Fiberglass questions HELP PLEASE

Ready to install new stringers, how thick to make resin to set them, and were do I get CPES to treat them first. Thanks guys!

Hay Mike! I must be dumb, explain your first sentance please, just trying to make sure I dont F up. is poly resin what your sayin for the 404 mix. BTW figured out the spoonula thing. Thanks jeff

I use West Systems 105/205. 404 is the high strength adhesive filler.
Yu mix it in to different consistencies depending upon what your application is. For bedding stringers, peanut butter consistency is what you want. Think Skippy Super Crunch.

Fl Inboards wrote: If you wnat to spend the money go right ahead and buy the overrated and over priced West system. Keep in mind that this is a re-srtinger job and what rotted before was the stringers not the Polyester resin and Glass. The factory work lasted over 30 years!! Their is nothing wrong with utilizing Polyester resin It will last five times as long as you will own the boat, keep in mind that the next time this boat will need sringers it will more than likely find it's way to the shredder or landfill. I am a beliver in eliminating as much wood sustraight as possable such as plywood floors as that propagates rot. Do a nice clean job and the work will last your life time!!

Jody,
So you're saying that poly having a moisture absorbsion rate 5 times that of epoxy has nothing to do with the wood rotting?

connorssons wrote: Hay Pete! so you recomend epoxy to bed them down and glass them over as well?

jeff,
Yes, I as well as most doing a stringer job feel epoxy is worth the extra money. There are a couple of people like Jody that go with the polyester.

Jody,

I do agree with the expense part, but having never done this before last year, I found West to be extremely easy to work with and mostly fumeless. I am forced to do my work in a 40 x 26 shop in the dead of winter. I cannot just throw open a door and wearing a respirator for several hours a night doesn't excite me much, either.

Riley wrote: Jody, has an interesting way of doing it. If you take the savings from the polyester and put it toward non wood products, you may end up with a better job. There's nothing to rot so it doesn't matter if water can penetrate it. I think over time water finds its way into everything, even epoxy.

Yep agreed their!

I just can not justify using epoxy on stringer and large floor or structural repairs. For me it is not cost effeciant. As for Pete's question I do see your point and on full wood boat repair or new wood boat construction epoxy is the only way to go. But keep in mind that on a stringer job the hull is still polyester / fiberglass and as we all know it is porus and will allow for water penatration.

I am an advocate for polyesther resin. BUT, there is a major difference in adhesion, between mat and cloth.
After years of experience doing someone else's re-work.

50 years of tested and proven instead of maybe 10 or 15

connorssons wrote: Is there going to be a bonding issue if i use epoxy on hull with poly already down from the past?

Provided it is cured out well No it should not be a problem. You just dont want to go the other way.

Fl Inboards wrote: keep in mind that on a stringer job the hull is still polyester / fiberglass and as we all know it is porus and will allow for water penatration.

Jody,
You haven't been following along with the technique!! The stringers are bedded into epoxy against the hull plus the CPES treatment so your statement needs some adjustment.

I can certainly see if you are doing a job for a customer that you would need to go the economy route unless that customer feels otherwise.

I also like Tim's statement regarding passing these boats onto future generations. As time goes on and more of these hulls go to the shreader, the value will go up. There certainly are people out there that do appreciate the old things in life. We wouldn't have the ACBS nor would I be restoring a 1918 launch and a 1927 Universal engine if it wasn't true. I'm planning on passing on my boats, my children know that and appreciate my intentions.

I also used epoxy resin and got it from US Composites. I thickened epoxy with cabosil to bed the stringers in with. I thickened it to the peanut butter consistency like has been stated. I bought my CPES from Rot-Doctor.

I've been wetting my glass with resin on a table laying flat and letting it soak real good, then putting a light coat on the stringer and installing the glass, wet. It can be a bit like handling a wet noodle, but it isn't too bad.

Well I guess then maybe we should be asking the Meloon family why they chose polyesther and not epoxy.
Don't get me wrong, I do think epoxy is wonderful for some things.
I also think that fiberglass cloth is totally worthless in either application.
One more note about poly: Do not mix it too hot.




AT

Thanks guys! should I clean glass prior to bedding stringers, and how long to wait after treating wood CPES? Jeff

On the cost of epoxy I brought my quadraxial from a guy who had just finished building his trimaran and he brought an IBC of epoxy around 1 ton (264 US gallons give or take) which made the cost very good here, around £4L ($6) compared to west at £13L ($19.50) in gallon cans, with the average boat taking 10 gallons, only takes 26 of you to buy into the IBC container to cut the cost, may need to check there is no shelf life on epoxy resin and there may be a charge for the IBC which may be returnable when empty.
So sort out who has a fork lift or pallet truck save some plastic tubs and share it out among you to save $$.
                     
                    IBC container
       
       
I'm sure some would go for more than 10 gallons for future projects if the price is good.

Structural ballast!!