Where to buy 8" x 9-oz woven fiberglass tape?

[Vicent59]

I looked at several websites but they did not have 8" x 9-oz fiberglass tape.  It would be nice to have the 8" tape instead of cutting it out from larger piece.  Thank you for your help.  Vincent

[Brian.Dixon]

Many places round off on the ounce rating, and to be honest ...that's close enough on this boat.  I designed it to be over-strong.    I usually go to Fiberglass Supply (http:/www.fiberglasssupply.com) for materials, since they have good prices and selection.  Here's your tape:

http://shop.fiberglasssupply.com/product.cgi?product=391&group=257

The tape above is 8" wide and weights 8.71 oz per yard.  This will work fine for anything that calls out 9-oz glass... Like I said, the "9 ounce" glass sold by a lot of shops is actually 8.71 ounces anyway ...this is somewhat common and not a big deal.

Brian

[Vicent59]

Thanks Brian.  I have some newbie questions regarding pre-wet wood with Unthickened Epoxy.

Unthickened Epoxy = Epoxy + Hardener ?

Thickened epoxy = (Epoxy + Hardener) + Silica + maybe other things (fine fiberglass fibers/etc..) ?

On the bottom of page 18 (the manual part one), 5 ea 50 yd rolls of 4" x 9-oz fiberglass tape.  Did you mean WOVEN fiberglass tape?

Thanks again,
Vincent

[Brian.Dixon]

Thanks Brian.  I have some newbie questions regarding pre-wet wood with Unthickened Epoxy.

Unthickened Epoxy = Epoxy + Hardener ?

Thickened epoxy = (Epoxy + Hardener) + Silica + maybe other things (fine fiberglass fibers/etc..) ?

On the bottom of page 18 (the manual part one), 5 ea 50 yd rolls of 4" x 9-oz fiberglass tape.  Did you mean WOVEN fiberglass tape?

Thanks again,
Vincent

1. Yes, "unthickened" epoxy is just the resin / hardener mix, nothing added.

2. Yes, "thickened" epoxy is the same stuff but with additives.  Generally, you will be using a mixture of wood flour and silica (80% wood flour, 20% silica more or less) for the great majority of your work.  In high stress areas (bow stem, transom corners), I have you add milled glass fiber to the mix as well.  For fairing (think 'bondo'), you will use glass microspheres (microscopic little glass balls that are light and sandable) plus a little silica, or phenolic microballoons (similar, but not quite as fine, and made from phenolic instead of glass) and a little silica ...or use QuikFair from System Three or similar.  For final scratch hiding, there are plastic fillers available from WEST Epoxy and others that are OK, but they should only be used for really fine stuff ....I prefer a thick primer and paint that 'hides a thousand sins' instead, personally. 

3. Yes, unless specified otherwise, all glass used in this boat is woven (tape and cloth).  Exceptions, only if stated, include biaxial (2 unidirectional layers knitted one on top of the other at opposing angles) or roving (like woven, but with coarse yarn instead of fine yarn.) 

Brian