MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Tips Wanted for Repairing Small Area of Delaminated, Blistered & Split Plywood Bow Decking

Just bought a 1967, wood built, Merlin Rocket.  Generally, the hull is in great condition.  However, a small area of the plywood bow decking (6inch diameter circle approx.) has delaminated, blistered and split.  Does anyone have a repair solution and or a method of preventing the problem from getting any worse?  Unfortunately, owing to perceived cost, I doubt that I can afford to replace the plywood.


Posted: 12/09/2005 14:11:19
By: IP
split laminate along grain with stanley knife. sringe in epoxy and apply pressure to 're-laminate'??

Would that work?


Posted: 12/09/2005 14:19:30
By: an idea
Best way to appy pressure is make up two pads of plywood an coat with vasaline (stops the expoxy sticking and clamp to the area, if yo can't clamp, then bolt through the pads and ply wood with thin bolts and big washers, you will of course need to fill the holes after, not so nice (but may be acceptable if you get the colur close )on a varnished deck but fine on a painted area.


Posted: 12/09/2005 14:40:58
By: Alan F
Epoxy will work as long as the wood is quite dry and you can work it well up into the problem area. (artist pallet knife is usefull)You can support the underside with a few sticks of timber to the hull, lay a piece of clear polythene over the epoxied area (it won't stick to the epoxy) lay a scrap of ply over that and weight with bricks etc.
OR
in a small area use a very runny superglue called Zap (see axminster power tools website). This is formulated to climb right into the smallest crack in timber by capillary attraction and hold down for half a minute or so. Again use polythene sheet between fingers and glue for obvious reasons!! One advantage of superglue is that it needs a bit of moisture to work so if there is damp inside the ply now it won't matter.


Posted: 12/09/2005 19:42:50
By: Chris
One tip that I was given for getting pressure on such areas and avoiding need for bolt/screw holes was to use jack or similar to put pressure bewteen the area and a fixed object eg garage wall or roof beam.


Posted: 13/09/2005 13:47:20
By: RichardT

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