Hello from Denmark

[DrGerryD]

Hi Folks

I was until relatively recently a professional ship designer. Now I am a pensioner I use much of my time and energy designing new boats and building them. The boats are built under the trade name "Marlab Miniboats". The boats are not models. They are built using 3D CAD and I build them by hand. A laser cutter in on my wish list but it looks like it will,be my 100th birthday before I get one .. Or maybe I will win the lottery... just as likely.

I live in a small town called Skive - in Jutland, Denmark.

How did I find this site ? I am considering building a boat in cardboard and polyester (about 1200mm length) and wondered who else was working in paper. Found you all on Google after a while.

I am looking forward to hearing is anyone else is working with this material and what experiences have been gained.

Regards
Gerry

[doctormax]

Welcome to the forum, If your looking for a pointer of what to look for in the design I am sure you could get some off Barry who designs ships he be able to point you to what he found out about the best way to make formers and maybe if there is a formula to how many formers to have in the design to keep it straigth and so on.

[DrGerryD]

Originally Posted by doctormax

Welcome to the forum, If your looking for a pointer of what to look for in the design I am sure you could get some off Barry who designs ships he be able to point you to what he found out about the best way to make formers and maybe if there is a formula to how many formers to have in the design to keep it straigth and so on.

Hi Doc
Thanks for the tip.

No the design and build I have no problem with. I am more interested in experience with the material itself - polyester on cardboard. Hardness, flexibility etc. How does it react in waves ? are there any pitfalls other than air bubbles to be avoided. cardboard vs polyester ratios etc.

Cheers
Gerry

[Retired_for_now]

Welcome, Gerry. No experience with polyester but cyano-acrylate (super glue) saturated card turns into a pretty stiff product. I would expect polyester to do the same - assuming the card is not surface coated.

Yogi (boats in wood from 25cm to 5m ...)

[DrGerryD]

Hi (Should I call you Yogi ?)

That was my assumption. As you are certainly aware, there are literally TONS of different polyester products out there. I have tested a couple and they worked just fine. I like the ones with longer pot-life as I am a bit slow and painstaking when it comes to painting it on - and I am in no hurry for a short drying time. I will be using 0.65mm card for the upcoming model, and it is indeed coated, but only on the one side. It is my intention to put the coated side inside.

The cyano acrylic I had not considered. It will be worth looking into. Thanks for the tip.

Cheers
Gerry

[Gil]

I take it that you're referring to polyester resin [thinned with styrene monomer[?]] to impregnate kraft board[?].

Jack Lambie covers the development of paper/polyester/fiberglass for aircraft construction in his book "Composite Construction for Homebuilt Aircraft", Chapter 5 is devoted to it. I've tried it and it works extremely well though not in a water environment...,

+Gil

[DrGerryD]

Thanks Gil

Unfortunately the water environment is the one I work in.. I don't build aircraft. Thanks for the tip though - it will save me some time experimenting with that combination now that I know it is unsuitable for boats. Valued information indeed.

Cheers
Gerry

[Gil]

Originally Posted by DrGerryD

Thanks Gil

Unfortunately the water environment is the one I work in.. I don't build aircraft. Thanks for the tip though - it will save me some time experimenting with that combination now that I know it is unsuitable for boats. Valued information indeed.

Cheers
Gerry

Originally Posted by Gil

I take it that you're referring to polyester resin [thinned with styrene monomer[?]] to impregnate kraft board[?].

Jack Lambie covers the development of paper/polyester/fiberglass for aircraft construction in his book "Composite Construction for Homebuilt Aircraft", Chapter 5 is devoted to it. I've tried it and it works extremely well though not in a water environment...,

+Gil

Hi Gerry,

The last sentence should have read; "I've tried it and it works extremely well though I haven't tried it in a water environment."

I somehow failed to finish the editing process...,

With thorough impregnation [paper fiber encapsulation] I think it will probably work well in water. Just think paper milk cartons, only with polyester thinned resin in lieu of polyethylene...,

Bien Cordialement, +Gil