epoxy resin

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

If you are ordering mail order be mindful of shipping costs. Epoxy is a hazardous material for shipping purposes so there can be a surcharge.

Actually it's not the epoxy. The hardener is what causes t he haz ma

We prefer and use the West System because of the pump system. No measuring. We use it everywhere except on our Zodiac. We use a jeweler's epoxy on that and it works very well.
I'm not going to look it up, but I'll bet Defender can beat WM on anything. They are absolutely my last choice, unless the convenience is worth the extra money.

P umps are available for the 2-1 mixs also. B an B Yachtt design for one. I use them all the time

 

[Meriachee]

one of the perks of living in the cold north.

Ah, so thats why the batch I mixed up in ‘07 is still liquid
The GFlex 650 toughened stuff is absolutely fantastic, but hellishly expensive by comparison.

 

[SailingLoto]

Raka worked well for me. 1:1 mix ratio means fewer mistakes and less wastage.

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beautifil kayaks! what do they weigh and how long? My kayak cost more than my boat and was worth every penny

 

[PaulK]

One is a Caspian Sea, designed by John Winters Caspian Sea Plans - A John Winters Design. 15'6" , for my wife.
The the other is a Great Auk, designed by Nick Schade:Great Auk | Guillemot Kayaks 17'. They both come in at less than 25kg. I followed Nick's book: 9780070579897 - Alibris After pricing out the kits and the bead&cove strips, I went to the local lumberyard, got cedar boards and ripped my own strips.

 

[rbringle]

the kick time on epoxies is temp related. do all your work at 45 degs and the epoxy will not kick. get every thing the way you want it and raise the temp and it will then kick. one of the perks of living in the cold north.

My experience is that you are very likely to get "out gassing" with this procedure--the rising temp will produce bubbles on the surface of the epoxy. You can knock the gas bubbles down by running a brush over them, but it's extra work, you might have pin holes, and you might not get them all.

 

[rbringle]

I used WEST on 3 boats I built, including 2 stripper canoes where having a clear epoxy coat is necessary to show the wood. WEST is high quality and expensive. I used RAKA on two kevlar/fiberglass canoes. It was OK, although on both projects I had a few applications that were very slow to cure. They eventually did cure, but took a long time even though I know I was mixing properly and the temp did not vary from application to application. I have a boat building friend who loves RAKA, including the price. I used Systems Three epoxy on a dinghy I built and had no issues with it. I expect to try Total Boat on my next project. Although there are only a few manufacturers of base epoxy products, each supplier modifies that base epoxy with their own proprietary blend of additives, solvents, etc. So they are somewhat unique, and I would never mix a hardener from one supplier with a resin from a different supplier.

 

[jon hansen]

My experience is that you are very likely to get "out gassing" with this procedure--the rising temp will produce bubbles on the surface of the epoxy. You can knock the gas bubbles down by running a brush over them, but it's extra work, you might have pin holes, and you might not get them all.

with epoxy or polyester? i have not had problems with epoxy. polyester is not good below 60 i have read.
hey, i'm always interested in learning.
a friend that builds 2 man subs locally taught me this.

 

[Davidasailor26]

For what it’s worth, I was looking at TotalBoat info for my dinghy centerboard project, and came across their FAQ at TotalBoat Traditional 5:1 Epoxy Resin. With regard to mixing resin and hardener from different brands, they say “Is TotalBoat resin compatible with other epoxy systems?
Traditional 5:1 resin is designed for use with either TotalBoat 5:1 Slow Hardener or TotalBoat 5:1 Fast Hardener but it is also 100% compatible with common marine 5:1 epoxy systems. Do not use with other resin systems specifying a mix ratio other than 5:1.”

 

[Mechone]

West and total boat is cheap on Amazon . I personally would buy any epoxy local ,don't know where you live or where its being shipped from, it's winter and freezing temps of product could be an issue

 

[FastOlson]

These guys have a good selection and fair prices..
WEST SYSTEM EPOXY KITS | Aircraft Spruce

'Plus One' for buying from Aircraft Spruce. Not the cheapest, but their clientele demands quality. We have relied on West Systems epoxy for decades for all boat repairs.

 

[rbringle]

with epoxy or polyester? i have not had problems with epoxy. polyester is not good below 60 i have read.
hey, i'm always interested in learning.
a friend that builds 2 man subs locally taught me this.

The few times I've tried heating after an application of epoxy, I've gotten some outgassing. I think the risk of outgassing due to a rise in temperature is greatest when a first coat is being applied to wood, but I've had it happen on subsequent coats.
This is what the WEST manual states about outgassing.
"To avoid outgassing, be certain the shop temperature is stable before and during the procedure, especially when applying fiberglass to the inside.
CAUTION! Heating epoxy that has not gelled will lower its viscosity, allowing the epoxy to run or sag more easily on vertical surfaces. In addition, heating
epoxy applied to a porous substrate (soft wood or low density core material) may cause the substrate to “outgas” and form bubbles or pinholes in the epoxy coating. To avoid out-gassing, wait until the epoxy coating has gelled before warming it."

From EpoxyWorks:
Before coating bare wood, heat the wood and apply the epoxy while the wood is cooling. During cooling, the air in the wood contracts, drawing the epoxy in. The opposite happens if you coat wood as it’s warming (such as in the morning, in the sunlight, near a heater or anytime ambient temperature is rising). The air in the wood will expand and “outgas” while the wood’s temperature is rising, resulting in bubbles in the curing coating.

 

[jon hansen]

got it. my bud with the subs, has no wood involved. thanks for sharing, jon

 

[rgranger]

I’ll @dlochner

Jamestown has great tech support

 

[mermike]

Resin Research, no question. I've built 2 boats with it and countless repairs. No amine blush, vinegar cleanup. Available in a variety of tensile strengths. Additives for flow coats. Clear, neutral color.

 

[DArcy]

I've started using West Systems, mostly because it is what I can get locally. My local shop is cheaper than Amazon and is really close to the harbor. Reading the manual is a very good idea. Last fall I was trying to get some repairs done and only had 206 hardener. It was only 5 celsius and I was worried about curing so I read the manual. They say the 205 fast hardener is good down to 4 celsius so I ran up the road and got some 205. The next day I tentatively checked on the repair and was relieved to find it completely hard. I trust West epoxy and they have great resources for amateurs like me.

 

[justsomeguy]

Resin Research

Leading UV-stable epoxy innovation since 1981, we offer durable, high-performance resin systems for advanced composites worldwide.

www.resinresearch.net

Right in my backyard! Thanks.

 

[jssailem]

Buying local if it is manufactured local. Box Stores and WM buy their product in bulk. Ship to a warehouse. Then break down the pallets of Epoxy in to store loads mixing the items on the pallet. Clothing, boat wash, hardware from various suppliers and then reship the produce to the store where it sits waiting for you to come in.

The Amazon supply chain could be shorter or the same. Besides if your product is damaged.