull - problems

[PH]

Advice, please?
I'm about to glass a wooden kayak hull. Test strips show that tiny air bubbles appear under the glass, about 10 minutes after wetting out the glass on the hull. It is probably due to the hot conditions we have presently after weeks of wet weather - ie the wood is drying out    .
Should I seal the wood first with coating of resin? (or sanding sealer)
Should the glassing be done at night when its cool?
 
 
 

[Fritz]

Hi Pierre
 
I got the discs thanks a mil.
 
Try and seal the timber with resin and then sand it smooth again before you put the fibre glas on. You might also have a hot mix going. Meaning that you have to much hardner in the resin. The hoter it is the less hardner you need and keep the work out of the sun.

[shagnrelease]

I am no pro when it comes to fibreglass work but I have replaced a couple of decks over the years, and we alwas used to seal the wood first, it could have been because of this reason I am not sure, its just what we were told to do. Also I found we got a far better finish when we used a roller to apply and smooth out the matting and resin.

[PH]

Thanks, Fritz. Do you mean I should heat up the resin slightly before adding the catalyst?
 
OK, I understand now what you mean, thanks.

[PH]

I am no pro when it comes to fibreglass work but I have replaced a couple of decks over the years, and we alwas used to seal the wood first, it could have been because of this reason I am not sure, its just what we were told to do. Also I found we got a far better finish when we used a roller to apply and smooth out the matting and resin.

Thanks, Shag.
Presumably you used a hard rubber roller.

[Fritz]

Dont heat the mix up at all. Keep it as cool as you can. Ask AMT for a resin roller. Ask for the ali one. You can also ask them for some cobolt. Paint your timber with that before you aply the resin. It acts like a primer and makes the bond between timber and resin much better.
 
Warning you!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Dont ever get the cobolt and acetane mixed. Keep them in seperat parts of the house. Your house will go up like Pearl Harbour.

[PH]

Dont heat the mix up at all. Keep it as cool as you can. Ask AMT for a resin roller. Ask for the ali one. You can also ask them for some cobolt. Paint your timber with that before you aply the resin. It acts like a primer and makes the bond between timber and resin much better.
 
Warning you!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Dont ever get the cobolt and acetane mixed. Keep them in seperat parts of the house. Your house will go up like Pearl Harbour.

   Thanks for the warning. Is this "Cobolt" colorless? I dont want to hide the wood grain.