Thanks it does help. I make a mess because I dump too much epoxy in one place then it runs all over and down the side. I will do the insides of the yak with the squegee only to force myself to learn!

Rob

: Sometimes it helps to lay out the glass then smooth it gently down on the
: hull or deck with a dry squeegee just to make sure it is laying flat onto
: the wood. It also helps to trim the edges of the glass so that there are
: no loose strings ends to have to deal with. Pouring the epoxy along the
: center of the hull or deck then spreading outwards with gentle strokes
: reduces glass-pulling drag that can cause a mess. I generally pour the
: whole batch down then work fast. This takes practice to learn how to do.
: It becomes a confindence thing, the more you do it the easier and more
: familiar the experience becomes.

: I think this is the mess you are referring to. The initial appearance of the
: wetout will show as epoxy resting on top of the glass but a few seconds
: later the epoxy starts to soak though then the glass starts to disappear
: so that you get a clear-to-the-wood finish. Once that happens, then you
: can begin downstroking the glue to spread it towards the bottom edges,
: thus maintaining a snug fit with the glass, generally without rolls or
: bumps. It is important NOT to use too much pressure so that you squeeze
: the epoxy out of the weave of the glass. You can learn to do this
: effectively by using gentle pressure with repeated strokes so that only
: the top of the weave shows above the epoxy that has settled between the
: strands of glass. This also insures that the glass isn't floating on top
: of a layer of epoxy.

: I generally mix up 5-8 oz. of epoxy, depending on ambient temperatures and
: the kind of surface I have to work with. If I am glassing the inside of
: the hull then I know I will have to work a little slower since there is
: more detail in there. I mix smaller batches. Sometimes I deliberately let
: the epoxy set a little so that it is thicker so that I can use it to fill
: in areas in which I want more epoxy. That would be along the keel on the
: inside of the hull. I tend to use a little more epoxy there to ensure that
: I don't accidently punch a hole through the keel while running the kayak
: over rock and gravel on the river.

: I hope this helps you a little more.

: Robert N Pruden