Ariel #414

[mbd]

Earlier threads point out that 2 to 1 and 1 to 1 epoxies are better to use.

I was real close to going with Mike G's FGCI epoxy, got a catalogue and even called and talked to them. But in the end, the ready availability of West won out.

In retrospect, I suppose I'd rather my recore were delayed because I was waiting for a delivery of epoxy...

[mbd]

Not so bad really. The 25:1 ratio goo was basically resin and was nowhere close to hardening. I was able to just peel of the fiberglass cloth and biax strips I had laid down, scraped off what I could, then wiped it all down with acetone. I could have been a lot worse...

Lesson learned.

[ebb]

Can get seduced by the local marine convenience store (WM.) Aside from ranting West Systems (Gougeon Bros) for foisting blush epoxies on the inexperienced, they do have packaging down pat. And they're the only act on the shelf. It is also true we are paying for the convenience of having the store down the street: taxes, morgages, salaries, utilities - that game forces the prices of everything up. (WM is a publically owned company and is probably worth more in real estate than inventory. Who knows what they're into. Who owns West Systems, for example? The CEO of WM makes a paltry million and a half a year. Good ole Empire building goin on heare!)

For that little bit of wait you mention, online suppliers offer greater selection and better epoxies at half the price. The site I use sells 'marine' epoxies without the added surcharge. They are often what industry and the military use. The only problem I've found is eclectic containers. And maybe too large quantity. My white tank coating, for instance, requires a gorilla to open the plastic pail part A comes in. Decanting the thick creme into small batches takes invention and patience. What the hell...

At least I'm not married to WM's consumeroid choice. Happy pumping!

[mbd]

For that little bit of wait you mention, online suppliers offer greater selection and better epoxies at half the price. The site I use sells 'marine' epoxies without the added surcharge.

I know it's on this forum somewhere, but is this your internet site of choice Ebb? (http://www.epoxyproducts.com/)

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say your well considered and thought out opinions weigh heavily when it comes to boat related decisions. You should work out deals with the companies you buy from and get royalties when a new customer says "Ebb sent me."...

As for the re-recore progress: Saturday AM I rewiped the deck, then did some self appointed penance and reground the whole side deck to make sure no trace of my stupidity remained.

Here's the latest picture. (Remarkably similar to a previous one I know - at least it's from a different perspective. ) But, I did manage a little happy pumping (and all of the batches hardened nicely) when I filled the forward stanchion holes with soaked biax and plenty of properly mixed and thickened epoxy, before Earnest made me relplace the tarp...

[ebb]

Absolutely Gorgeous.
It's definitely art.
Those mysterious symbols....
Interesting you've kept your core material
a complete secret.

[mbd]

The recored, re-glassed starboard side deck.

More details and pictures ad nauseam on "the blog"...

PS. Ebb, I'm using Corecell for the core material - shown earlier in this thread (#66).

[bill@ariel231]

Mike

looks good, glad it set up for you on the second try. while I haven't had to start over with a mix problem, I have hit both extremes of tempurature problems (too thick a layup schedule = a small fire) and ('glassing in the snow without a heat gun = a big mess).

hope you don't encounter these two event first hand ...

cheers,
bill