Versatile West System 9 oz woven E-glass fabric tapes, with bound edges, are ideal for reinforcing chines, hull/deck corners, and similar structural applications. When bonded with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy, they provide additional tensile strength to resist hairline crack development and abrasion.
Woven Glass Tapes
Woven glasstapesare electrical grade fiberglass fabric tapes that come in various widths: 729 (2″), 731 (3″), 732 (4”) and 733 (6″). They weigh 9 oz per square yard. These woven glasstapeshave a selvaged edge that prevents fraying. These tapesare ideal to toughen and protectcorners as well as for a myriad ofother applications. Corners must firstbe rounded about like the radius of adime (minimum) because the tapewill not make the turn of a sharp corner.I take a short sample of the tape,fold it in half to find the center andthen mark it. I center the mark overthe apex of the corner. I then markwhere the edges lie.Now, I’ll take a combination square and mark the two edges along theentire length of the corner (above). Iwet the substrate between the markswith mixed resin/hardeneralong theentire length. Then I roll the tape,placing the edge on the mark andsmooth it down. Usually, I’ll placejust one surface (the easiest) downfirst. Once its entire length is inplace, I press the remainder down.As the glass tape is negotiating thecorner, it may not want to stay put.I’ve found if I just let it set for halfan hour, the epoxy gets stickier as itbegins to cure and then the glassstays down. I’ll re-wet the glass tapeas required (it will be white if it isnot wetted properly).When covering the corner of an arcshape, the edge may still not staydown. In these instances I’ll slit theedge, producing a dart, until it cooperates.I’ll wait a few more hoursand then apply another coat to fillthe weave of the tape as well as toinspect for wrinkles or bubbleswhich can be resolved at this time.Sand the cured tape with 50-gritsandpaper on a sanding block tofeather the selvaged edge. If the edgehas got to blend, thicken a mixtureof epoxy with 410 Microlight® andapply it with a wide putty knife.
Determining Laminate ThicknessEstimated Coverage for Fabric ApplicationFiber-Reinforced Composites
