Fiberglassing a Strip Built Kayak

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Most popular comments
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Skip Lee - 6 years ago

Isn't that a lot of wasted fabric?

Nick Schade - 6 years ago

There is waste, but FWIW, that is what happens when stuff is made. Whenever you cut something that is non-rectangular out of material that is rectangular, there are bits hanging beyond the edge which need to be cut off.

Jim Rodgers - 6 years ago

Great video Nick. How would I make a White water canoe mold ? I see you already have your molds. I am afraid to use my favorite WW canoe as a Male mold for the resin would damage the Vinyl ABS Material as it heat up to cure? Seeing you squeegee out the excess help keep temp down. Maybe apply one layer per day would not allow it to heat up so much to damage the ABS. Any thoughts

Jim Rodgers - 6 years ago

thanks so much for answer. Keep a paddle in your hands!

Nick Schade - 6 years ago

Hi Jim,
While curing resin can generate quite a bit of heat, if the layup is thin enough the heat will dissipate quickly, it shouldn't build up enough to damage your original boat. Building up the layers incrementally would reduce the risk, but I doubt you would need to wait as long as a day between layers.

You may want to try some practice layups. Just laying up several layers on a waxed sample and either measuring the temperature with a IR thermometer or touching it with your hand should give you a sense of how hot the layup process would get.

José Jurandi Santana dos Santos - 7 years ago

Qual nome deste tecido que você está usando

NoamAndNader2016 - 7 years ago

Monster @ 7:53?

Robert Rowlands - 8 years ago

All action, no yakkin. Thanks

Shane Larkins - 8 years ago

If you wanted to have a very thick epoxy coating, could you pour the epoxy on and allow it to self level? Or is this a terrible idea?

Ian Johnson - 7 years ago

It's a curved surface, so the epoxy will all pour off.

Theo Westarb - 8 years ago

Música estridente, não combina com a atenção necessária.

Joel - 9 years ago

When I was in middle-school or junior-high I was told I needed to join band. I didn't know how to read music or play the trumpet. One day the instructor came to me and asked, "What in the world are you doing"? I said I was playing Jazz. I failed that class.

Δημήτρης - 9 years ago

NIck, you thing i could just make layer or two of epoxy resin outside of the boat and just put roven cloth in the inside of the boat for strength?
Just to keep the cost as low as i can.
How much epoxy will a 12 feet(370cm) Sit On Top will i have to buy?

10. comment for Fiberglassing a Strip Built Kayak

iambism - 9 years ago

I like your taste in music, appropriate; masters at work.

Mariam AlSarraf - 9 years ago

alexander rodriguez - 9 years ago

Friend, what kind of fiberglass use to coat in this video, thanks.
and where I can get.

Nick Schade - 9 years ago

+alexander rodriguez the fiberglass is the white fabric which is a 4 ounce cloth. This is bonded to the wood with epoxy resin - the clear liquid. The epoxy is MAS epoxy available through marine suppliers throughout the states. Similar products are available world wide.

Benjamin T Maltby - 10 years ago

I would recommend laying out the cloth with a bias to one side such that there is only about 2" hanging past the middle of the bottom edge on one side. That way you can trim a larger piece from the opposite side for use on other parts of the project. Having the amount of trim as shown in the video is a waste of fabric.

Joel - 9 years ago

This man seems to be doing it pretty well "his" way. Fiberglass is fairly inexpensive, and most of the reinforcement comes from the carbon fiber on the inside. I think if I ever get around to trying my hand at building one of these beautiful boats I will do it the way Mr. Shade does it.

Thanos Papantonopoulos - 10 years ago

nice clever trick to keep epoxy fluid with the lamp behind the bottles!!!brilliant!!!!

Abderrahmane gouasmi - 10 years ago

Good videos. Thanks a lot. I enjoyed them for hours. I want to start a similar sea kayak,may be smaller aroun 4 to 4.5 meters long. where can i buy the plans of the forms to start with? Thank youonce more.Two thumbs up!

Nick Schade - 10 years ago

+Abderrahmane gouasmi I sell plans through: http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/

alexis perez - 10 years ago

that canoe is very intresting and inspirering and i want to make some thing simular

070ruben - 10 years ago

..la mucica.. por dios..!! malisimaaaa..!!

thomasuras - 10 years ago

Try and read by the auto spell if you can

thomasuras - 10 years ago

Nick what typ of cloth are you using? I built a kayak a wile back from one of your plans and used a 6 % cloth every thing worked great . I building a woodie car now and the side panels are bead and cover I ordered 6% cloth it was 6% but the pattern was called "finishing cloth "a lot tighter we've says you have to wet out the wood first ? I do and the we've is so tight it traps air bubbles . For now the ones I've done are on the inside so it won't hurt but I can't see it working on the outside ? Your site has really grown and would highly recommend your plans or boats to anyone your help during my building proses was greatly appreciated thanks again

20. comment for Fiberglassing a Strip Built Kayak

COR ANIMOSUS - 11 years ago

7:53 that is my boss

thedraphter - 11 years ago

I don't know why, but I loved the light behind the jugs of epoxy...

Scott Alexander - 11 years ago

Love the Animal lunch box @ 7:53. Had one when I was young

henry montoya - 11 years ago

hello whats the names of the 2 mas plz reply as soon as posible???????/

impact lures - 11 years ago

Thanks Nick. Just ordered your book. Love your work.

Nick Schade - 11 years ago

Yes, you can reuse the cup so long as the epoxy has not started to kick off. If you feel the epoxy heat up, don't use it, put that cup aside and start with a fresh cup.

impact lures - 11 years ago

Do you use the same mixing cup every time you mix a small batch? Great work!

governmentcheese411 - 11 years ago

(cont) spaced near the top of the vert rod. this set up has been an amazing. it rolls right out when i want it and easily rolls right back out of the way when i'm done. btw, for holding the weight i have on it stable while pulling out material. i put a large sand bag on its base. happy boating :)

governmentcheese411 - 11 years ago

hello nick, i noticed your comment in the vid about "it being easier with 2 people". in what seemed to be in regards to pulling the cloth over the hull. i have a great solution for you that works very well for me. i took a furniture dolly and converted it into a fiber rolls dolly. able to carry 3 different rolls at once. the furniture dolly is 28in by 28in, i believe, and then i welded a vertical rod to it, approx 5ft tall. from there i welded 3 horizontal rods... continued...

wetcanoedogs - 11 years ago

very nice..i worked in a canoe shop for a couple summers while i was going to college in the 70's. everything was by chopper gun and we wet out mat on cardboard and slapped it on and rolled it out.the 16 foot canoe i made for myself weighs 85 pounds and i can't lift it anymore.i hope all those mistakes we made have resulted in better boats

30. comment for Fiberglassing a Strip Built Kayak

Tom Huitema - 11 years ago

Oh i guess that makes sense, cause the bubbles only form after the epoxy is applied.

pen mightygun - 11 years ago

thanks Nick for posting these videos, you techniques are the ones I used today to glass my first kayak. it went just as you instructed, flawless.

Dan Maker - 11 years ago

if you did that, you'd probably cause more wrinkles. leaving it loose lets it move as you spread the epoxy and lets potential wrinkles disappear before they form.

Tom Huitema - 11 years ago

does it make sense to staple down the fibreglass so it doesn't move, and cause wrinkles?

RealCoolStuff97 - 11 years ago

Does the part on which you lay the fibreglass(the light brown wooden thing) stay or is it a mould that comes off after the epoxy dries off? Also, I want to start fibreglassing so would you suggest some material which I can use for making a mould? One that could easily be shaped, similar to expanded polystyrene.

Toast - 12 years ago

Curing epoxy resin is an exothermic reaction, do not dilute with thinners(!), as this will compromise the chemical reaction.

sushinami48 - 12 years ago

Awsome.

sticks1215 GBALI - 12 years ago

Thanks for posting your video with information it is really helpful.

Jon Bennallick - 12 years ago

Wonderful video, thankyou very much for this clear explanation.

atepiro - 12 years ago

Hello. How much epoxy, you used, to laminate this kayak?

jfan4reva - 12 years ago

Like the alternate pump technique of measuring epoxy. Even if you lose count, it still comes out right. Never would have thought of that.

ajcollins0221 - 13 years ago

do you have to seal the wood with epoxy befor you fiber glass it

Darth Belal - 13 years ago

the bow and stern edges, do you use strips of fiberglass to cover them? You show how to do the large flat edges, but leave out how to glass the bow and stern......

James Blood - 13 years ago

where do you get that matting??

Nick Schade - 13 years ago

@FlyBoy77 I just have not saved up the money for the nice ratio pump yet. The ketch-style pumps work OK.

Nick Schade - 13 years ago

@stilloutoffocus I've not used West epoxy much. I know it is good, but I'm used to MAS. I believe the West System 207 hardener is quite low viscosity for good wetout. The lamp probably does lower the pot life, but MAS has a longer pot life and longer cure time than West. The lamp serves to lower the viscosity which means I can work faster, so it balances out well.

Nick Schade - 13 years ago

@IXAnarchistXI No paint will be used. The boat will be left "bright" or clear and varnished for the final protective coating.

IXAnarchistXI - 13 years ago

noob question do u paint before of after fiberglass

stilloutoffocus - 13 years ago

wonderful vid! let me start by saying that i have fallen into the trap of assuming that most glass videos on here are done by amatures but you are obviously an accomplished professional! ive never seen glass wet out so nicely. the MAS epoxy looks to be a bit thinner in your vid that the west system im used to, have you tried any other brands and do you just like MAS better? also does the lamp behind the jugs seem to shorten your pot life?

Nick Schade - 13 years ago

@SHL9 about 70° F and quite dry is probably the best. Epoxy will cure at lower temperatures but the cure time gets long. Use a faster epoxy if needed. Humidity can cause amine blush and potential fogging if too wet.

50. comment for Fiberglassing a Strip Built Kayak

Steve Lutter - 14 years ago

What are the ideal temperatures and humidity levels for this work? Thanks for posting this.

Nick Schade - 14 years ago

@scolamb the fiberglass serves as reinforcement for the wood. It is not there so much to seal the boat. The fiberglass is then bonded to the wood with the epoxy resin. This serves to seal the boat. Other fabrics could be used, but reinforcement is needed. Other resins could be used, but epoxy is about as good as it gets

scott lambert - 14 years ago

Do you have to glass the kayak, or are there different ways to seal them? I do enjoy the videos.

Nick Schade - 14 years ago

@Coik85 It has been faired and sanded to a smooth surface before fiberglassing

Nick Schade - 14 years ago

@JustWonderingHowToDo I end up with 2 layers of glass on the outside on this boat before I am done. One layer of CF on the inside.

Nick Schade - 14 years ago

@worstdogever87 For this process, less than 1 quart, for the whole boat, start-to-finish about 1.5 gallons.

JustWonderingHowToDo - 14 years ago

Is there only one layer of fiberglass and one layer of carbon used for the entire boat, or are their multiple layers?

Nick Schade - 14 years ago

@morrisonmeister: I use the same epoxy used to wet out the glass. I add a very small amount of coloidal silica to help keep down fish-eyes.

Marcelo Bignose - 14 years ago

nice video, ty! sry my english is very bad.I from Brazil.U job is very very cool.

Ben Dodge - 14 years ago

Thank you for such a good video. I have been looking for this process done well and explained in a video for some time. Thank you

ARCEYE78 - 14 years ago

great video!! and beautiful job,im going to be using a smilar technique but on a smaller scale on an RC A10 warthog jet but how did you finish the front and rear edges? :)

Nick Schade - 14 years ago

The white cloth is fiberglass. The cutting tool is the EC Cutter Electric Cordless Scissors. Working with epoxy and other resins you should wear an organic vapor respirator.