hatch install

[BobM]

Well...couldn't afford a new deck salon, so scored a nice ten inch bomar hatch as a half measure off eBay. This will be my first significant surgery. I will bed it with butyl tape for sure, but know I need to isolate the exposed core too. Any tips on how to do this for a hatch?

Cut just the top skin, build some sort of retention dam on the inner skin? Perhaps if I make the Michael thick enough I wont need one. After it cures I can cut the inner skin. Am I making too much of this?

Thanks in advance.

BobM

 

[SamLust]

Dig out the core. I use a groovong router bit VERY carefully. Usually best to go back far enough so fasteners will be through the epoxy filler and not wood core.

MASK.

Wet out all surfaces with epoxy.

Mix up thickened epoxy with your choice of thickener. I'm not sure the type matters.

Make the thickened epoxy go into the groove. Plastic bag used like a cake decorators bag, caulk gun tubes, spatula, gloved hand, (much more effective than you would think). Tool it flat and walk away while it cures.

Install the hatch and pop your head out of it. Come on, you know you're going to!

 

[mitiempo]

I agree a router can do a good job. I used a router bit I bought because it cut a dado the same dimension as my balsa core was thick. I used it in a laminate trimmer as it only requires one hand to hold. It worked out well and I used colloidal silica mixed with the epoxy to fill.

 

[BobT]

Make a full size practice cut.

I'd build a jig that had 1/4" a plywood floor, perimeter strips to contain & guide the router base so that there's no way to run off into the surrounding deck. I prefer this over bushings because it's less easy to slip off the pattern and bite it. You can screw the whole thing down to the soon to be scrapped center of the soon to be hatch hole.
Cut up the rest of the 1/4" plywood practicing and adjusting the perimeter fence before the real deal.

 

[mitiempo]

I used a bearing bit and had no problems. The balsa was cleanly removed and the upper and lower skins were just grazed - perfect for thickened epoxy. It took less than 10 minutes.

 

[BobM]

dremel

I will likely use my dremel vibrating saw to cut the hole. It works great for fiberglass. I bet I can use it for core removal too. I don't own a router, although I could buy one.