Filleting

[aschilpp]

So... filleting my just be the most horrible thing I've ever been forced to endure. Clearly I am not patient enough to do it cleanly the first go around. That being said, does anyone have any suggestions for sanding fillets? Especially those pesky corners? My sanding sponge proved worthless and carving at it with a curved piece of metal and a heat gun was only mildly effective.
Another source of agony has been filleting underneath the joints of cleats/floors/hull.
Thoughts?

[decurtis]

I was a novice filleter on my build; it was a learn on the job experience. Being pragmatic ( not all my fillets were going to be perfect I realized) I chose to pick my battles. Some of those awkward floorboard/cleat/hull fillets are never going to be seen again so I didn't worry about them too much. Gradually your filleting technique will improve by the time you get to the really noticeable fillets like in the cockpit. Sanding fillets can be tedious so I did learn it paid off to try and be neat so as too eliminate as much sanding as possible. Some people really like the masking tape method for doing nice straight edges and easier fillet cleanup. Remember on corners to use the tip about letting the fillet cure for an hour or two and then using your finger dipped in denatured alcohol (of course wearing a glove) to smooth out the corner. Trust me your fillets will get better.

[mtsailor]

Here's a thread I posted a while back on the CLC builder's forum. The title is "The humble plastic picnic spoon and the art of boat building" - Maybe it will be of some help. '"Once I’m finished squeezing fillet material (epoxy & wood flour) into a corner or seam, I find that a plastic spoon is great for smoothing and shaping the fillet. I drag the belly of the spoon along the fillet, adjusting the width by using the narrow or wider part of the belly as needed. If a small spoon won’t do it, a bigger plastic soup spoon works. After about two hours, when the fillet is starting to set up, I use the belly of the spoon, dipped in rubbing alcohol, to smooth and polish the fillet." Cheers. Jer http://gallery.me.com/jermcmanus