So as paid works not starting until mid June i may as well get on with building out the Heads and Hanging locker. Got the bulkheads finally finished how i wanted them & given more protection than a member of the Royal family.Still they're in after two long days on the roller and hot air gun so its onto cutting and making the floor. I think i'll go the route i did before by encapsulating 2 part foam then sealing with epoxy & boarding over with coated plywood.
I'm liking the fact i have standing headroom with about 70mm above my head in the main saloon so will be able to insulate and put a proper headliner panel in with room to spare. I got the compression post bolted in so that's a weight off my mind as the sapele post had a 6mm curve to it when the metal post was placed up against it. For sure the compressive strength parallel to grain is some 8500 PSI so around 4 tons & with a post who's cross sectional area of 9 square inches that's a lot of load bearing. But with the new larger sail plan and no backstay i don't want any drama on the water plus the water tank is half the capacity of the old one so i could spare a little weight up front.
What else? The new epoxy from Easy Composites worked very well although it doesn't like heated rollers. Basically when i heat the area with a hot air gun to aid saturation the roller using Reactives epoxy would stay live for the duration of the lay up as long as you kept wetting it in fresh resin. The only fly in the ointment with the new stuff is it sets like a rock on the roller after 30 odd minutes but given the cost saving over Wests i can let that go, it even smells the same as Reactive's resin and wets out a treat so that's a thumbs up from me.
Hi Roger good to see your project back on track. I have the Keels off my Centaur and have derusted epoxy coated and faired studs replaced now ready to re-install. I have reinforced the inside keel faces and installed foam laminated ribs as inspired by your project. I have also installed 2 rear cockpit lockers as your design! I too have been using Easy Composites Resin and I thought You may be interested in looking at their Slow Hardener. It is really slow. I found it ideal when Vac bagging my Ribs where I was having trouble getting all the laminating done before putting in the bag. It was kicking before I could complete the lay up. All the best - keep it simple.
ReplyDeleteCheers Bazzer good to hear another Centaur getting the treatment. I'll look at the slow hardener as that might stop the roller heads cooking themselves.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Great to see you back at this Roger.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to start your thread on Sailing Anarchy up again.
As usual the works looking great & putting the rest of us to shame!
Cheers Rich, only just seen your comment, currently back doing some paid work, first since lock down so haven't got anything to post other than one half of the galley in to port and the other half in build. I'll be back over to SA in a bit .
ReplyDeleteThanks for looking in mate.