Need advice on fiberglass and options

D

don novicki

Active member
Guys I'm building another open water layout for next season. I have always used Polyester Resin for the fiberglass application, and have always had good results and good adhesion. However when I finished my boat last season I used Z-Poxy finishing resin diluted down to water consistency with denatured alcohol. It worked very well and I was able to use a little thinner glass that I had previously used so it lightened it up considerably. Unfortunately Z-Poxy is only sold in 6oz bottles and it was a pain to use as I was constantly mixing small batches for application.

My questions are as follows: can you or cannot not thin out polyester resin for use and if so what do you use to thin it out ? Also what does everyone think of the West system? I don't need the strength as much as I need the ease of application.

This will be my 6th boat so I have the wood process down. but am looking for advice on the waterproofing application. I only apply glass to the underside and about 8" up the side. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated and if you could, please give brand names and where available.

I know that this is the best place to get answers for questions like this.

Thanks in advance.
 
don novicki said:
Guys I'm building another open water layout for next season. I have always used Polyester Resin for the fiberglass application, and have always had good results and good adhesion. However when I finished my boat last season I used Z-Poxy finishing resin diluted down to water consistency with denatured alcohol. It worked very well and I was able to use a little thinner glass that I had previously used so it lightened it up considerably. Unfortunately Z-Poxy is only sold in 6oz bottles and it was a pain to use as I was constantly mixing small batches for application.

My questions are as follows: can you or cannot not thin out polyester resin for use and if so what do you use to thin it out ? Also what does everyone think of the West system? I don't need the strength as much as I need the ease of application.

This will be my 6th boat so I have the wood process down. but am looking for advice on the waterproofing application. I only apply glass to the underside and about 8" up the side. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated and if you could, please give brand names and where available.

I know that this is the best place to get answers for questions like this.

Thanks in advance.
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Don~
If wood is involved on a boat - or anything else out in the elements - I use epoxy resin - not polyester. I use polyester when the project is all 'glass - and if structural members are all plastic (one to which polyester resin will adhere).
I have bought all my 'glassing supplies from US Composites for many years now - always with good results. The 635 Thin is my go-to resin. I always have a supply in the shop - for boats and decoys. I almost always use the Medium hardener - any buy the 1.5 gallon kit.

https://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html

As I no longer live in "boat country" - almost all of my supplies are purchased over the interwebs and arrive in a big brown truck. I have only used WEST once - with fine results - but the price has kept me looking elsewhere.

Finally, I have never tried to thin polyester resin - but think it could be done with some acetone. However, I would only do so after consulting the vendor's tech staff.

Hope this helps!

SJS
 
All I can help with is use EPOXY RESIN do not.... I REPEAT do not use polyester resin. Your lungs and nostrils will thank me later. Im honestly not a boat builder, so I cant help that much. my house literally just got to smelling right after about 2 weeks of hell from using polyester resin for a fiberglass project in my shop down in the basement. Either that or I just got used to the smell and im still slowly dying.
 
I like to use West System. I use it for my ice boat and duck boat. If you want to thin it up, apply heat from a heat gun. The wood and all should be warm. I made planks for my ice boat and heated the epoxy once applied, let it thin and soak in the wood, apply another coat and clamp. It penetrates the wood. Go to west's site and get their tech brouchures, lot of info, even if you don't use their product. Epoxies are not made for inside use.
 
I would love to try West System but as others have said, it is a little spendy. For affordable epoxy, check out fiberglasssite.com. I have used their epoxy exclusively on all my projects involving fiberglass. I recon you can thin any resin for ease of application but you will degrade its performance in other areas.
Richard
 
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