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msbhammer
03-19-2006, 11:59 AM
Hey Franco,
Seen on anther post how you mentioned making a hatch cover with plywood and cloth. I was gonna use starboard, but since i have the West System and plenty of cloth, I figured maybe doing the same. Question:
After wetting the wood and applying the cloth, would you add the powder filler/bondo ??? or just coat the cloth with hardner and sand smooth and paint ??
Any help would be great... or even better you can do it ;D ;D ;D ;D
Franco
03-19-2006, 11:14 PM
Is the hatch missing completley? The Ideal way is to make a mold for one, that way you get the smoothest finish possible. Give me some more detail on what you need to make or fix.
msbhammer
03-20-2006, 06:57 AM
I'm missing one hatch cover. Figured on using the the other one as a template. Making a mold. Hmm, didnt think of that. Ok,, whats the eaist way to make a mold. Make a template, rap it in cloth and coat the outside of it with resin, but do not wet it down, since I would want the mold to pop out ??

Missing hatch photo:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f153/msbhammer/DSC01685.jpg
reelapeelin
03-20-2006, 07:30 PM
Hammer, whatever you make it of, when you reinstall it, put a STOP-STRAP on it so it doesn't flip back and bust on that cleat...that's what usually spells DOOM for those lids... ;)...
macojoe
03-20-2006, 10:03 PM
Some Starboard and a router and you be good to go!!
Franco
03-21-2006, 12:05 AM
Clean the existing hatch, wax it using mold release, you can cover it with resin and fiberglass cloth - let it dry and put on a couple of layers to stiffen it up - then you have a mold. First layer of the new one could be gelcoat, followed by resin and cloth - Go to the west system site and they have more detailed information. It's a bit of work - and MJ makes a good point - a couple of hours with a router and you can have a new hatch made from starboard.
msbhammer
03-21-2006, 12:37 AM
Thanks for the suggestions. Thats my next thing to do once I finish the hull and finish shoveling the snow that is coming Tuesday morning. Did somebody say it was spring ??? ??? ???
Franco
03-21-2006, 02:27 AM
91 degrees here tomorrow, but then it's going to get cold again, in the 80's
willy
03-21-2006, 02:28 AM
Son of ma gun :D
macojoe
03-21-2006, 03:07 AM
Was 39* today and wind, was pretty cold!! Going to stay that way all week!!'
But they did say it would hit 40 by Friday!!
reelapeelin
03-21-2006, 09:59 AM
Hammer...the cool thing about makin' a mould...you can make these for others and SELL 'em... ;)...you're not the 1st and sure won't be the last to be on this board in need of these hatch-lids...then there's E-Bay...don't quit your regular job, but I bet you'd sell 'em from time to time... 8)...