> Well I've finally got the panels on the CLC Chessie 17 to the point where
> I thinking about the epoxy application. After literally sweating over the
> wood in the FL heat, I know that I need to clean the wood in some manner
> before applying the epoxy.

> What is the best method for cleaning/preparing wood for it's first epoxy
> coating? I was thinking about giving the panels a light sanding, then
> wiping down with water. Is this a good idea or what?

> Thanx in advance for any insight.

> Don

Since you are trying to avoid getting moisture trapped in the wood, under the epoxy resin, it would not be a great idea to soak the wood before epoxy coating it. After you sand, any water on the wood might cause an irregular surface as the different wood swells from the added moisture. This would accentuate the grain pattern in an unpleasant way, and you would be back to sanding again. to make things smooth again.

A solvent is not really necessary. Just wipe the sawdust off with a clean, dry, rag and apply the epoxy.

Paul Jacobson