I told my wife that I planned to remodel the kitchen because we were replacing our appliances. The first thing she said was, “Not another project!” She has learned over the years that I will always be working on something. Continue reading
Aircraft designer and builder Jon Staudacher’s newest project is a wooden enclosed trailer for his new racecar. Jon designed a trailer to be suitable for hauling his racecar and living in over a weekend at the race track. The trailer was built by scarfing and gluing together individual pieces of wood to form a beautiful natural wood-finished racecar trailer. Jon always surprises me with how innovative he is with projects. After Jon built an open-wheel race car he had a design in mind for a new plywood trailer. Continue reading
In 2011, our Technical Advisors Bruce Niederer and Don Gutzmer were packing tools for a trip to Mystic Seaport where they would once again provide guidance and instruction to families participating in the WoodenBoat Show’s Family Boatbuilding event. They recalled from the previous summer that spring-loaded wire cutters were very helpful for removing the twisted copper wire used to temporarily hold stitch and glue boats together after the joints cured. Unfortunately, none that were spring-loaded could be found. Continue reading
January 2013 was a big month for the Gougeon Brothers, Inc. Technical Department. This department is responsible for our technical customer service, product development, and quality control. In January this department moved into a completely new building that adjoins our current facility. Continue reading
Many times each day we get questions about epoxy sticking to various substrates. Most questions are about something that we have already tested, so we check our large database and advise on how best to adhere to the surface in question. Other times, the request is unique and we are unsure if WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy will stick to it or not. In the event we do not have any experience bonding to a material, we recommend testing the adhesion. Many times, this means gluing a wood block to the surface, then pulling the block off once the epoxy is cured. The test method we use is much more quantitative than that because it measures how much force it takes to remove the epoxy. Continue reading
Built in 1957, my 15′ Larson Thunderhawk Jr. is a fiberglass runabout reborn. I launched her into the waters of Grass Lake, in Fox Lake, Illinois in late August 2010. But before this happened, the boat underwent a major restoration. I purchased this boat in August of 2009, after it sat idle for several years, collecting dirt, rainwater, leaves and snow. All that remained was its shell,
I purchased this boat in August of 2009, after it sat idle for several years, collecting dirt, rainwater, leaves and snow. All that remained was its shell, motor, and a rusted trailer. I found a group of Larsen enthusiasts who helped me locate my boat’s original specs, drawings, and
color charts.
We spend a good amount of time doing everything we can to inform our customers how best to make WEST SYSTEM® epoxy stick to wood, metal, and even plastic, or underwater with the introduction of G/flex 650 and 655. Still, there are many instances when you don’t want the epoxy to stick to one surface or another. This is where mold release agents come in very handy.
We formulated Six10 Epoxy to work when dispensed from a u-TAH chambered cartridge with a mixing wand. Putting epoxy resin and hardener into a single cartridge was an idea we had years ago, but until the u-TAH cartridge was developed, the technology was never around to do it. Once that technology became available, it was time to formulate Six10 Thickened Epoxy Adhesive. Continue reading
By Brian Knight
Let’s look at a good method for building curved walls curved-face cabinets. A while back, as I was waiting in the reception lobby of a major American corporation, I had the chance to admire the curved reception desk and other oak furniture in the room. However, when I examined the reception desk more closely, I could see facets in the oak veneer instead of a nice, smooth curve. I immediately realized that the cabinet builders had sawn closely spaced saw kerfs in the back of the panel so they could bend it to shape. I thought there must be a better way. Continue reading
Cover Photos: Our special issue on building features practical and simple techniques.
Building a natural finish wood-strip or strip-plank canoe can be exciting and a bit daunting, particularly if it is your first clear finish canoe. You’ll commit time and money to the project and your expectations may run high. Most people are happy with the results of their first strip plank project, but deep down they wish some aspect of it was a bit better. Continue reading