This is an archived message posted to the Kayak Building Bulletin Board. If you would like to ask a question about building kayaks, you can post a new message.
> the mylar I found that several bubbles had formed under the mylar strip.
> While the tape is fully wetted out, I have several low spots where the
> resin is not level. I would appreciate feedback on the following points.
It doesn't sound like there are air bubbles trapped in the epoxy, just a wrinkled texture to the surface from the mylar. Is that correct? I used waxed paper instead of mylar, but I had this too. Just sand it smooth and you should be fine. Be careful not to sand down into the tape though because you need that to help hold the joint together, at least until you get the hull glued together. You can sand the worst of it down now, then after you glue the hull together and put on the base coat of epoxy take a look at it and sand some more if needed. I don't think the manual mentions sanding after applying the base coat, but I did give it a quick sanding anyway because the epoxy had lifted the grain a bit and I was worried about the glass getting caught on the rough surface.
In one of your replies, you mentioned that you were only doing 4 joints at a time. You may want to do more at once if you have the room, or be sure to mix only as much epoxy as you need each time. My wife & I built a Coho and an Osprey Std and ended up running out of epoxy. There was probably enough in the kits if you know what you're doing, but being newbies, I think we ended up wasting more than we should have. Keep an eye on your supply and get ready to order more if you need it towards the end. Pygmy can sell you some, or System Three has a small trial kit you can order for $10.
This is an archived message from The Kayak Building Bulletin Board.