June 30,2015
Seizing an hour to work on the boat prior to settling into a glass of vino and the USA Vs Germany FIFA World Cup game, I went right to work on Alva Anne's rub rail fastener holes. I used a tapered bit and opened up the old fastener holes to allow more surface area for the epoxy to bond with. In the photo below, you can see a hole opened up (left) and one I had yet to address (right). I worked my way around from starboard aft quarter, bow, and finished at the port aft quarter.
After I had sufficiently opened up the fastener holes, I cleaned the surfaces with a solvent to prep for the epoxy fill. After cleaning the surfaces, I mixed a small batch of neat epoxy - one pump on the West System dispenser - and using a foam brush proceeded to wet out of the areas to be filled.
The photo below shows two fastener holes that have been "opened up," surfaces cleaned, and "wet out" with neat epoxy.
I returned to the shop and mixed another small batch of epoxy This time I used colloidal silica to thicken the epoxy mixture to fill the fastener holes with. The colloidal silica is used more for structural strength applications. I like to use this filler in the first round, and then coming in with micro balloons for a second, fairing application.
And finally, an example of one of the holes filled. Next step here is a water wash to remove the amine blush, a light sanding, and then a fairing application with epoxy mixed with micro balloons.
Total Time: 1 Hr.
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