Reference
Reference
Reactions from surface specialists, general managers, boat builders and amateurs:
Apply it once, sand it once, that's it
Flexicat fairing tools have brought the pain of fairing a perfect curve and flat surfaces within reach of just about anyone.
Both concave and convex surfaces are equally attainable with the same tools and the result is a near perfect surface after a single application of fairing filler. For professionals and DIYs alike, the expense of the tools are more than offset by the savings in materials and man hours.
When conforming the traditional long board to a curved surface, uneven pressure is put at the ends of the tool.
This creates an imperfect surface. In other words, if you're sanding the side of a curved hull with a long board, when you look at the sandpaper you've been using, you'll see that it's clogged up at each end, but the middle portion of the paper is pretty clean. That's because the pressure is directly under where your hands are. What Flexicat tools do, by use of a double gimbaled construction, is spread the pressure evenly over the whole sanding surface of the tool. Instead of your sand paper getting loaded up at the outer ends and the middle portion under performing, the full surface of the sandpaper is making equal contact on the work surface.
Imagine a world where you can mix up your filler, glop it onto the surface of the boat, then take the filling tool and, with a single pass, have it evenly and perfectly applied without requiring multiple rounds of filling, then sanding, then filling, then sanding... Apply it once, sand it once, that's it. You're done. The surface is fair and you're ready to move on to the next step in the painting process.
If I had these tools six months ago, I would not be in the position I'm in now. Instead of spending 60 hours fairing a boat and hundreds and hundreds of dollars in fillers and sand paper, I could have achieved a better result for half of the cost and a quarter of the time.That's how good these tools are.
Jamil Mehdi
http://www.fiberglassics.com/restoration/127-flexicat-tools-review.html
Sanding boards-excellent tools!
I already had the opportunity to use all the parts of the professional set of Flexicat tools.
First I have started with boat bottom fairing and I have found that both fairing tools are very useful, but for the shape I have, may be 80% of the time (of the area ) was faired with the long board. I am an amateur, but I have completed the full bottom for 3 days, and I had a good smooth surface at this stage, it is easy to control the process, but 2 workers should be available. Also the up shaped ends of a long board is a very good decision, because some touching the fresh coated area does not leave any scratches.
Sanding boards-excellent tools! They are very good for my shape, as you can see from the pictures the longest board is taking exactly the shape of the hull, I am using two workers as you can see, because the pressure on the boards is good and they are taking the shape easy, plus the weight of the boards is not critical, although I would say that generally they are not too heavy.
Conclusion: your Company has produced a very good tool for the professional and amateur boat builders and I would recommend them to any body building a boat on male mould specially.
Once again thank you.
Todor
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Flexicat-Tools/153380804697565
Sands the hull like a dream
For fairing the bottom of a hull there is nothing better than using a longboard. Longboards are, as their name implies, long and flexible boards that hold sandpaper to fair the hull. The longer the board, the smoother the hull becomes over a greater distance.
The work of using a longboard is hard, dusty and not very nice, so anytime somebody asks you to longboard a boat, make an excuse and leave town.
If you can’t, well, you’ll need some good tools. Recently, however, I came across a board from the Czech Republic called the Flexicat, made by Flexicat Tools.
I tried one and it is easy to use, about a meter long, and very flexible. It is made of aluminum and comes with either a flat glue-on surface or a Velcro surface to which you can attach stick-on sanding sheets. To use the board, simply hold it up to the job and slide it back and forth, back and forth, until your arms ache or the job is finished, whichever comes first.
Work the board from forward to aft along the hull to get the smoothest hull shape. Sands the hull like a dream.
The company is looking for a U.S. distributor, so you can expect to see these boards available here in the near future.
At the Fort Lauderdale boat show, I saw that the company is introducing a powered board that should cut a lot of the effort.
Roger Marshall
http://www.diy-boat.com/solution-center/2011/02/flexicat-longboard/
Very pleased
We used the tools for a mid sized fairing job (approx. 40 sq ft) and our technicians were very pleased.
I have recommended your product to several of my competitors.
Bob Brandon
www.tysc.com