I have had better results by wetting the surface first, then laying our thedry cloth and finally wetting out the cloth in place. Wetting the clothfirst resulted in trapping more air under the cloth. Whereas, if the clothis dry, the air squeezes out through the weave and doesn't leave bubbles. Iam self-taught and don't claim to be an expert. However, all my repairshave withstood the test of time.Best thing is to try different methods and keep a sharp eye out for whatworks best for you and for your specific repair. I hope this helps.--Peter

pboyce

YES! Always better to wet out the cloth before laying down.

davealijah

If your working on wrapping stringers wetting it out first then laying it over works best.I like wetting it out firstIf I'm working with a large piece on a flat serviceIs the only time I don't wet it out first

billymiller6

surface

braswell.3

Hi Jim, it doesn't really matter which one you wet out first. You want to apply some resin to where the cloth tape will go, and wet out both sides of the cloth itself before you apply it, then using a roller or spreader, work any air bubbles out of it. If possible, using the vacuum bag method also helps remove any air bubbles or voids if that is a major concern for your project.

JD Tech Associate

Yes.

JD Tech Team

It's 1708 cloth.

JD Tech Team

I used this tape extensively in the building of a 19' wood-epoxy boat. I did not have the thread problem you mention, but the tape is relatively thick and you must use care to fully saturate it with resin. You can eliminate a lot of sanding with careful use of release fabric, but for a fully finished surface you will still need to use filler, especially at the edges of the tape. Hope this is helpful.

DONALD STOVER

Thanks, Donald. Other than those pesky threads, it is thinner than the "regular" woven tape that I have also used. Easy to fully saturate, but frayed a lt at the edges. Haven't tried release fabric before, will investigate.

Sandy Milliken

I have not experienced this issue. Difference may be that I vacuum bagged in my application. Not a smooth finish but that is because of the thickness of the tape and the amount of resin required. I never attempted to finish or smooth in this application. Later this week I am using this tape to build up (bond) the hull and deck joint on a vintage FG Viking 33. I may opt to only peel ply and not vacuum bag the joint. I need it somewhat smooth to reduce labor sanding and finishing. My guess is that peel ply should help smooth down this tape.

RICHARD POTCOVA

I have not seen a biaxial glass that does not have that weave of thread. I just had the exact same happen on some supports I did,I sanded it as good as I could,then gelcoated it,sanded it again and gelcoated once more and it was fine. you could do filler as well.but I'm not a big fan of fillers.Its quite possible that there is a tape that doesnt have those threads.or possibly a better quality tape might have a tighter sewing? Good luck.

STEVEN VASSALLO

If properly laid, the small thread that holds it together should not have caused any issues. And when laying glass by hand, there always seems like theres one strand that sticks out from a cut (any cloth) that just doesn't lay right and you have to grind before the next layer. I used this Biaxial tape you referred to with no issues. Built an entire console out of it and was really happy with it.

TOBIN STRICKLAND

I don't think you put enough resin on it when you applied it.

GERALD CONNER

I believe the one for a final coat you looking for is not a biaxial type tape. It is a chopped strand tape. That is the one used for a "less evident," final look.

ANDREY ALPEYEV

3-4 oz fiberglass cloth is pretty thin, generally the thicker the cloth the more likely it is to leave an edge. But even with a thick cloth there is some practice involved oozing it around in the resin to make the edge as smooth as possible. It is messy and starts to cure faster than you think (get hard), go through the extra effort to practice on something else. Biaxial has a different weave and reacts differently to manipulation, the threads along the edges have a different trim. Experiment with regular and biaxial fiberglass weaves to see the nuances, but in short yes, biaxial will work, even if thicker, if you are patient.

LINDA PROCTOR

I found the tape to be much easier to use than cut strips. With the cut strips things quickly turned into a mess of stands that came off and bunched up as I was working the material, while the biaxial strips stayed clean. I did not find the edges of the tape to be hard or behave any different than the middle, so my vote would be the tape.

EDWARD KREBS

fiberglas tapr works much better than cutting strips due to the unraveling of the cut pieces. the tape has sewn edges and does not unravel...

RODGER HANKS

This is an excellent product... It consists of +/-45 biaxial cloth stitched to CSM. It is ideal for tabbing in bulkheads and very easy to work with compared to woven cloth. As far as I am concerned, there is no raised [woven] edge as with conventional tape. However, this material is much heavier, total weight 25 oz/sq yd, than what you specified. It is more oriented to structural rather than finish work. So, it might not be the right choice for your application.

ANDREW RITCHIE

I have used the Biaxil cloth tape with great sucess. I highly reccomend it for your needs. It is thick and structually strong. Use a quality resin and don't over activate it. Hope this helps

GREGORY VODDE

the bi-ax is stronger than straight cloth and if you get the tape w/ the matt attached it will adhere better than just cloth. the seamed edge of the tape will make a neater edge ( nice stright line) than cloth cut w/ sissors that will unravel some no matter how neat you try to be.Capt Larry Pentel

LAURANCE PENTEL