Forming rounded corners with Fiberglass and ply.

External Since: Jun 30, 2003 Posts: 132

<doublesb RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote:

> I must be missing something here. A dodger is just a roof. Why all
the
> epoxy and glass? I wouldn't use any glass and just use wood and
epoxy
> for sealing. You should be able to build it in place and wood is
alot
> easier to work with than glass. Either paint it or leave it natural.

This is going to be a large, say 12x12 rigid dinghy that will support
a solar panel farm.

Wood is heavy, wood will rot, and wood is weak when compared to a foam
core complete with knitted glass and epoxy skins.

The above structure would add a lot of weight high above the water
line if made of wood.

Just for reference, a 4x8x1/2 sheet of plywood weighs about 42#, while
a 4x8x3/4 sheet of Divinycell weighs about 16#-17#.

Lew

External Since: May 20, 2007 Posts: 35

On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 20:21:58 -0700, "Lew Hodgett"
<lewhodgett RemoveThis @earthlink.net> wrote stuff
and I replied:

>This is going to be a large, say 12x12 rigid dinghy that will support
>a solar panel farm.
>
>Wood is heavy, wood will rot, and wood is weak when compared to a foam
>core complete with knitted glass and epoxy skins.

Canoes and Kayakers will disagree. I had this discussion with one of
the SNGlue/Strip kayakers, and they were very strong about wood vs
foam....either snglue or strip.

However, I have to admit that if the result is stiffness, noit inpact
strength, then fioam wins at a given weight.

>
>The above structure would add a lot of weight high above the water
>line if made of wood.

But not if made of wood (strip or sng ply) with the same skins or less
(agaon local impact strength)
>
>Just for reference, a 4x8x1/2 sheet of plywood weighs about 42#, while
>a 4x8x3/4 sheet of Divinycell weighs about 16#-17#.

For this purpose you need quite thin ply...1/4 or 3/8, and then less
glass or WHY because it's better for puncture.

Moot point. Just presenting the other POV. In my time I have tried
both, and find it hard to really fight one way or the other.

>
>Lew
>

Human bevaviour: Bestiality with a brain