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First, a layer of chopped strand mat (CSM) is laid on the foam,
and saturated with resin using a special roller. I didn't realize
until later that the foam hull wasn't quite as smooth as I would
have liked at this point, and now would be the time to fill the
low spots with low-density filler and sand down the high spots. |
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Next, a layer of 7.5 oz glass cloth is laid on the mat and saturated
with resin. |
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The layer of glass is sanded and coated with another layer of
resin. This is another step I would skip if starting again. Instead
I would use a mixture of resin and microballoons. After the initial
laminate has cured, the only purpose of more resin is to fair
the surface. It doesn't add any strength, so it might as well
be light. |
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Sanded fiberglass. At this point you start an infinite cycle
of sanding and fairing: sanding down the high spots and filling
in the lows with low-density putty (resin and filler). I went
through about two cycles. When the glass and resin are sanded,
they turn almost opaque. |
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But when coated with resin, the fiberglass is completely transparent.
At this point I began to realize the importance of getting everything
smooth and fair before doing any laminating. |
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