vipermitch

My Feedback: (2)

I was wondering if anyone can give me some information on how to finish the wood hull. I purchased some Sig Sanding Sealer, and was told it should be the first coat on the boat. Im not sure what type of material to use on top of it. If anyone could help, I would appreciate it. Im new to boats. This is my first build. Thanks -Vipermitch

Angel727

My Feedback: (5)

They told you right. Make sure you do a light sanding on the hull to make sure there is not imperfections and then apply the sealer. I will let it cure for at least 24 hrs. unless the instructions said otherwise. then use 600 grade wet sandsheet and your done. Good luck and post some pics. of the boat.

misshydro

most of us use westsystem ..or other marine epoxys.. I'd used aeromarine epoxy..Are you using the stock wood from that kit? the stock build has some issue,, being on the heavy side..plus alot of guys are moding the hull for improvent in lighter weight and handling..for the out side ,sand it with 120 to get any imperfections out of it..then brush on the epoxy sealer on it and use a credit card as a sqeezy to sqeezy the excess off of top surface..let it dry for 24 hr then sand it again with 150 when re seal it one more time..some guy put two-three coats of sealer before prime and paint.Then prime it if any imperfections use polly spot puddy that mixes like bondo.. I use USC ICING..its very light weight easy to sand with 180 without cloging your sand paper and its us for auto&marine uses...after priming it ,you might have to re prime it one more time..I wet sand my primers with 220-320 wetsand paper..before paint have the surface sanded with 400..then your ready to paint........other guys who built this hull should be chimming in.....and give you more info for you..

R.J. West

Hi Vipermitch and welcome to the hobby,

I know alot of modelers out here use a finishing epoxy resin on their wood boats first. Using finishing resins on a wood hull I believe has become alittle over rated lately. West systems is a nice product however its expensive. Alot of folks over the years have fell into the belief that you MUST use a finishing resin to seal the wood on the hull. however there are other fine products and methods to seal the hull and achieve thesame results in the end.

Sig products is one of them. I have used Sig sanding sealer with excellent results. I would hope that you have at least a pint or so cause on a 1/8 scale boat its going to take alot.
I would honestly suggest mixing some 30 minute epoxy and thin it with 90%isopropyl alcohol, 50/50 mix ratio and brush a few coats over the bare wood first, then use the sanding sealer. Doing this will help prolong the life of your model.Be generous with the sealer. Let it sit for a day or two, before wet sanding it with at least 400 grit or higher, be gentle on the edges so not to grind it to the wood. Your going to have to recoat w/sealer and wet sand a few times until your satisfied with the finish.I also believe that this will also achieve a lighter finish than epoxy.
Sig sanding sealer is also both water & fuel proof and I plan on using it to finish my Pay N Pak sport 20. It will look just as good as any other fine model in the end, its just a bit more work cause your gonna have to seal, let dry, wet sand, rinse & repeat.
The main reason why guys are using finishing resins such as Zpoxy & West systems is because they wish to achieve maximum finish, and to seal/waterproof the wood in one shot, less work. To achieve the ultimate finish is very important to alot of modelers who race 1/8 scale hydros in sanctioned events because they are also judged in appearance and must be as exact to the real craft as possible, and many take extreme pride in their workmanship.

advanced builder

Very well said RJ My First build I used Sig & lite fiberglass on my Dumas Atlas Van line. It's the Hardest Finnish you can get down. My first time out was a disaster. my rudder linkage broke during the run & it smashed into a rocky shore & flew inland 30 ft She was damaged but not that bad. I had to rebuild one sponson,Yes it does add weight also. My Finnish is superb I have a Miller America that is still in need of a paint job. This hull will not be glassed, why less sanding ,less time involved.
CK out this site
http://duckworksmagazine.com/03/r/ar...ass/bottom.htm

Hydro Junkie

I coat my boats with West Systems for three reason:
1) Plain and simple, it's water and fuel proof. Not all finishing resins and coatings are, so I go whith what I know works
2) It doesn't need to be "thinned" to give a good coat and penetrate into the wood. In fact, the manufacturer specifically states NOT TO THIN IT.
3) It gives a base that's vertually undestructible. It's not going to save the boat from damage in a crash, but it will save the wood in the event of paint being scraped off, which will happen.
I know there are many different ways to do things and there are many different results. The biggest thing about finishing a hydroplane is to keep weight to a minimum. Many of us that have been in the hobby for years will all agree on one point: It's easier to add weight to a boat than to remove it.

vipermitch

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks everyone for all the great info! if i do go the way of the west system , do i apply it to the bare wood  [ no sealer ]  and do i use a card to spread it on the large areas while using a brush for the small tight areas? what type of brush would i use? any info would be appreciated.
thanks agian,
    vipermitch

Hydro Junkie

I've seen people use old credit cards, plastic spreaders, putty knives and many other items to spread epoxy. I use the disposable metal handled brushes you can buy at most hardware and hobby shops. it normally works best to spread it over bare wood so that the epoxy can soak in

advanced builder

I tried the duckwork site theory. it works good on flat surface,the curve on a hull you need to practice ,got my roller & plastic from hobbylobby

Hydro Junkie

I can see doing that on a larger boat, but on something as small as a scale hydroplane, it's unneccessary weight in my opinion. To plane out, the hydroplane needs to be light enough to fly but at the same time balanced in such a way to keep it from blowing over. Adding that much weight can have a drastic effect on the balance of a scale boat, as well as it's ability to fly over the water rather than plow through it like the boat shown on the website. On a scale boat using a displacement hull, such as a warship or commercial vessel, go for it if you wish. On a hydroplane, seal it wth epoxy and call it good

advanced builder

Yes Hydro Junkie, you do make a good point, I have been looking at my unfinished Miller America. Resin & fiberglass is the way to Finnish them hulls The credit card , scraper does remove extra resin {weight}.I am going to finish that Miller , It's a big dirty { dust} job , my garage is still very cold , gotta get better soon.

R.J. West

I just used Zpoxy finishing resin on my Pay N pak sport 20 for the first time and it turned out very nice. This Zpoxy was very user friendly, it dried to the touch within 3-4 hrs, poured on like syrup and after curing overnite it was easy to sand. I just mixed it up, poured it on and sqee-gee'd the excess off with a card and went over it with a 2 inch brush. Allowed it to cure, next day flipped it over and did the bottom. Wet sanded it with 600 and knocked off some high spots and its ready for primer n paint. I'm going to go ahead and give Klass kote another shot...

advanced builder

I have always had good luck with Klass kote, you need to keep mixing alot. let your pot sit 1/2 hr before using.