ESTHEC MADE TO FIT MOUNTING FOR PROFESSIONALS

Transcription

1 ESTHEC MADE TO FIT MOUNTING FOR PROFESSIONALS

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3 CONTENTS 1. Introudction Measurement Preparation Communication Implementation Supplying the 2D AutoCAD file Checking the 2D AutoCAD file Bonding process Checking the working environment Environment Temperature Humidity Clothing Checking the Esthec panels Adhesive joints: milling and glueing Preparing the joints (milling) Gluing Sanding Sanding away excess Esthec Sealer Adhesive Perfecting the joints Floor sander Miling curves Groove for precision sealing Fitting the deck and taping up marks Preparation mouting process Requirements Degreasing and masking Tacky tape MDF panels Vacuum foil and pump Vacuum foil Vacuum pump Activator Mounting Division before mounting Applying the sealant Bonding onto the deck Adhesion and MDF panels Fixing vacuum foil and tubes Starting the pump Removal of excess sealant Finishing Sealing Perfecting the joints Appendix 1: Tool list Appendix 2: AutoCAD Protocol Appendix 3: List of suppliers Appendix 4: Glossary...37 CONTENTS

4 1. INTRODUCTION You are now reading the Esthec Made To Fit Mounting Manual for Professionals. Please study it carefully before mounting Esthec Made To Fit to the deck. This manual describes how Esthec should be mounted onto polyester substrates. Carbides, aluminium, steel and bedding compound can also be used as a substrate. These need to be treated differently. For accurate and detailed information about the required circumstances, please refer to the instructions provided by the adhesive supplier. In this manual, onecomponent PU sealants are used to construct the adhesive joints. Gluing can also be carried out with twocomponent epoxy and PU adhesives. An Esthec Made To Fit deck consists of custom-made, flexible panels. These panels are supplied in separate sections, which can be glued together. The whole can then be bonded onto the ship s deck. Chapter 2 describes the preparatory measures that need to be taken to ensure a well-fitting Esthec deck, the so-called measurement process. Chapter 3 deals with the supply of the 2D AutoCAD files. In Chapter 4, it is explained how the 2D AutoCAD file can be checked for accuracy by means of full-size prints on laminate stencils. The instruction manual continues in Chapter 5 with the bonding process. It contains all the instructions for gluing the supplied Esthec panel sections together. Chapter 6 provides a description of how, after the bonding process, both the ship s deck and the Esthec panels have to be prepared for the mounting stage. Finally, Chapter 7 contains instructions for actually mounting the Esthec deck onto the ship s deck. An instruction film supporting the Esthec Made To Fit Mounting Manual has been made to take you through the mounting process visually. This film is available on DVD from Esthec. DISCLAIMER Precautions for use Esthec products should be stored, handled and used in accordance with good hygiene practices and in conformity with all appropriate legal regulations and responsibilities. It is the responsibility of the customer to properly and effectively assess possible risks associated with the use of our products. For the safe use of Esthec products please refer to the handling advice on Esthec packaging. INTRODUCTION Legal notes The information and, in particular, the recommendations, relating to the application and end-use of Esthec products are given in good faith based on current knowledge and experience of the products when properly stored, handled and applied under normal conditions. In practice, the differences in materials, substrates and actual site conditions are such that no warranty in respect of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose, nor any liability arising out of any legal relationship whatsoever, can be inferred either from this information, or from any recommendations, or from any other advice offered. The user of the product must test the product s suitability for the intended purpose or application. Esthec reserves the right to change the properties of its products. The proprietary rights of third parties must be observed. All orders are accepted subject to our current terms of sale and delivery. Users must always refer to the most recent issue of the product data sheet for the product concerned, a copy of which will be supplied on request. Acknowledgement We gratefully acknowledge that this manual could not have been produced without the valuable input from our customers, employees, photographers and others who have provided us with graphic material and have also given permission to gather more photographic images of, for instance, products, methods and processes. All trademarks are registered. Copyright Esthec 2010 Esthec No part of this manual may be copied, duplicated or reproduced in any form without prior written permission from Esthec. All rights reserved. 4

5 2. MEASUREMENT The first step is to measure the ship s deck. At this stage, the exact measurements of the ship s deck are converted into a 2D AutoCAD file. This is necessary to accurately determine the measurements for Esthec. The deck layout is designed on the basis of the 2D AutoCAD file. This file is essential to being able to produce an accurate Esthec deck. The measurement process is described in the sections below. 2.1 Preparation Prior to the measurement, it is required to completely smooth down the ship deck concerned. This is vital for obtaining accurate results. Use a straight edge (see Appendix 1, Photograph 1) to check whether there are any bumps or other irregularities on the ship s deck and to determine whether the surface is rough. Remove all irregularities and rough parts by sanding them down by hand or machine. If the irregularities are too large, the deck needs to be levelled. In addition to checking the ship s deck, the following points should be observed to ensure that the measurement can take place under optimal conditions: The ship s deck needs to be tidy and visually clean. There should be sufficient light available. There must be clarity as to how far the ship s deck should be measured (definitive outer contours). The clear spaces around the deck edges need to be known. Around the cockpit areas (and seats) for instance, a space of about 2 cm can be left to serve as a water gully. Check whether recesses and holes for the installation of the deck fittings can also be made later (through drilling from underneath). Keep recesses undersized as much as possible to prevent repairs. Non-slip coatings and/or old deck parts need to have been removed. All the hatches should be in place and in the right position. Objects, which need to be measured, have to be in position. The width of the space left for the sealing of the deck should be known. 2.2 Communication It is possible to produce the Esthec deck according to the customer s requirements. The measurement process forms the basis of the 2D AutoCAD file, based on which the Esthec deck will be produced down to a few millimetres precision. That is why contour, measurements, width for recesses etc. need to be fully discussed between the party carrying out the measurement and the customer before the measurement takes place. Details that are agreed on during this discussion cannot be changed later. 2.3 Implementation The measurement is carried out by means of advanced measuring equipment. There are various companies that know how to operate this equipment. A customer representative must be present during the measurement. This person needs to supervise and approve the measurements performed. The measurement equipment consists of a computer, which is connected to a pulley with steel thread. The end of this thread has a digital pen attached to it. After the computer has been placed in an optimum position, this pen is moved across the ship s deck dot by dot. The person implementing the measurement has to take into account that Esthec is 6.8 mm thick. As the pen follows the outer contour of the ship s deck it creates a pattern of dots at a preset frequency. These dots are stored and connected in AutoCAD. This process is continued until the entire deck has been measured. The contour of the ship s deck is then converted into a 2D design. The resulting file is used to create the actual deck design. Finally, the locations of where Esthec should be curved are indicated in this 2D Auto- CAD file. MEASUREMENT 5

6 2. MEASUREMENT IMPORTANT: Serially produced ship decks can be produced in several moulds. Since these moulds can vary in measurements, each ship deck that is produced in a different mould will have to be measured. During the measurement of the deck, detailed photographs need to be taken of the entire deck and of all important details (such as hatches, benches and steps). These photographs will give the AutoCAD designer the insight needed to create the deck layout. The result of the measurement process has to be one single 2D AutoCAD file, which contains the contours of all the parts to be measured. This file is used as the basis for plotting the deck design. Measurement process After the computer has been placed in an optimum position, this pen is moved across the ship s deck dot by dot. MEASUREMENT 6

7 3. SUPPLYING THE 2D AUTOCAD FILE One single 2D AutoCAD file has to be supplied to Esthec. This file needs to represent the confirmed measurements (contours) and the chosen deck design (including the deck layout). If the customer does not have the right means internally to enter the deck design into the AutoCAD file, this should be outsourced to an external agency. After that, the complete file can be sent to Esthec by 1. In order for Esthec to be able to produce the deck design, a number of rules should be observed. It is important, for instance, to supply the final file in.dwg or.dxf format, created in AutoCAD from 2004 to In the file, the deck layout must be rendered in 2D (x and y directions). For a detailed description of the requirements the final 2D AutoCAD file has to meet, please refer to the CAD Protocol in Appendix logistics@esthec.nl 7 SUPPLYING THE 2D AUTOCAD FILE

8 4. CHECKING THE 2D AUTOCAD FILE Esthec has invented a method to detect any flaws in the 2D AutoCAD file. For this purpose, the file is printed in actual size on laminate stencils. The customer lays these printed stencils on the ship s deck. If the stencils do not fit, this means that adjustments need to be made to the 2D AutoCAD file. The printed laminate stencils are sent in a special protective Esthec tube. A print of the AutoCAD drawing of the deck layout is also enclosed. With these ingredients the checking process can begin. Requirements: Double-sided tape Printed version of the AutoCAD drawing of the deck layout Tape measure or folding rule Masking tape 2 Printed laminate stencils Esthec deck Smooth, clean surface Permanent marker CHECKING THE 2D AUTOCAD FILE Proceed as follows: 1. Keep the AutoCAD drawing near at hand, so that it is clear at a glance what the Esthec deck should look like. Puzzle the printed laminate stencils together on a smooth and clean surface. Use the Auto- CAD drawing as an example. There are blue lines on the printed stencils: these indicate the overlap where the end of one deck part needs to be aligned with the end of another deck part. Use masking tape (see Appendix 1, Photographs 2 and 3) to connect the separate parts together along these blue outlines. Apply the tape over the blue line along the entire width of the stencils, to keep the alignment in place. Because the printed laminate stencils have to be laid out on the ship s deck as a check, it is recommended not to stick all of the stencils together with tape. Every Esthec deck is different and so there is not one best method. Assess for yourself which method is the most efficient, so which parts can be joined together and which ones are better left separate. 2. Once all the stencils have been laid out, check whether they are in the right position and thus corres- Puzzle the printed laminate stencils together on a smooth and clean surface. 2 Esthec has had good experiences with Tesa tape. 8

9 4. CHECKING THE 2D AUTOCAD FILE pond with the actual measurements (the AutoCAD drawing can serve as a reference for this). 3. Check whether the complete deck layout is represented by the laminate stencils (again, the AutoCAD drawing can be used as a reference). 4. Secure the loose laminate stencils to the floor with double-sided tape on both sides, so that they cannot move. TIP: It may be useful to consider that it is best to follow the same working method when mounting the Esthec deck as the one chosen here, for the printed laminate stencils. Esthec weighs around 7.5 kg/m 2. Keep in mind that due to the adhesive used in the bonding and vacuum process there are 45 minute time slots for each mounting stage. 5. Lift up the printed laminate stencils and lay them out on the right parts of the ship s deck. Continue doing this until all the stencils have been laid out on the deck. 6. Check the measurements and take into account that Esthec is 6.8 mm thick. If there are noticeable discrepancies between the stencils and the actual measurements, this needs to be carefully noted on the printed laminate stencils with a permanent marker. The stencils have a grid pattern, which allows space for writing down any notes in a clear and organized way. Cutting the stencils is not allowed. The annotated laminate stencils have to be sent back to Esthec. Esthec will then adjust the AutoCAD file. Since the customer will be charged for a revised set of laminate stencils, it is the customer who decides whether new laminate stencils are printed and sent for a second check. If the customer chooses not to have new stencils printed, all the changes made by Esthec will be assumed to have been approved by the customer in advance. Once the measurements are correct, the stencils must be clearly signed to confirm the order to Esthec. Use masking tape to connect the separate parts together along the blue outlines. 9 Lift up the printed laminate stencils and lay them out on the right parts of the ship s deck until all the stencils are in place and check the measurements. CHECKING THE 2D AUTOCAD FILE

10 5. BONDING PROCESS Based on the approved laminate stencils, Esthec has produced the deck. It is delivered in separate panels. On receipt, the panels need to be spread out on an even and clean surface. If the available surface is not even, then it is recommend to place, for instance, MDF or other panels of equal thickness on that surface. IMPORTANT: After the Esthec panels have arrived, they need to acclimatize for 24 hours. This must take place indoors, in a space that is not affected by weather conditions. Just leave the Esthec panels on the (prepared) surface for a day and a night at room temperature. IMPORTANT: MDF panels are required for the vacuum process, see 7.5 and 7.6, to make copies of all the Esthec panels out of. Note that these copies should be 1 to 1.5 cm narrower than the Esthec panels. Make the copies as soon as the panels have acclimatized. After the acclimatization period, the Esthec panels can be glued together. It is important for this bonding process to take place under the right conditions. 5.1 Checking the working environment Before setting to work with the Esthec panels, it is vital to create and check the right conditions to work in Environment The bonding process must be carried out in a closed, covered environment, protected from weather influences. The space has to be at least twice as large as the number of m 2 of deck surface. Since the Esthec panels need to be laid out on the ground before they are glued together, the floor should be even. If the floor surface is not even itself and cannot be smoothened, then cover it, for instance, with large wooden (MDF) panels of equal thickness. The environment must be dust-free and the space needs to have a number of workbenches or tables to lay tools and materials on and to enable carrying out milling and sanding by hand. BONDING PROCESS Temperature The ambient temperature should be around 20 C. Check this with a dew point hygrometer (see Appendix 1, Photograph 4) Humidity To guarantee a good adhesion of all the fillers, primers, sealants and adhesive products, it is required that the relative humidity does not exceed 80% 3. Check this with a dew point hygrometer. 3 For accurate and thorough information about the required circumstances the reader is referred to the instructions of the supplier of the glue. 10

11 5. BONDING PROCESS Clothing In order not to damage or dirty the ship s deck unnecessarily, the technicians need to wear shoes with white soles or else use protective shoe covers. Protective shoe covers Shoes with white soles 5.2 Checking the Esthec panels First, a visual inspection should be performed: check the Esthec panels for any damage or irregularities. Also check whether the Esthec deck has been delivered in full. If there is any damage or the deck is incomplete, please contact Esthec. As a next check, the Esthec panels can be laid out separately on the ship s deck. During this process, marks can be made that are needed later for gluing and the application of protective masking tape. Proceed as follows: 1. Lay out the separate Esthec panels on the (created) work surface until the deck takes its full shape, as described in Chapter Apply double-sided tape (see Appendix 1, Photograph 3 and 5) onto the ship s deck every 1 to 1.5 metres to prevent the Esthec panels from sliding. Now place the panels in position on the ship s deck one by one. 3. Use a carpenter s pencil (see Appendix 1, Photograph 6) to mark the long side of all the Esthec panels on the ship s deck, so that it is clear at once where the panels have to be replaced after they have been removed. 4. Also pay attention to all the adhesive joints of the Esthec panels. These are the overlaps where one panel needs to be connected to the other. These overlaps should have a width of at least 10 mm to produce well fitting joints. Use a folding rule to check this (see Appendix 1, Photograph 7). Mark these adhesive joints on the Esthec panels as well. 11 Lay out the separate Esthec panels on the (created) work surface until the deck takes its full shape. BONDING PROCESS

12 5. BONDING PROCESS 5. The panels can then be removed from the boat; the adhesive joints can be created now. Apply double-sided tape onto the ship s deck and place the panels in position on the deck. Use a carpenter s pencil to mark the adhesive joints on all the Esthec panels. 5.3 Adhesive joints: milling and glueing Preparing the joints (milling) BONDING PROCESS IMPORTANT: When cutting the top panel, part of the white layer needs to remain intact in order to ensure good adhesion. If the white layer has been completely removed, then it must be treated with primer first. 12

13 5. BONDING PROCESS 10 mm 3,5 mm 2,7 mm GRP backing of Esthec Cut the grooves with a router. The grooves need to be made in the top of one Esthec panel and in the bottom side of the other. TIP: Use a (digital) calliper to check whether the groove actually has the depth as set on the router. 13 BONDING PROCESS

14 5. BONDING PROCESS After milling, it should be possible to smoothly join the Esthec panels together, without friction or strain. If this is not the case, then use a sanding block to create a smooth and even finish. Repeat this process until the joints have been cut in all the panels that need to be connected. The Esthec panels are now ready for gluing Gluing The gluing is done with Esthec Sealer Adhesive 4 (see Appendix 1, Photograph 10). This is a two-component composite. The two components have to be mixed first. Esthec Sealer Adhesive is supplied in 1 kilo sets. Coverage is approximatly 10 m 1 per set. If a smaller quantity is needed, it is imperative to determine the correct weight ratio (so not volume ratio) by using scales (weighing accurately to 1 gram). Never estimate this yourself! IMPORTANT: Each deck is different in shape and size. For that reason, there is not one specific method or order of gluing to be followed. Just like with the printed laminate stencils, described in Chapter 4, it is important, however, to determine the stages in which the half-lap joints will be glued before starting the process. In determining this, take into account that the Esthec panels can never be glued together in one stage on the ship s deck. So it should already be decided now, which half-lap joints will not be glued until later on the ship s deck to complete the process of gluing the entire Esthec deck together. BONDING PROCESS Requirements: Box of latex gloves Double-sided tape Esthec Sealer Adhesive (A and B component) Small paintbrush Putty knife 1.5 to 2 cm Plastic foil Clean, empty buckets Two narrow, straight wooden boards or straight edges Scales (accurate to 1 gram) Heavy weights The Esthec panels have to lie flat on a straight and even base for gluing. Plastic foil can be laid under the joints to prevent the panels from sticking to the surface underneath after gluing. The Esthec Sealer Adhesive components (A and B) have to be mixed before use and should not be applied separately, one after the other! Proceed as follows (pictures on the next page): 1. Put on protective latex gloves (see Appendix 1, Photograph 11). 2. Empty the bottle of Esthec Sealer Adhesive component B into the bucket with component A. Use the putty knife (see Appendix 1, Photographs 12 and 13) to mix the components thoroughly. Stir the putty knife firmly in the bucket by hand. To increase stirring action, the bucket of Esthec Sealer Adhesive and the putty knife can be turned at the same time, in opposite directions. Stir the mixture intensively for about 3 minutes. Scrape around the bottom and sides of the bucket properly while stirring! 4 For specific details, please refer to the relevant fact sheet. 14

15 5. BONDING PROCESS Empty the bottle of Esthec Sealer Adhesive component B into the bucket with component A. Use the putty knife to mix the components thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a clean, empty bucket. Mix for another 2 minutes after pouring the mixture into a clean, empty bucket. IMPORTANT: After mixing, the adhesive mixture is usable for about 15 minutes. If a considerable rise in temperature in the bucket/container with the Esthec Sealer Adhesive is noticed (perceptible to the touch), the adhesive should not be used anymore. This is due to air inclusion. 3. Pour the mixture into a clean, empty bucket (see Appendix 1, Photograph 14). This is extremely important to check whether the adhesive has been mixed properly, also at the bottom. Mix for another 2 minutes! 4. Stick the bottom panel to the base surface with double-sided tape. Use the paintbrush to apply the adhesive to the grooves on both panels. To do this, the top panel will have to be lifted for a moment. Spills on the Esthec panel should be avoided. These will have to be sanded as soon as the adhesive is dry. 5. Fit the adhesive joints by pressing the two Esthec panels together. Check immediately whether the deck design has resumed its symmetrical shape. Adjust the panels until they are in the right position 6. Then place two thick, narrow planks or, for instance, two straight edges on either side of the fitted joint and place a heavy weight (like a bucket of sand) on it. Check the position of the panels once more. Apply a layer of adhesive with the brush. Double-sided tape to keep the panels from shifting and plastic under the joints to prevent them from sticking to the surface underneath. Place two straight edges or, for instance, thick wooden planks on either side of the adhesive joint. 15 Check the position of the panels once more and place a heavy weight, a bucket of sand, for instance. BONDING PROCESS

16 5. BONDING PROCESS It takes about 12 hours for the adhesive to set. After that, the excess Esthec Sealer Adhesive on the top and bottom panels has to be removed by lightly sanding the glued Esthec panels. 5.4 Sanding Finishing the glued panels off neatly and removing the glue residue only requires light sanding. To add more than a finishing touch to the joints, however, a different approach is required. All the information on how to achieve an optimal end result can be found in the following sections. Requirements: Belt sander with (preferably) 24 grit sandpaper Chisel Esthec Pattern Filler (A and B component) Heat gun Hand sandpaper, 40 grit of finer Ear protection Putty knife 1.5 to 2 cm Clean buckets Stanley knife Sturdy table or work bench Dust mask Sanding away excess Esthec Sealer Adhesive IMPORTANT: If need be, use a dust mask and ear protection during sanding. Also keep in mind that, both when sanding by hand and by machine, the GRP backing of the Esthec panel needs to be sanded first, or else the top cannot be sanded evenly smooth anymore. When there is very little excess adhesive, which can be sanded off by hand, 40 grit sandpaper or higher (so finer) is required. In this case, sanding should only be done in one and the same direction! BONDING PROCESS If the use of a machine is required, a belt sander (see Appendix 1, Photograph 15) is the preferred option, because it simultaneously provides the Esthec panels with the right texture. Sanding with a belt sander. 16

17 5. BONDING PROCESS If there is an absolute wish to be able to sand along the joint pattern, a floor sander (see Appendix 1, Photograph 16) is the best tool to use. This involves a few vital additional steps that need to be carried out. Please refer to the process described in 5.4.3, Floor sander, for more information Perfecting the joints For this process, especially the Stanley knife (see Appendix 1, Photograph 17) and the chisel (see Appendix 1, Photograph 18) are important. If there are places where the joints need to be perfected, it is advisable to first cut away the part in question. Use the Stanley knife to make an incision in the outer sides and then carefully cut out the material with the chisel. Make sure not to cut deeper than 3 mm into the surface. The gap that is left after the material has been removed can be refilled. The working environment has to meet the same standards as described in 5.1. Use Esthec Pattern Filler (see Appendix 1, Photograph 19) for filling. This filler consists of two components. Naturally, the colour of this product needs to match the colour of the existing joint. Esthec Pattern Filler will keep for two weeks and is available in sets of 1 or 5 kilos. It is important to know that the approximate coverage per kilo of this filler is 0.2 m 2. If a different quantity is needed, it is imperative to determine the correct weight ratio (so not volume ratio) by using scales (weighing accurately to 1 gram). Never estimate this yourself! Requirements: Box of latex gloves Double-sided tape Esthec Pattern Filler (A and B component) Heat gun Putty knife 1.5 to 2 cm Clean, empty bucket (small) Scales (accurate to 1 gram) Proceed as follows: 1. Put on protective latex gloves. 2. Check whether the surface of the Esthec panel to be worked on is clean and dry. If necessary, dry the surface with a heat gun. 3. Use draught strip or tacky tape (see Appendix 1, Photographs 20 and 21) to tape off all the edges of the Esthec panel, so that the Esthec Pattern Filler cannot run out. 4. Check whether the colour of the joints and the colour of the Esthec Pattern Filler are identical. 5. Fix the Esthec panel to the work surface with double-sided tape. 6. The mixing process for the Esthec Pattern Filler is the same as the one for the Esthec Sealer Adhesive, see Instead of using a putty knife, however, it is easier to mix Esthec Pattern Filler with a mixer drill and paddle. After about 3 minutes, pour the mixture into an empty bucket to check the substance. Then mix for another 2 minutes. 7. Pour out the Esthec Pattern Filler from just above the Esthec surface over the whole panel. Spread it evenly with a putty knife. 8. Move the heat gun over the panel for a few minutes to release any trapped air (due to mixing). The filler needs to cure for at least 12 hours before it can be sanded. 17 BONDING PROCESS

18 5. BONDING PROCESS Use draught strip or tacky tape to tape off the Esthec panels. End result of Esthec Pattern Filler, equal to the process in BONDING PROCESS Pour out the Esthec Pattern Filler from just above the Esthec surface over the panel. Spread it evenly with a putty knife. Blow-dry the panel for a few minutes. 18

19 5. BONDING PROCESS Floor sander Smaller panels can be sanded by hand or with a belt sander. Please refer to IMPORTANT: If need be, use a dust mask and ear protection during sanding. Also keep in mind that, both when sanding by hand and by machine, the GRP backing of the Esthec panel needs to be sanded first, or else the top cannot be sanded evenly smooth anymore. Before using a floor sander on the panels, make sure the base underneath them is flat or has been made flat with MDF or other material panels. The frames that come with the Esthec panels or MDF boards can be used to guide the floor sander (and prevent it from tipping over). Use double-sided tape to prevent the Esthec panels from shifting Milling curves It is better to round off the 90 angles and the flat edges of Esthec panels that are not blocked or protected by anything, like the front and corners of seats and the rear of the ship, and create a curved finish with a router or sandpaper. This will give Esthec an attractive appearance. If a router is used for this, the Esthec panel needs to be fixed to a table or work bench with double-sided tape again to keep control of the panel Groove for precision sealing Around hatches, seats and in other places where it is either not possible or undesirable to have a line of sealant showing on the side of the Esthec material, a bead of sealant can be applied on the bottom of the Esthec later. This also applies for places where the sealant should be unobtrusive. In preparation for this, it is necessary to cut a small groove in the underside of the Esthec panel with a plunge router (see Appendix 1, Photograph 9). This requires removing the GRP backing up to 3 to 4 mm from the outer edge first. Then set the milling depth to 3.2 mm. The milling work is carried out in the same way as for the bottom grooves for the adhesive joints. If the groove needs to be combined with a curved finish, as described in the previous section, take into account that the curves need to be milled first. The groove is cut after that. 5.5 Fitting the deck and taping up marks Before moving on with the preparations for the mounting process, the bonded Esthec panels have to be placed onto the deck once more. Doing so will show clearly whether the panels are a good fit and whether or not additional sanding or cutting is necessary. The panels can be placed by looking at the pencil marks that were made earlier, see 5.2 point 3. Once the measurements have been checked, the pencil marks must be taped up with masking tape. The marks are now still visible and will otherwise be removed during degreasing. In addition, all the parts of the boat that need to be protected from the mounting adhesive will have to be masked. 19 BONDING PROCESS

20 6. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS Some preliminary work needs to be done before the Esthec deck can be mounted. First of all, make sure that the working environment meets the requirements as mentioned in 5.1. The bonding process and vacuum application to the Esthec deck are subject to a time-limit. The deck is bonded with the sealants 5 recommended by Esthec. These have an open time of no more than 45 minutes. It is, therefore, essential that the preparations specified below are made, to ensure that the process takes place as smoothly as possible. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS 6.1 Requirements Acetone Litterbags Tubular netting Jigsaw (caliper) Double-sided tape Esthec Sealer Adhesive (mixed!) Notched hand trowel with small 2 mm thick triangular teeth Latex gloves Sealant MDF panels (copies of the Esthec deck) Old piece of cloth/rag Protective shoe covers Putty knives 1.5 to 2 cm Plastic foil Masking tape Clean tissues Screws and cordless screwdriver Stanley knives Vacuum cleaner Tacky tape Vacuum foil Vacuum pump with gauge, tubes, connecting material etc. Scales (accurate to 1 gram) Roller 6.2 Degreasing and masking Proceed as follows: 1. Completely clean the ship s deck and the parts of the ship around it with a vacuum cleaner. 2. Degrease all the parts of the ship s deck, on which Esthec will be mounted, with acetone. Use a clean cleaning cloth (see Appendix 1, Photographs 22 and 23) to do this. Be careful not to spill any acetone or to let it get into contact with other parts of the ship. 3. Also degrease the GRP backing of the Esthec panels with acetone. Do not use or spill this on the top of the Esthec panels! 4. Allow the acetone to dry for 30 minutes. 5. Cover the Esthec panels with plastic foil and also apply masking tape along the edges on the top of the Esthec panel. This will protect the Esthec deck from any adhesive that might ooze out and up. 5 For accurate and detailed information about the product s properties, please refer to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. 20

21 6. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS Degrease all the parts of the ship s deck, on which Esthec will be mounted, with acetone. Also degrease the GRP backing of the Esthec panels. Apply masking tape along the edges on the top of the Esthec panels. 6.3 Tacky tape Unlike masking tape, tacky tape is very flexible, soft and double sided. This tape is elastic and that is why it is indispensable when applying vacuum to the deck, as described in 7.5 and 7.6. It also stops the adhesive from coming up during that process. The tacky tape needs to be applied around all the places where the Esthec panels will be bonded. The tacky tape should slightly overlap the masking tape, by about 3 mm. Under no circumstances should the tacky tape overlap the masking tape too much or completely. The latter is not flexible enough to absorb the tension exerted on the elastic tacky tape. Carefully consider possible leaks such as drains and around the windscreens. Make sure that such openings are made airtight as well. In corners and around sloping parts of the ship, several layers of tacky tape are required to make it possible to hermetically seal the vacuum foil (see Appendix 1, Photograph 24) in those places later. IMPORTANT: Certain colours of tacky tape, particularly black, will damage the paint if applied in direct sunlight. Esthec recommends the use of yellow tacky tape. The tacky tape needs to be applied around all the places where the Esthec panels will be bonded. The tacky tape needs to be applied around all the places where the Esthec panels will be bonded. 21 The tacky tape should slightly overlap the masking tape, by about 3 mm. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS

22 6. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS 6.4 MDF panels The MDF panels are copies of the Esthec panels, but need to be slightly narrower. The panels should be reduced by 1 to 1.5 cm on all sides with a jigsaw (see Appendix 1, Photograph 25). The parts where the MDF panels will butt up against each other, however, must be left intact. A sufficient length of tubular netting (see Appendix 1, Photograph 26) has to be laid out on top of the MDF panels to optimize the extraction of air during the vacuum process. The tubular netting can be secured with masking tape. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS Tubular netting has to be laid out on top of the MDF panels to optimize the extraction of air during the vacuum process. The tubular netting can be secured with masking tape. 6.5 Vacuum foil and pump Vacuum foil The vacuum foil can be cut roughly to size with a Stanley knife. Cut out one piece of foil per mounting stage and make sure that the pieces are large enough to allow a few centimetres of overhang on both sides of the boat and for a number of holes to be made later for the tubes of the vacuum pump (see Appendix 1, Photographs 27 to 29). Have the foil ready before the Esthec panels are mounted onto the ship s deck. TIP: Mark the pieces of foil with letters or numbers and port or starboard, so that the order, in which they are to be used is logical and straightforward Vacuum pump The vacuum pump that is used must be of sufficient capacity for the process. The required pump capacity is around 100 m 3 /hr per 15 m 2 of Esthec deck. The pump should be able to achieve a vacuum of 50 mbar. Test the pump before mounting the Esthec deck onto the ship s deck. Check whether there is sufficient suction capacity. Also check whether there are enough connecting materials, connectors, tubes and gauges to make several connections in separated deck areas. 22

23 6. PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS TIP: If many tubes are used, then also mark both ends of each tube with numbers. This makes tracing the connections easier. It is advisable to place the pump not too close to the ship. The noise of the pump makes it more difficult to locate possible leaks. Find the right balance, because, at the same time, this process works best if the tubes are kept as short as possible. 6.6 Activator It is almost time to begin mounting, but first the ship s deck and the GRP backing of the Esthec panels need to be treated with Activator for better adhesion. On average, 1 litre of Activator will cover 25 m 2 of boat surface and Esthec panels 6. Use a clean, non-fluffy cloth. After waiting for 15 minutes for it to dry, the Esthec panels can be mounted onto the ship s deck. 6 For accurate and detailed information about the required circumstances, please refer to the instructions provided by the adhesive supplier. 23 PREPARATION MOUNTING PROCESS

24 7. MOUNTING Requirements: Litterbags Tubular netting 3 mm screws and cordless screwdriver Esthec panels Esthec Sealer Adhesive (mixed) Notched hand trowel/putty knife with small 2 mm thick triangular teeth Sealant 7 Small paintbrush Knee pads Latex gloves MDF panels Protective shoe covers Putty knives Tacky tape Vacuum foil Vacuum pump incl. gauge, tubes, connecting material etc. Roller TIP: Esthec Sealer Adhesive is not required in the case of a relatively small ship deck, for which the Esthec panels could be glued together into the complete Esthec deck in one operation. If mounting the Esthec deck in stages, Esthec Sealer Adhesive will need to be mixed in the correct weight ratio. Mix the Esthec Sealer Adhesive before mounting the Esthec deck, as it remains usable for 15 minutes at a normal temperature of approximately 20 C. 7.1 Division before mounting As mentioned before at the beginning of Chapter 6, the mounting process is subject to a time-limit. Mounting the Esthec deck and starting the vacuum pump must take place within 45 minutes. Especially in the case of large ship decks it is, therefore, inevitable to mount the Esthec deck in stages. It is sensible to use this method for small decks as well, because it reduces the risk of mistakes. The most efficient order to work in will vary per ship. A guideline for smaller ships is to do the starboard and port sides separately, as well as the parts to be mounted in the cockpit. Which working method has been decided on should be known well before the mounting process. This decision may be the same as the one that was made when checking the printed laminate stencils, see Chapter 4. MOUNTING Per stage, the following instructions should be followed and repeated until the entire deck has been installed. 7.2 Applying the sealant The usage rate is 1200 to 1500 ml 8 of sealant per m 2. Put on protective latex gloves. Apply a generous amount of sealant by squeezing the tube a few times above the ship s deck. Then spread this out evenly and with smooth, circular motions over the middle part of the ship s deck with a 2 mm notched hand trowel (see Appendix 1, Photograph 30) or a wide putty knife, which has 2 mm teeth manually attached to it with tape. 7 Esthec has good experiences with products of Sika (see appendix 1, photograph 31) 8 For accurate and detailed information about the required circumstances, please refer to the instructions provided by the adhesive supplier. 24

25 7. MOUNTING Do not apply any sealant right along the edges of the ship, but start about 2 cm away from the edge to prevent excess sealant from ending up on the ship. Do not use smooth circular motions here, but apply the sealant with the putty knife by spreading it out in straight lines away from the edges. Continue doing this until the sealant has been spread out evenly over the entire part of the deck, on which Esthec will be mounted. After applying the sealant along the edges, spread it out in a straight line away from the edge. The sealant applied on the other parts of the ship s deck must be spread out evenly with smooth circular motions. TIP: Remove the tape that was applied earlier to mask the pencil marks, see 5.2 point 3. This will leave an edge of approximately 1 cm around the edge of the deck, which has no sealant on it. This adhesive-free edge will give the adhesive that has been applied somewhere to go and will be automatically covered with sealant as soon as the Esthec panels are placed (the adhesive under the panels will run out sideways due to the pressure). Now bond the adhesive joints by following the instructions in the next section. IMPORTANT: Avoid the entrapment of air during placement of the Esthec deck. Trapped air can result in blisters. MOUNTING

26 7. MOUNTING 7.3 Bonding onto the deck Proceed as follows: 1. If the Esthec deck to be bonded is large, then the Esthec panels will have to be bonded onto the ship s deck in parts and, therefore, not all parts have been glued together yet. In this case, take the Esthec Sealer Adhesive and lift up the Esthec panels slightly on one side, to apply adhesive to the adhesive joints (grooves). Do this as described in Then lift the right Esthec panel off the ground and hold it above the ship first, still avoiding contact with the adhesive on the ship s deck, to move it into position in the air. Do not drop the panel onto the deck and do not apply pressure, but carefully lay it down on one side. Keep holding up the other side and then slowly lower the entire panel onto the deck. This procedure minimizes the risk of air becoming trapped under the panel. Moving the Esthec material should only be done by carefully pushing it. IMPORTANT: If any sealant accidentally gets onto the adhesive joints during or just after the application of the Esthec Adhesive Sealer, this should be removed with a cloth immediately! The sealant will otherwise leave an undesired black line in the joint, as it is squeezed out when the joints are pressed together. 3. Make sure that the panel is in the right position and tightly fitted. Push the top panel up against the bottom panel via the remaining adhesive joints. 4. Check whether the connection is accurate and whether the deck design has resumed its symmetrical shape. 5. Cover the glued joints with masking tape. This will prevent the adhesive from being sucked out and the vacuum foil from being sucked in during the vacuum process. MOUNTING Lift the right Esthec panel off the ground and hold it above the ship first, to move it into position in the air. Lift the right Esthec panel off the ground and hold it above the ship first, to move it into position in the air. Carefully lay down one side while keeping the other side up and then slowly lower the entire panel onto the deck. 26 Push the material in the right position.

27 7. MOUNTING 7.4 Adhesion and MDF panels Immediately after everything has been bonded, the Esthec deck can be rolled with a roller (see Appendix 1, Photograph 32). This will ensure good adhesion of the panels to the ship s deck and disperse any air that may be trapped more evenly. In order to hold the Esthec panels in place, drill in screws in several places right next to the panels. These can be easily removed later. It is advisable to place self-made MDF panels on the deck, to disperse the pressure resulting from the bonding method as evenly as possible, also see Chapter 5. The MDF panels need to have the same geometry as the deck panels. Put the MDF panels on top of the Esthec deck, with the side with the tubular netting on it facing up. Then place the vacuum foil. Placing MDF panels on top of the mounted Esthec panels. The tubular netting should be on top. 7.5 Fixing vacuum foil and tubes The vacuum foil that has been laid out prior to mounting, can now be picked up quickly and easily and placed over the Esthec deck. Use the right pieces of foil for the corresponding parts of the deck. Then remove the white strip from the tacky tape and fix the foil to it as tightly as possible until the connection is airtight. Fold the foil where there are possible gaps and openings and tape it together with tacky tape. Keep doing this until every part of the deck is airtight. After fixing the foil, get the numbered tubes and punch holes in various places in the foil on all parts of the deck to fit one end of the tubes through. These can be attached to the boat and the foil with tacky tape or with more sophisticated tube connections. TIP: Having several tube connections for each part of the deck makes it easier to detect possible leaks/openings during the vacuum process. Closing the valve on one of the manometers will show whether and where there is a leak by a rise or drop of the bar value on the other manometers. MOUNTING

28 7. MOUNTING The vacuum foil can be placed in position and is made airtight with tacky tape. The tubes of the vacuum pump can be attached with tacky tape or a more sophisticated tube connection. Tacky Tape, and if necessary an extra piece of vacuum foil, can be used to make sure the created holes around the hoses are hermetically sealed again. 7.6 Starting the pump When all the tubes have been joined together and connected to the vacuum pump, the pump can be started and the necessary valves can be opened. Always check whether the pressure is at the right level. The minimum pressure on the manometers must be -0.5 bar and generally this will be between -0.8 and -1 bar. Check the system for leaks. If air is leaking, then repair the leak(s). The vacuum pump must be left running constantly for 13 hours. MOUNTING A good process has to and will always result in a small amount of sealant seeping out from under the Esthec panels. This means that the sealant has spread well. 28

29 7. MOUNTING 7.7 Removal of excess sealant Any sealant that has seeped out or spilled, but has not cured yet before the vacuum process has started, can be removed with remover. Any sealant discovered after the vacuum process also needs to be removed. Sealant stuck on the side of the Esthec material, can be scraped off with a plastic scraper so that the paint is not damaged. The excess sealant on top of the Esthec panels can be sanded off with 40 grit sandpaper. Excess sealant on top of the Esthec panels can be sanded off. 7.8 Finishing After the vacuum process, the vacuum foil, the tubes, the tacky tape, the MDF panels and the screws can be removed. Now the entire outer edge of the deck still has to be sealed. In case the joints need a final finish in certain places, please follow the instructions in Sealing Finally, all the side joints around the deck edges and the joints around the cockpit structure have to be filled with sealant. Use masking tape to tape up all the surrounding parts of the ship that the sealant might spill on. Install the tube of sealant in the manual caulking gun (see Appendix 1, Photograph 33). Fill the joints mentioned with sealant and smooth off. den. Use masking tape to tape up all the parts of the ship around the joints to be sealed. Fill the gaps with sealant using a caulking gun. Smooth off the sealant in the joints as soon as they have been filled. MOUNTING

30 7. MOUNTING Perfecting the joints Remember the right conditions to work in, described in 5.1. To perfect the joints, these can be filled and sanded. This is done in the same way as described in 5.4.2, except for a few small differences: 1. The deck has been bonded and, therefore, the joints cannot be filled per panel. Use tacky tape or draught strip to mask around the area to be filled to prevent the fluid filler from running too far down the Esthec deck. 2. Mix the filler in the correct weight ratio as mentioned in Do not forget to blow-dry immediately after filling to release any trapped air. 4. After curing (12 hours), the filled joint areas, which will only be small, can be sanded by hand. If not (just) the joints, but (also) the top layer (the colour itself) needs to be treated, Esthec Repair Compound N 9 (see Appendix 1, Photograph 34) must be used. MOUNTING 30

31 APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST In the order of their first mention in the manual 1 2 Straight edge, trapezium 3 m. Masking tape: Tesa per roll Product code: Masking tape: Tesa per roll Product code: Double-sided tape, 30 mm: Tesafix per roll Product code: Double-sided tape, 19 mm: Tesafix per roll Product code: Dew point hygrometer to measure ambient temperature and humidity (TQC) - M per item Product code: Double-sided tape, 15 mm: Tesafix per roll Product code: Folding rule, 1 m per item Product code: Carpenter s pencil 1.30 per item 8 Product code: Side milling cutter Makita 2707F APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST

32 APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST In the order of their first mention in the manual 10 Plunge router, Esthec 9 Sealer Adhesive Festool OF per kg Product code: L Latex gloves, Microtouch 0.12 a pair Product code: Putty knife, 2 cm 0.60 per item Product code: Putty knives, various widths 2 cm 0.60 per item Product code: cm 0.90 per item Product code: cm 1.65 per item Product code: Bucket with lid, 1.2 l Belt sander per item 15 Makita V 100 mm APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST Product code: Sanding belt, 100 x 610 mm K40 Floor sander Knife + holder (type Stanley 1992) 9.75 per set Product code:

33 APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST In the order of their first mention in the manual Chisel, 25 mm Esthec 18 Pattern Filler per item 19 1 kg per kg Product code: Product code: kg per kg Product code: Draught strip, white, 8 x 10 Tacky tape Airtech AT200Y, 20 mm x 3 mm Self-adhesive 6.75 per roll 0.26 per m 1 Product code: Product code: Cleaning rags, white tricot Box 10 kg per box Product code: Cleaning rags, blue, in carrier box per box Product code: Vacuum foil Jigsaw, 24 Airtech Wrighton Protool BSP 85 E mu, 305 x 229 m per m 1 26 Product code: Tubular netting, yellow (Overtoom ), roll 200 m Product code: APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST

34 APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST In the order of their first mention in the manual 27 Vacuum pump LC105 WR, 2.2/2.7 KW 28 Vacuum pump manometer gauges Vacuum pump distributor block Notched hand trowel RVS, 115 x 265 mm + groove per item Product code: Sikaflex 298 FC 32 Roller APPENDIX 1: TOOL LIST Manual caulking gun, skeleton type 6.00 per item Product code: Esthec Repair Compound N 1 kg per kg Product code: kg per kg Product code: