13.08.2021 More glass fibre.

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Friday 13th 62F, bright but cloudy.

Yesterday's glass fibre work went quite well. It was a lot messier than necessary. Because I tore the pre-cut strips into shorter pieces [50cm/18"] with sticky, rubber gloves as I went along. From now on I shall tear the strips before I start work. Well before the resin runs down the handle of the brush. Which is inevitable when working overhead. 

The initial layer was to ensure adhesion. Adding more layers will reinforce the joint between the slit ribs and dome. Which will rely almost completely on adhesion to avoid delamination. 

I could not work on the outside of the zenith board yesterday. The slotted angle is still supporting the shutters. I did not want to do anything which might compromise the slit rib, glass-fibre work. Nor deform the dome unnecessarily. The slit rib support posts are still in place and will remain there for as long as possible. The shutters will have to be lifted off at some point. To gain access to the outside of the slit ribs and zenith board. 

The dome will need to be sandwiched with glass fibre along the entire edge of the observation slit. Both above and below where the slit ribs and zenith board join it. Though I am certainly not looking forwards to glassing the outside the dome. Which will need very careful work not to look completely awful! I have some matching, green coloured paste to hide the worst of my GRP atrocities. Though I may have to sand the exterior strip smooth and paint it. Possibly using car body filler if necessary.

One slit rib has had another layer of 300gm CSM internally this morning. It is a pest how the resin runs down the brush when working overhead.  I have had to remove the sticky resin from my wrist and beard with acetone! The mat seems unduly difficult to wet out properly. I am using small strips of 50x16cm in one layer.. So there should be no real problem. The "paddle" roller seems not to help much.

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