Epoxy, epoxy, epoxy....

[Tony G]

I just finished laying some mock-ups using Epoxy-Plus. Simple one part A to one part B. Does anyone here have experience using this brand? I don't want to be a label wh#@!^ but I felt alot more at ease using West systems-probably from familiarity. I think someone once posted in this forum that one-to-one epoxies didn't produce amine blush is that old age taking its toll on me or is that true? Well, we'll find out in a couple of hours how stage one turns out. Tony G

[Mike Goodwin]

Your high ratio epoxies blush , 1:1 and 1:2 don't blush and are less toxic too!

[Tony G]

This just in...the mock-up I laminated this morning just passed the first of what I hope to be a series of mindless tests. Just to set the stage, I used two rectangles of 1/2" plywood. One aproximately 7" by 9" and one 4" by 10"(just happened to be laying around). I placed the narrow piece on edge and across the larger one and tacked it in place using a staple on each end that pierced both pieces of plywood driving one leg of the staple into one piece of ply and the other leg into the other piece of ply(reference Gougeon brothers for clear explanation). Because I wanted this to be more of a strength test than an actual mock-up of the lamination schedule I intend to use I didn't apply any epoxy between the two pieces to act as a glue. Instead I wet out one side of the structure 3-4" in either direction of the joint then layed in a 3" wide 6oz. tape followed by a 4" wide strip of mat and covered that with a 6" wide 6oz. tape. Completely saturated and jammed into that tight radius! No filet :eek:
Then, just because I had some wood flour and I've never used it before, I thickened the mixture and layed in a filet on the other side and then gobbed some on the end of a short piece of 1/2" dowell and end butted it to some dry plywood. It's a test after all! It couldn't have gotten much warmer than the mid-fifties today so I threw a 150watt light on it just to help things along.
Near the end of the work day I ran out to my shop and grabbed the piece for it to surely meet its demise. After a few cursory tugs and grunts I threw the piece on the floor, flipped it a few times like professional skate boarder (which I'm definitely not)when it landed on the flat side I jumped on it and rode it like Franky Avalon on a wicked wave. Lots of torso twistin' and bendin' and movement below the waist. Both of us are still in one piece. Tomorrow-we're screwing it to the wall using it as a step. No need to reply...I understand

[Tony G]

Here is photographical evidence that the insanity exists. Call this one 'hang ten'

[Tony G]

Here's the tricky part!

[Tony G]

That was full weight (with a little added spring) and it held up. With the completion of that test I determined it safe to proceed with rebuilding using the 'no-name 'epoxy. I was able to semi destroy the piece a couple of days ago by pounding on the epoxy with a hammer causing a couple of bruises then clamping it upside-down (fiberglass tape on the bottom, untaped filet on top) and bouncing on it. finally the plys of wood separated. Out of respect for the piece I did not photograph it.

p.s. I fear I may be going insane.

Anyway, here's a picture of the epoxy crash cart. A necesity for the up-coming jobs.

[Tony G]

Crash cart, view two. I have since added a gimbled drink holder to the starboard side.

[ebb]

Excellent! But where does the power cord plug in?:cool: