Recent Posts

1

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by Grady300 on January 14, 2021, 07:11:58 AM »

Curious how small of a batch can you mix up using a michael's pump? And how much maintenance do they require? I debated going with one when I started but a scale has worked pretty well for me once I got it dialed in and was a lot cheaper...

I mix small quantities all the time. My pump has gone through 60 gallons with zero maintenance. I am getting ready to do a good cleaning on it. I know it is still pumping out the correct ratio of hardener and resin because as I finish a 15 gallon run the hardener and resin run out just about equal definitely close enough

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Bilge pump considerations

« Last post by Brian.Dixon on January 14, 2021, 06:34:35 AM »

I installed a bilge alarm in my thunderjet last winter. I ended up installing a separate float switch to a backup pump and the light/alarm on my dash. I like having the backup and I like a visual and audible alarm in case I’m running at speed and the pumps are going. I’m going to do the same configuration in my GA. Since I’ll have dual batteries I’ll want to wire it in front of the battery switch so it can be hot all the time.

That's the config that I recommend.  It's always best practice to wire bilge pumps, alarms, indicators ahead of the main battery switch.  You can use a bilge switch on the panel to arm the circuit, then let the float switch turn the pump on/off, indicator light on only when the float switch turns on the pump.  I like having an ON indicator (on when the panel switch is on) and a PUMPING indicator that's on when the float switch is on.  Just make sure you use appropriate circuit protection ... inline fuse.  ON indicator will stay dark if the fuse is blown.  Some people skip using a panel switch ... one less thing to fail.

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by json on January 13, 2021, 06:39:02 PM »

Curious how small of a batch can you mix up using a michael's pump? And how much maintenance do they require? I debated going with one when I started but a scale has worked pretty well for me once I got it dialed in and was a lot cheaper...

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by Grady300 on January 13, 2021, 03:05:01 PM »

The ziplock is a great idea. I will have to steal that on my next scale, no use doing it on my current one that's a mess like rbob's. I used to ask siri to do the math for me but my wifi is a bit shotty in the shop, so what I do now is try for whole number increments that I have memorized for resin quantity (10g, 20, 50, 100, 200, 400, etc) and then if I am off I split the difference and add half of that to the hardener quantity. For instance if I accidentally pour 102.3 grams of resin I start with 43 grams of hardener for the 100 grams of resin, then I take the 2.3 extra grams of resin, cut it in half (and take the floor) for 1.1, and then add that to 43 grams of hardener for 44.1 grams of hardener. I figure close is close enough, and haven't had a batch that didn't set yet. Plus it keeps the ole noggin sharp (or sharper anyways)...

Michaels epoxy pump for me!!!

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by json on January 13, 2021, 02:02:08 PM »

The ziplock is a great idea. I will have to steal that on my next scale, no use doing it on my current one that's a mess like rbob's. I used to ask siri to do the math for me but my wifi is a bit shotty in the shop, so what I do now is try for whole number increments that I have memorized for resin quantity (10g, 20, 50, 100, 200, 400, etc) and then if I am off I split the difference and add half of that to the hardener quantity. For instance if I accidentally pour 102.3 grams of resin I start with 43 grams of hardener for the 100 grams of resin, then I take the 2.3 extra grams of resin, cut it in half (and take the floor) for 1.1, and then add that to 43 grams of hardener for 44.1 grams of hardener. I figure close is close enough, and haven't had a batch that didn't set yet. Plus it keeps the ole noggin sharp (or sharper anyways)...

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by Todd j on January 13, 2021, 10:41:40 AM »

I have a copy of a pdf taped up above the scale.  On 11x 17 paper.  No calculator needed. It does single garam ratios to 100.  Then skips to 10 garam increments after that. I too put the scale in gallon ziplock bag and just swap it out after it gets hard to read

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by Rbob on January 13, 2021, 09:08:04 AM »

All good advice,


I will add a large digit - display calculator to go with the digital scale, I place a cup on the scale, zero it out and pour any amount of resin I think I will need and multiply that amount by 1.43 and add the hardener to that amount.  This works with all other fillers like quickfair, gelmagic etc, although the ratio will be different.

I wish I would have covered the buttons and scale with saran wrap to protect the buttons, mine are a mess now.

Disposable gloves, when doing large projects you can put on 2-3 pairs of gloves and peel off just the outer glove and you have clean hands without trying to put gloves back onto sweaty hands.

large digit calculator:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00556NCBI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by Grady300 on January 12, 2021, 04:10:07 PM »

1. Glass whole panels with 50" cloth, not sub assemblies.
It's way easier to glass a whole panel, fair it, and then cut to shape than it is to glass a sub assembly after it's built (shelves for example).

I like this thread because I’m actively on the front end of this thing. Keep it up! So, let me get this straight, fiberglass a whole sheet of plywood from which you will then cut out smaller pieces for various pieces, like shelves, doors, hatches, whatever. Correct?

Yep, exactly. Typically when I get some new panels I try to plan out what I am going to use them for and glass/fair them to work for that. Sometimes it's only glassing 1 side if I am going to be laminating pieces together, but if it's going to make usage of the sheet un-optimal I will typically just glass both sides so that either side can be the outer facing side. Prepping whole panels is simple using 50" glass and a rubber spreader, I think I spend about a half hour on each side doing the glassing. Doing this also lets you map out how much cloth to buy, so you can know that 'this roll will glass x panels'.

Glass everything except the outside of you sides on the curve, Glass will not bend that way. You can and should glass the inside of your side panels prior to install. 

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by json on January 12, 2021, 03:03:41 PM »

1. Glass whole panels with 50" cloth, not sub assemblies.
It's way easier to glass a whole panel, fair it, and then cut to shape than it is to glass a sub assembly after it's built (shelves for example).

I like this thread because I’m actively on the front end of this thing. Keep it up! So, let me get this straight, fiberglass a whole sheet of plywood from which you will then cut out smaller pieces for various pieces, like shelves, doors, hatches, whatever. Correct?

Yep, exactly. Typically when I get some new panels I try to plan out what I am going to use them for and glass/fair them to work for that. Sometimes it's only glassing 1 side if I am going to be laminating pieces together, but if it's going to make usage of the sheet un-optimal I will typically just glass both sides so that either side can be the outer facing side. Prepping whole panels is simple using 50" glass and a rubber spreader, I think I spend about a half hour on each side doing the glassing. Doing this also lets you map out how much cloth to buy, so you can know that 'this roll will glass x panels'.

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Advice to your former self when you were just starting

« Last post by rhenryinoregon on January 12, 2021, 01:46:39 PM »

1. Glass whole panels with 50" cloth, not sub assemblies.
It's way easier to glass a whole panel, fair it, and then cut to shape than it is to glass a sub assembly after it's built (shelves for example).

I like this thread because I’m actively on the front end of this thing. Keep it up! So, let me get this straight, fiberglass a whole sheet of plywood from which you will then cut out smaller pieces for various pieces, like shelves, doors, hatches, whatever. Correct?