It’s been since October of last year that we checked in with MJ Sailing! So this week, in honor of their presence at our booth at the Newport International Boat Show, we’re highlighting their latest video, ‘The First Wood Trim Goes On Our Home Built Catamaran (MJ Sailing - Ep 301).’
In this video, the couple takes on an exciting project to enhance the interior look of their boat. The project involves working with white oak hardwood they milled themselves, and it promises to make a significant difference in the boat's appearance.
After multiple attempts to re-do the trims with layers of thickened resin before the wood is attached, Matt learned that it never really held its shape well. So for this trim project, they are taking a backwards approach and attaching the wood first (before paint). Since they plan to use this wood to create trim and details for all the cabinets on the boat, this was an important experiment to make sure their process would yield the desired results.
For bonding the wood trim to the cabinet edges, Matt used Thixo Fast Cure. Here he explains that while it might seem counterintuitive to install the trim before painting, it will help them achieve a cleaner and more even finish in the end. By bonding the wood in place first, they can later fill and fair the gaps and achieve a seamless look.
TotalFair is used for low spots, and it worked beautifully to blend it into the wood. Matt's careful attention to detail is evident throughout the project, but especially seen here in filling the tiny undulations against the edges with the fairing compound.
We end on a positive note from Jessica, that while there is still ‘a long way to go before these areas really shine…we are one large step forward, in turning this jumble of random pieces into our dream home.’ Make sure to check our their latest videos, and if you're attending the Newport International Boat Show this weekend, stop by our booth and say hi!
Thixo Fast Cure 2:1 Epoxy Adhesive
TotalFair Epoxy Fairing Compound
2 comments
Forty years in fine carpentry, and boat restoration.
This was painful to watch.Gee guys, you would have saved yourselves a lot of time and effort if you would have talked to a finish carpenter or cabinet maker first. He would have told you that trying to attach trim to a surface in the same plane was inherently difficult. Much better to make your trim a little thicker than the thickness of the panel and then cut either a rabbit, covering one edge, or dado, covering two edges, to have the joint overlap the panel edge instead of just abutting it. Especially when attaching to an edge that is not smooth.