I have my bulkheads ready to go. I just need to get the tabs in place. I read about de- waxing the fiberglass before grinding. Well I have already ground the old tabs out and I am ready to start layup. But, this was before I read about the de-waxing. Am I asking for trouble? I just went to town grinding away but had no idea about a waxy buildup on the inside of the hull. Can anyone interject? Seth-
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No Worries
It is best to wipe down the surface to de-wax it before grinding. However, just give it a good wash with acetone and try to wipe the dampness up before it evaporates. Kind of a two handed operation. International paints also sells a solvent wash which works very well too and evaporates much more slowly. For both products - wear protective gloves and a really good face mask with an organic filter. The mask and filter are your cheapest life insurance when working with this stuff. I recommend the one by 3M. The solvent wash will go through a latex glove faster than ........(left to your imagination). I recommend tabbing with either epoxy or vinylester resin. Both are much more tenacious than polyester. Keep well ventilated! And wear the mask!
It is best to wipe down the surface to de-wax it before grinding. However, just give it a good wash with acetone and try to wipe the dampness up before it evaporates. Kind of a two handed operation. International paints also sells a solvent wash which works very well too and evaporates much more slowly. For both products - wear protective gloves and a really good face mask with an organic filter. The mask and filter are your cheapest life insurance when working with this stuff. I recommend the one by 3M. The solvent wash will go through a latex glove faster than ........(left to your imagination). I recommend tabbing with either epoxy or vinylester resin. Both are much more tenacious than polyester. Keep well ventilated! And wear the mask!
Seth, not sure what you mean by wax...
If you're referring to the amine blush that surfaces on some epoxy resins as they set, this is water soluble and only needs to be washed off (MAS epoxy is blush-free). If there was some kind of old wax on your hull, you likely already removed it by grinding the old tabs away. Only worry about removing any old finish or wax that might interfere with a good bond on old resin that you did not grind. My 2 cents.
If you're referring to the amine blush that surfaces on some epoxy resins as they set, this is water soluble and only needs to be washed off (MAS epoxy is blush-free). If there was some kind of old wax on your hull, you likely already removed it by grinding the old tabs away. Only worry about removing any old finish or wax that might interfere with a good bond on old resin that you did not grind. My 2 cents.
Seth --
What do you man by 'wax'? are you referring to the wax surface that develops when using air inhibited polyester resins ?????????? ..................... and do you or have you found zones of air inhibiting wax in/on the bulkhead panels you've already ripped? So, you need to clarify a bit more and whether you intend to use epoxy or polyester for your impending layup. If there "is" wax and you intend to use epoxy, then YES you must thoroughly remove the wax. GRINDING without dissolving will only smear the wax across the surface; you HAVE to use chemical means to remove it ... solvents, then a 'wax lifter' such as Interlux #202. If there *is wax* and you intend to use polyester resin, then SOMETIMES you must remove the wax .... but many times the air inhibiting wax will dissolve into the resin; so, you have to /should test to see if the wax dissolves into the resin (no MEK addition needed to do the test) .... just pour some resin onto a glass plate, put some scraped wax onto the wet resin and see if it dissolves completely, etc. Using polyester resin to add to a prior laid-up and cured polyester .... doesnt usually result in a very 'strong' bond once the original fully 'cures'........ .
What do you man by 'wax'? are you referring to the wax surface that develops when using air inhibited polyester resins ?????????? ..................... and do you or have you found zones of air inhibiting wax in/on the bulkhead panels you've already ripped? So, you need to clarify a bit more and whether you intend to use epoxy or polyester for your impending layup. If there "is" wax and you intend to use epoxy, then YES you must thoroughly remove the wax. GRINDING without dissolving will only smear the wax across the surface; you HAVE to use chemical means to remove it ... solvents, then a 'wax lifter' such as Interlux #202. If there *is wax* and you intend to use polyester resin, then SOMETIMES you must remove the wax .... but many times the air inhibiting wax will dissolve into the resin; so, you have to /should test to see if the wax dissolves into the resin (no MEK addition needed to do the test) .... just pour some resin onto a glass plate, put some scraped wax onto the wet resin and see if it dissolves completely, etc. Using polyester resin to add to a prior laid-up and cured polyester .... doesnt usually result in a very 'strong' bond once the original fully 'cures'........ .
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