Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
Fiberglass cloth
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on
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Go to www.raka.com . Small operation but they pretty much have all you need in glass cloth and resins. Larry is very knowledgable and is happy to help you out. There are many other places to look but this one works for me.
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Permalink Reply by Dave Z on
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I second RAKA. Fast shipment, they know their stuff and I've never made a bad batch of epoxy using their resins. most of their stuff is an easy 2:1 mix, hard to screw up.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathan on
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I third RAKA. This forum and Larry at RAKA was very helpful with recent purchase of kevlar and fiberglass. Although uprovden on the river, RAKA epoxy flowed and setup nicely and is significantly less expensive.
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Permalink Reply by Trevor Eccles on
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Is the 20 oz triaxle a good choice for the bottom or is there another fiberglass cloth or weight that is better or sufficient? Thanks for the replies, I called raka and talked to Larry, he was very helpful. He suggested one layer of 17 oz cloth with a layer of 3.25 on top of that then graphite over the top.
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Similar....I went wtih 13 oz. kevlar and 3.25 glass over the top and then epoxy graphite over that. I called fiberglasssupply.com and didn't get near the level of discussion/service as I did with RAKA/larry...all depends on who you talk to. Probably spent a few buck more to ship from raka/florida but was worth it.
I use to work in the areospace industry and have friends who have done structural repairs on airplanes and engine cowlings was the only reason I went with kevlar in addition to glass.
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Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on
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Many suggest two layers of 10oz, Larry suggested the two layer approach for you also... there is added strength using the two layers but it takes longer to apply.
At the shop we use one layer of 19.5oz triaxel. The stitching in the cloth adds strength over cloth without stitching. It's easier to say 20oz than 19.5 oz and the 1/2 oz doesn't matter, and this bottom has stood the test of time very well. I think that Ray Heater at Ray's River Dories has likely experimented with more of these than any other. It was Ray that first talked me into this approach in the early 90s. Please chime in Ray.
When we first started the fiberglass bottoms we tried three or four different cloths to do some experimenting. Sanderson and I ended up landing on the same 20oz stitched cloth that Ray has been using for years.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Mazy on
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Hi Randy, Sandy,
Stopped by your shop last week on vacation and enjoyed talking with Sandy about my upcoming boat build. Loved the shop and all the information Sandy provided. Still deciding what size to build, but in the meantime I thought I'd hang around the forum and learn what I could.
Re: Fiberglass bottoms. I see people mentioning graphite additive to the resin/epoxy, but no mention of graphite/carbon cloth in lieu of glass fabric. Cost aside it seems like a no brainer for a stronger lighter protection for the bottom. What's up?
Thanks, Steve
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The point of carbon is light weight. We are covering a wood bottom so the difference in weight between carbon and cloth is not significant and therefore not worth the cost for most builders. The added puncture resistance of Kevlar is a small help but most people do not opt for the additional cost because a stitched cloth does a great job at a reasonable price.
There is a new product on the market that may be of interest to many. A UHMW that can be bonded with epoxy. We will also do our first vacuum bagged bottom week after next. It is not cheap and is only available to dealers willing to warranty the work. I believe it will be the bottom of choice for many in the Northwest. We are looking forward to trying it out.
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Permalink Reply by sanderson on
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west coast i would go http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/ they have everything you could ever want. i would go raka on the east side.
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