JEM Watercraft

Come to Queensland mate. Everybody else is

Paddled here yesterday,



Hervey Bay

hairymick wrote: Hervey Bay

Aarghh Mate.....Look at that!
Ya wouldn't be dead for quids, would ya...!!

This week I've been working on the rear deck and the hatch opening and cover.
I've decided to hinge the hatch cover and was thinking about the best ways of making it water tight......or as close too as possible.
I'll add lips around the opening and cover as suggested in the plans but I was also planning to top the lips with some 3mm thick rubber strips, figuring that will provide a better seal.
My question is, will the epoxy adequately bond the rubber to the ply... or is there another type of glue I should use?.... And in either case would I be better glueing the rubber to the raw wood or after glassing and coating it?

Epoxy with a little woodflour or other thickener should do it. I'd glue on top of cured epoxy.

Ok. Thanks Matt.

A easy way is to buy some strip weatherproofing at the local hardware store The kind with the adhesive on it. Just pull off the paper and apply.

Russ

John,

I would cover the wood with epoxy and then stick the gasket material with contact cement.

My first choice, would be the bought weather stripping with the adhesive backing Russ mentions. The brand name that I can think of is Frost King.
http://www.frostking.com/windoorweather.php
Dont get the light gray sponge rubber looking stuff (indoor use only). I think I use the closed cell PVC or maybe the high density stuff. Havent had any problem with their adhesive not sticking or coming loose over time.

Second choice would be contact cement like Mick says.

I think using epoxy is "to" permanent, if you ever had to remove it.

DM

Ok...... thankyou all for your thoughts....
I'd thought about the self adhesive weather strip but had some doubts about how well it would stick......and stay put.
So having considered the options and since Digr57 and Dangermouse have found it to work and stay in place, I'll try that first. Not sure I can source Frost King here in Oz but will look for a similar quality rubber weatherstrip.......
I can always come back and try the glued rubber strip later if I have too.
Cheers

that's true. You should just bond using whatever the gasket manufacturer says to ise. Epoxy would work, but gaskets will need to replaces at some time.