Friday, June 28, 2019

________________________ MAKING PROGRESS ________________________

I washed the hull in methylated spirits which draws out any rot inducing moisture and helps get the hull down its minimum weight.

 Repairing the holes by laminating on layers of 1.5mm Gaboon plywood in strips.

 
The first stage of the fairing process. I have used a belt sander (on the first stage of reducing the height of the laminated repairs) and a manual long board sander. I must say, having all the holes in the hull closed off and the timber faired up feels like a bit of a milestone.

The next stage in this long process will be 4 coats of '2 pot' Everdure wood preservative with the first coat heavily diluted with thinners which helps the Everdure penetrate deep into the wood. These coats seal the timber, prevents the re-absorption of moisture and provides a base for the fairing proper - with West System resin and various fairing compounds. All of this is time consuming hard work, but for a Zephyr sailor - a fair hull is a fast hull.

6 comments:

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

How does the patching work? Do you patch from the inside of the hull as well.. inside the hole to be filled?? The finished job is outstanding ..

Alden Smith said...

Good question Steve. If you look at the first photo you will see that there was already a feathered edge to glue onto. In the more curved areas of the hull I glued backing pieces on the inside of the hull. When the glue had cured I sanded flush on both sides.

Ben said...

Hi Alden, this looks like a very precise job. I remember the building photo’s, Marco Scudery made, that the hull is composed of 3 layers of less than 2 mm wooden strips stapled and glued across each other in tree different directions. Did you follow the original directions of the wood or did you made a “simple“ patch of 3 layers? Anyhow a very demanding job I think, congrats!

Alden Smith said...

Hi Ben. The wood that I used were 2.5mm plywood strips. These thin plywood strips when made in the plywood factory are composed of 3 layers laid at right angles to one another. When I glued these plywood strips to the hull, the first layer followed the line of the planks. Subsequent layers were laid at right angles. Yes demanding but satisfying to have finally completed this part of the restoration.

Alden

Cro Magnon said...

Nice job. Very satisfying work (I imagine).

Alden Smith said...

Thank you. You imagine correctly. I personally find that the creative aspects of work and interests that I like, speak to the heart and are in some ways a spiritual venture of sorts. They immersion required bring me closer to the reality of things. Some may think this is wistful thinking or even nonsense - but there you are.