Build of E5 number 6 (i think)

[ross_burkin]

Silica is mainly used as thikening agent. It should be combined with micro fibres/ balloons. Having said that, the backing plates on Antidote were all stuck down with just silica bog having run out of  micro fibres/ balloons and none have come off yet (to my knowledge).

[john_hamilton]

Yes sorry, i assumed that everyone uses balloons anyway so didnt mention, oops

[Phil Alderson]

An interesting thing that I learned about Colloidal Silica recently is that it can be used to make your resin tackier when it is wet, which is useful for odd shaped joints and if you have to laminate on an overhead surface.

What you need to do is measure out your resin, stir in a small amount of colloidal silica, and leave over night. When you want to laminate, just add the hardener and use as normal.
You can get the same effect by adding silica just before laminating, however to get the same effect you need to add more.

I tried it out on a repair recently, and it worked quite well.

[phil_kirk]

Very neat bulkheads John!

At present if you are doing laminating in the day time it probably dosen't need any additional heat. It may take a little longer to fully cure though.

I have mixed a bog of silica, resin and hardener and put a thin smear over any cured lamintae I wish to laminate new cloths on to.  The tackiness ensures good contact and eradicates bubles and voids.  It also helps you get all the edges of the new laminate down which avoids them pealing off in the future.

[roland_trim]

You did well to keep Digby away from the Lwnmower - or is it currently doing 120 down the inside lane of the M1?

[john_hamilton]

he didnt quite manage to get his hands on that particular one, though he did go home with our other ride on lawnmower on a trailer to play with

soon to be seen driving along the motorway to scotland, exceeding the speed limit

[Banshee Ambulance]

Looking good John. Have you decided to use those tube I gave you or will they just be mandrels? Hope the stump is long enough.

[john_hamilton]

the tube with the track on is hopefully going to be a stump, the spinnaker pole shaped one may be also used as a spinnaker pole, provided i can reinforce it enough

[ross_burkin]

If you're going to reinforce a tube, you might as well make a new one surley?

[john_hamilton]

it all depends........

[john_hamilton]

a very busy day today !!!!!

me and digby woke up at 9am, and cut out the remaining bulkheads, phil and sarah then arrived at 1030am, a mention must be given here to oscar the guinea pig who was an incredibly usefull aid to navigation to our often hard to find house, with Sarah's help of course!!!
the next 10 hours followed in a whirlwind of work...
by the end of day 1 we have:
1/ 75% fitted hull, deck and bulkheads (alot of sanding)
2/ made a mast stump from an old piece os Rs 800 mast (yet more sanding tho remove the track)
3/ laminated up some 2mm carbon plate for various uses (very strong)
4/ vac-bagged the tension struts (very clever mould - thanks phil)
5/ laminated both the forward and rear rack beams (some very good use of old drainpipe as mandrels)
6/ made a centre board casing
7/ phil jigsawed through the hull shell, accurately thankfully (sounded like it was going to break)
8/ learnt a huge deal
8/ destroyed at least 4 pairs of scissors

altogether, a very productive days work, pictures to follow

[phil_kirk]

John, Digby, Sarah and I have had a very productive 2 days.  It is amazing how quickly things have come together.  I will let John inform you all of the progress made today.  i would just like to say the boys have worked really hard and learnt a lot of skills in laminating, fitting and most importantly measuring everything carefully. The tubes we made yesterday came out really well in fact as did everything.
Many thanks to John's mum for being such an excellent hoast and opening their house, garages and garden to us and feeding us very well.
All appreciated
I look forward to John's veiw of things and pictures.

[john_hamilton]

well today was brilliant, even if not quite as fun as yesterday, we have made excellent progress
we have got the bulkheads, spine, transom ears and rear beam supports fitted to the hull, just some filleting and carbon to do there....
all of out bits we made yesterday turned out brilliantly, with the rack beams exceptionally good
we learned a huge amount, thanks philand sarah a huge amount!!!!!

later this evening me and digby managed another hit after the kirks had left, it turns out that digby had managed to cut the mast stump perfectly and it was perfectely central, now bogged! We have also finalised the bog on the transom ears finally, we have sorted the centreboard casing and started the link between the spine and case
productive day!!!!!!

[john_hamilton]

edit: no pictures yet as my mums iphone is playing up!!!!!

[phil_kirk]

John,

I would work out the centreline on the deck before you add too many additional protusions.  I suggest once you have marked the centreline on the deck, that you measure back from a datum mark at the bow to position the mast stump.  Once you are happy with this measure back for the centreboard case sleave.