Vacuum bagging how to?

[Scott21120]

Over the past couple of years I know I have seen a few articles on using vacuum bagging for repairs on rudders, decks and hulls. Of course, now that I would like to do it myself, I am having a hard time locating the information. Can anyone point me to a website, or reference an article that would tell me what equipment I need and how to do it? I removed most of the top layer of fiberglass from my rudder about 3 months ago, but still had high moisture readings anyplace where I had not removed the glass. Yesterday I purchased a vacuum pump, and bagged the rudder with the pump running over night. In less than 24 hours, the areas of highest moisture have dropped from 30+ to 10 or less on the meter. I am so pleased with this success, that I am thinking now I should use the pump to make sure I get epoxy into any voids under the remaining glass. Any how-to's, links, or articles would be appreciated.

 

[Ross]

Try this.

http://www.bertram31.com/proj/tips/vaccuum.htm

 

[Fred]

If you have the pump and bag, all you have to do

is do your repair and bag it with a layer of the screen (throw away but cheap) and bubble or plain poylethelyn wrap over the repair so it diesn't wreck your bag.That's with epoxy or regular brown or yellow glue. Polyester resin may harm the bag. Some bags are OK with polyester. Check with your supplier.Once you have the bag and pump, you can do magic with glue. Double diagonal (two 90 degree layers and one 45 degree) over a curved mould for hatches and a flat mould for tables and floorboards etc. etc.The next step is to find a source for good old brown powder woodworkers glue. Water resistant (used on lots of boats that are still stuck together 50 years later), cheap, and not very toxic. When I ran the boat school we got it in 20 kilo boxes from a commercial furniture supply in Vancouver. One box lasted a bit over a year with 16 students.

 

[tcbro]

MAS Epoxies Booklet

I have a booklet from MAS Epoxies that shows how to do it. I picked it up when I was in their plant last month. I looked on their website but there is no mention of this book. Try calling them, maybe they will send you one.www.masepoxies.comToms/v Orion's Child