difference in available epoxies
arbarnhart
In comparing epoxies available for fiberglassing wooden boats, I find a wide
variance in prices.
Here are three examples:
http://www.fgci.com/Epoxies.html - Cheap - 2 gallons for $61
http://www.raka.com/epoxypri.htm#prices - A little more, but reasonable -
1.5 gallons for $69
http://www.boatbuildercentral.com/composites/subcat2.htm?key=Epoxy - Still
more - you have to cobble together System 3 resin and hardener and you will
end up with a price of $87.50 for 1.5 gallons
http://johnrsweet.com/WEST.html - Quite a bit more - 1 gallon for $80
All of these explicitly mention boat hulls and bonding to or sealing wood
and laminating fiberglass either right on the same page or elsewhere on the
site.
What is the difference?
arbarnhart
OK, bad math skills - there are four links, not three. I added the one for
System 3 at boatbuilder.com as an afterthought since Kern posts here so
much.
"arbarnhart" <arbar...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:tcpjl7a...@corp.supernews.com...
Glenn Ashmore
arbarnhart wrote:
> http://www.fgci.com/Epoxies.html - Cheap - 2 gallons for $61
They mix a pretty good adheasive epoxy that is pre-thickened. Working
properties of their laminating resin is variable from batch to batch. Moderate
to poor tech support.
> http://www.raka.com/epoxypri.htm#prices - A little more, but reasonable -
> 1.5 gallons for $69
Good fella. Knowlegable about his product. The 1 to 1 ratio is a bit thick for
my taste and harder to wet out. It also seems to cure a little softer than
most. THeir HP resin cures extermely brittle and then relaxes a little. Makes
me nervous though. Their 5:1 hardner blushes more than a vergin in a whore
house
> http://www.boatbuildercentral.com/composites/subcat2.htm?key=Epoxy - Still
> more - you have to cobble together System 3 resin and hardener and you will
> end up with a price of $87.50 for 1.5 gallons
Very good 2:1 formulation. Uniform from batch to batch. Cures a little
different from West with a little more blush but in all other ways an equal.
Tech support is excelent. Have not tried their Phase two line yet.
> http://johnrsweet.com/WEST.html - Quite a bit more - 1 gallon for $80
The big cahuna of the epoxy biz. Very uniform 5:1 ratio line. Also a special
laminating line called Pro-set that is used by a number of high end builders.
Very good tech support. Publishes mopre research ant testing than the others.
Some you didn't mention:
MAS - Overblown, expensive not widely distributed but popular with some
professional builders Got no help from their tech support department. Maybe
if I bought in drum quantities they would talk to me.
Interlux Epiglass - Donald Trump might specify it for his boat. Excellent wet
out. easy working properties. very uniform, might use it again for patches or
small projects but building a boat with it is out of the question.
And one I have not tried:
SP systems - Not for the DIY croud. So big nobody ever heard of 'em and they
like it that way. Big time laminating resin formulator..
--
Glenn Ashmore
I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there
of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Wayne Farris
their prices include shipping. I know their kits do. That can be a big
difference since the epoxy hardener is considered hazardous.
arbarnhart
No; I just clicked to order and then looked at the shopping cart and
shipping was added for either hardener or resin, but it wasn't too much
($7.30 for the 1.5 gallon total). Then I tried the $155 kit (don't even get
me started on what a "deal" that is) and it added $20 shipping at checkout.
Shipping on a half gallon of hardener by itself is only $2.30, so I am
afraid you have bad information on all counts.
"Wayne Farris" <au...@excite.com> wrote in message
news:Afbz6.12577$C51.3...@news1.rdc1.tn.home.com...
arbarnhart
With all due respect, as you do seem to be an experienced boat builder, why
do you need tech support for epoxy?
I have a lot more experience in repair than building. My first fiberglass
repairs looked like crap and I had to learn about surface prep, properly
spreading epoxy and wetting out cloth, but it never occured to me to call
the materials manufacturer. I got a book from the library and talked to a
friend of a friend who worked at a body shop. But the epoxy was never an
issue - mix so much part A with so much part B, stir it, use it fairly
quickly and let it dry where it is warm and vented.
Your comment about batch variance scared me away from the cheapest supplier.
"Glenn Ashmore" <gash...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3ACD0780...@mindspring.com...
KernHend
____________________________
Unfortunately at the beginning of the year we we forced to change our shipping
policy. We now charge freight. Over that past few years shipping charges from
UPS and their ilk have risen more than any other cost component. At the same
time we did this we appointed some additional distributors scattered around the
county. This will ease this part of the burden when our distant customers
order from these folks.
Not all epoxy hardener ingredients are hazardous from a shipping standpoint:
It all depends upon whether or not the bunny gets a rash. Furthermore, even
those considered hazardous when shipped in larger containers can be shipped
under a different classification in smaller containers. This classification
incurs no hazardous shipping charges.
W. Kern Hendricks
System Three Resins, Inc.
3500 West Valley Highway, N #105
Auburn, WA 98001
Orders: 800/333-5514
Support: 253/333-8118
e-mail: sup...@systemthree.com
web: www.systemthree.com
Glenn Ashmore
little you know. The books will give you the basics but there are times when
you are dealing with a specific substrate or a special glass or you need to know
how far you can push the temperature on a critical part or you need to pre-treat
a part and need compatability advice. And then there is the occasional screw up
that you need help on th prevent total desaster. It is nice to know there is
someone who can give you some authoritative guidance.
If you are building a stripper or a stitch and glue, the books will tell you
everything you need to know. But in my boat the epoxy will come in contact with
at least 15 different materials, 5 kinds of reingorcing and 12 different
chemicals (so far). You can't know everything.
I call Joe Parker at Gougeon about once a month with some wierd problem I have
encountered.
Mark Bronkalla
System 3 or a local Rockler (Woodworkers Store) they stock West System.
The local guys are usually not too far off on catalog prices for this stuff
and no shipping charges.
"arbarnhart" <arbar...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:L5gz6.21541$uo6.4...@typhoon.southeast.rr.com...
Dave
others were, I stiill have a multitude of questions. You must all know that
this is confusing to us beginners, having been there, done that, you all
know what product you'll use next, we don't. I have spent nearly $1000.00 in
okoume plywood over mahoghany frames to build a beautiful 10' tender, I want
to make her perfect and I use silicone bronz screws and have had to use
brass bolts were the butt joints are. But to imagine using somewhere near
$400.00 in epoxy and glass that is other than usable could be so tragic that
the whole thing might be trash. If Raka or some other cheap epoxy is ok,
then let's say so. We have so much heart and tears in these things that we
need bottom line understanding. I just read a synopsys by someone of
different brands of epoxy but the point missed is; were the resulting
finishes worth the trip or too much trouble? Clever responses concerning
Donald Trump (although entertaining) are not clear enough, we need common,
simple results. Answers like "too thick for my taste" is vague enough that
an inexperienced builder will avoid that product even though it may be the
one for him / her. Please be frank about the results, no criticism intended,
but we listen, and we need the shortest route to a finished product that
we'll be proud of, it is you're experienced that we need to build a better
product, with your help and using your experteze. We look to you to shorten
our learning curve. That's why we ask you folks for help. Most of these
products are water proof, or water tight, we know that, but does it work
well? Does it look nice? I know you're not teachers, but we look to you for
info that might reflect," the best finish I've ever seen" or "so dull a
finish, I would'nt use it again." I don't mean to criticize but this is what
we want to hear. I still don't know what to buy...Thanks for listening, I
hope the recommendations from your experiences will be as valuable as our
anticipation.
BTW, the best adhesive I've used is wetting both surfaces with mixed epoxy
then coating one side with epoxy mixed with adhesive fiber, then don't clamp
too hard. Thanks,
Dave
.
"arbarnhart" <arbar...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:tcrkl69...@corp.supernews.com...
Doug Wilde
building technique is so different that two people using the same product
will obtain entirely different results. Even the same person using the same
product can have totally different experiences.
I've been there, had that done to me. First canoe went together great.
Painter her outside with Petit Easypoxy. Built the second canoe. Same wood
and epoxy. Painted the bottom with Easypoxy (different color) and it
wouldn't harden. Second time...same result. Finally primed with Pettit
Super Dry Sealer and the paint dried like a champ and stuck like crazy. Why
the different result? I haven't a clue.
Try different products. On the first canoe I painted the inside with
Brightsides, just to see how it compared to the Easypoxy. I liked the
Easypoxy better. But that is me and the way I paint. Many others prefer
Brightsides.
The two canoes were made with West epoxy. The sailboat I am completing now
is made with System 3. I wanted to see how they compared.
Stick with name brands that have been around for a while and you'll have
fewer problems. Read their literature, call tech support...then have at it.
Make mistakes, learn how to recover (figuratively and sometimes literally),
then move on.
And remember, THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE FUN. A certain amount of worry is OK,
but leave it in your moaning chair. You need some woodchips in your ears
and paint under the fingernails (and epoxy in your hair and a little bit,
not a whole lot, of blood here and there).
Doug Wilde
M.H. Sprang
news:VZNA6.1999$bA2.4...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
> I read Glenn Ashmores response, But as well written as that and all the
> others were, I stiill have a multitude of questions. You must all know
that
> this is confusing to us beginners, having been there, done that, you all
> know what product you'll use next, we don't. I have spent nearly $1000.00
in
> okoume plywood over mahoghany frames to build a beautiful 10' tender, I
want
> to make her perfect and I use silicone bronz screws and have had to use
> brass bolts were the butt joints are. But to imagine using somewhere near
> $400.00 in epoxy and glass that is other than usable could be so tragic
that
> the whole thing might be trash.
Dave, how is this tender built? If it is lapstrake, forget about the glass.
You don't get the glas snug over the strake seams. Yust put the epoxy on,
and finish with a UV protecting coating. Epoxy doesn't withstand exposure to
UV. Another question: if you have used epoxy, then why are you using silicon
bronze screws? I am building a lapstrake dinghy, which has now screws ata
all. the only screws I used, were to hold the strakes in place until the
epoxy set, then I removed them.
I have used epoxy from West and Wilson. West was, in my opinion, better to
use. It sets quicker than Wilson (4 hrs against more than 24 hrs at low
temp). A small patch applied to a pice of mahogany gave a mirror-like
finish. Be aware of temerature changes and moist though. It will spoil the
mirror-like finish.
Meindert
Dan Bollinger
WoodenBoat School, the instructor there, a famous boatbuilder and author,
said this of resins. "If you are making high-tech vacuum bagged laminations
in a controlled environment use West System. If you are making a 'glassed
or stitch-n-glue in your garage use System Three." Personally, I wouldn't
use anything else but one of these two. I've used West, but only at
WoodenBoat School. The three boats I've built have all been System Three.
Not because of brand name, but because it works.
--
Dan Bollinger
Dave <da...@mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:VZNA6.1999$bA2.4...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
KernHend
>But to imagine using somewhere near $400.00 in epoxy and glass that is other
than usable could be so tragic that the whole thing might be trash.
________________________________
Your tale of woe reminds me of the fellow who was so concerned about traffic
that he called the chief of police to make sure all the lights were going to be
green before he headed out to go downtown.
There have been bad boats built with "good" epoxy and good boats built with
"bad" epoxy. In the end the epoxy brand chosen can not make up for a lack of
skills. Since literature like The Epoxy Book is downloadable at no charge you
ought to collect material like this and make your own decision.
John R Weiss
can relate.
I took the simple route and ordered a "complete kit" from Pygmy Boat. It
included System 3 epoxy. When complete, I thought it looked wonderful.
When I put the first coat of varnish on it, it looked even better, after the
4th coat...
I think that any of the mainstream epoxies designed for the purpose of
boatbuilding -- West, System 3, Raka... -- will yield wonderful results if
you follow the directions, do a bit of experimenting first on scraps, and
call for help the first time things start to go awry. Given that theory,
use whatever epoxy your favorite LOCAL BRICK & MORTAR store carries,
recommends, and supports.
If you want such great results, a few dollars difference in price of epoxy
shouldn't matter a whit!
--
John Weiss
Seattle, WA
remove *nospam* from reply address
"Dave" <da...@mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:VZNA6.1999$bA2.4...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
arbarnhart
"M.H. Sprang" <mhsp...@customware.nl> wrote in message
news:AFSA6.124296$Z44.3...@zwoll1.home.nl...
> Dave, how is this tender built? If it is lapstrake, forget about the
glass.
I am obviously not Dave, but if he is as far along as it sounds and doesn't
know about epoxy yet, it can't be a lapstrake boat (unless he used PU for
gluing laps :)
BTW, I decided on Raka after the early replies on this post. I have used
some of it and it was easy to mix and apply, cured in a reasonable amount of
time, looks good and "feels" right.
-Andy
Paul VandenBosch
Dan Bollinger wrote:
>
Dan Bollinger
smaller cans. Dan
--
Dan Bollinger
Paul VandenBosch <cruis...@btc-bci.com> wrote in message
news:3AD4DA1F...@btc-bci.com...
M.H. Sprang
>
> "M.H. Sprang" <mhsp...@customware.nl> wrote in message
> news:AFSA6.124296$Z44.3...@zwoll1.home.nl...
> > Dave, how is this tender built? If it is lapstrake, forget about the
> glass.
>
> I am obviously not Dave, but if he is as far along as it sounds and
doesn't
> know about epoxy yet, it can't be a lapstrake boat (unless he used PU for
> gluing laps :)
>
lapstrake boat with PU. He was actually complaining a bit about the extra
work of making every strake fit, but he did it.
Meindert
Pat Ford
wrote:
>
>"M.H. Sprang" <mhsp...@customware.nl> wrote in message
>news:AFSA6.124296$Z44.3...@zwoll1.home.nl...
>> Dave, how is this tender built? If it is lapstrake, forget about the
>glass.
>
>I am obviously not Dave, but if he is as far along as it sounds and doesn't
>know about epoxy yet, it can't be a lapstrake boat (unless he used PU for
>gluing laps :)
Oh.
I know you will find this very hard to believe, however, it is
actually possible to build a lapstrake boat without epoxy.
The Vikings could hardly believe it when they discovered this! No
epoxy in that long blond hair, not to mention hands and nether
regions!
HLAviation
>>glass.
>>
>>I am obviously not Dave, but if he is as far along as it sounds and doesn't
>>know about epoxy yet, it can't be a lapstrake boat (unless he used PU for
>>gluing laps :)
>
>Oh.
>I know you will find this very hard to believe, however, it is
>actually possible to build a lapstrake boat without epoxy.
>
>The Vikings could hardly believe it when they discovered this! No
>epoxy in that long blond hair, not to mention hands and nether
>regions!
Plenty of pine tar pitch though.
KernHend
>Paul, First I'd want to know who makes the resin that Raka pours into
>smaller cans.
_________________________
As Larry has said a number of times in many places he simply packages epoxy
made by large chemical concerns. Since Dow, Shell, Reichhold, Ciba-Giegy and
others make a number of competitive grades what difference does what Larry
pours make? The point is that it is an off-the-shelf product so it doesn't
contain all the little goodies like flow and leveling agents, etc that are
found in the formulated brands like System Three or West System epoxy.
Furthermore, the number of "pre-made" formulations from the big chemical
companies is finite and is determined by market demand (boatbuilding volumes
are chickenshit compared to seamless flooring, for example) while the number
of different formulas that can be made by formulators is infinite. So, a
repackager uses a best fit "off-the-rack" item while a formulator custom makes
what he thinks is best for the application. If the formulator is any good and
has some experience then a formulated product will always perform better for
the application than the off-the-rack product whether the application is
seamless flooring, electrical potting or boatbuilding. Sorry, all you Raka
fans but that is just the way things are.
arbarnhart
That wasn't PL Premium Construction Adhesive was it? Why, he could have
left gaps up to 3/8"! ;->
"M.H. Sprang" <mhsp...@customware.nl> wrote in message
news:y0cB6.131841$Z44.3...@zwoll1.home.nl...
arbarnhart
Yes, you are correct. I have "lapstrake" synonomous with "epoxy ply
lapstrake" in my head, but not everyone does.
Yep, those Vikes had a "swell" time building boats...
"Pat Ford" <pf...@halcyon.com> wrote in message
news:3ad542f7...@news.halcyon.com...
Glenn Ashmore
P.C.
arbarnhart skrev i meddelelsen ...
>
>Yes, you are correct. I have "lapstrake" synonomous with "epoxy ply
>lapstrake" in my head, but not everyone does.
>Yep, those Vikes had a "swell" time building boats...
Doing a lapstrake with epoxy glued overlaps you must know that it will be harder
to make a repair.
It's all right to glye the overlaps ,but then sicaflex or other rubber-like
sealer can just aswell be used . What's good about lapstrake is, that you don't
need to vorry for close fit, as one or two mm. more or less overlap mean
nothing.
Personally I don't like the idear of overlap gluing ,and I don't se the need for
it, also I think that a lapstrake hull shuld have planking of some 1/3 inch up
to round 12 feet.
P.C.
Lew Hodgett
<snip a bunch of stuff about the realities of the epoxy world>
There you go again, introducing the constraints of the real world.
--
Lew
S/A: Challenge (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for pictures
There are no problems, only varying degrees of challenging opportunity
arbarnhart
inch up
> to round 12 feet.
Interesting. I had noticed on your yahoo board you mentioned that the
Arendal is built with 9mm ply, while the similar sized boat that Gavin
Atkins designed calls for 5 or 6mm. Tom Hill also mentions the thin stuff
(but his book is _Ultralight Boatbuilding_, so that's not surprising).
I'm guessing you don't clamp as tightly either. Do you use screws through
the planks (not just at the end)? If so, do you leave them in permanently?
-Andy
"P.C." <per.c...@gentofte.mail.telia.com> wrote in message
news:9b4lsn$gi7$1...@news.inet.tele.dk...
Dave
It seems by the responses that there are many opinions about epoxy that
makes me feel that I wasn't alone in my confusion as to which one to use.
Mostly I'm impressed by the supportive suggestions and encouragement that
was in every response, including the emails sent to me privately.
BTW I am not building a lap streak, nor do I have Nordic ancestry. I have
downloaded The Epoxy Book weeks ago and found it very informative. I have
purchased video tapes demonstrating a variety of methods of epoxy
application and read books on boat building and the methods used in
fiberglass encapsulation. I've read every boat builders site I can find
illustrating step by step construction. I have read enough to understand the
process and will try my best to develop the skills necessary. I have used
epoxy before to repair my larger boat in the bilge where someone put a
poorly installed thru hull fitting that allowed water to migrate, soak and
damage a large area of balsa core, I never used it where it could be seen. I
used several gallons of West System and although it was way over priced, it
did a good job. I think West has been used by many folks probably because of
their distribution through major boat supply chains and if not for forums
like this providing discussion, I think they would rule the market. I'm
surprized and pleased to see W. Kern Hendricks and Larry participating in
these discussions, keeping their fingers on the pulse of their customers.
But to update you on my recent discoveries; A url was sent to me
referencing an epoxy test done by a kayak builder.
http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Epoxtest.htm
Although kayaks never interested me, the epoxy test and the informative site
itself was extraordinary. The site is very well written and acually got me
interested in the craft of building them. The test is not quite done but I
think you can see significant differences from the results so far. Even if
you're a veteran builder, the test is worth viewing. I'm sure some suppliers
will dispute the study, but I feel it was done without prejudice.
From his test page;
"Trying to decide on the right marine epoxy for your clear coating project
is not an easy task. It is especially hard when you have invested money and
hundreds of hours in your wooden shell. You cannot afford to make a mistake.
My hope is that this test shows how clear coating epoxies behave with or
without varnish and most of all, how much care needs to be taken to protect
our craft from sun damage.
Wanting to satisfy my own curiosity as well as to find the best epoxy
coating for my kayaks, I am currently testing six popular epoxy types side
by side to see how they compare over time while exposed to the elements -
freezing, rain, sun, heat."
His reference: "You cannot afford to make a mistake." best reflects my
sentiments when I wrote my post, I hope I didn't come off as one of those
folks that wants everyone else to do the experimenting for them and takes no
risks himself, that is not me. However, having suffered a physical setback I
now am more prudent with my energies concerning exersion and try to expend
my limited capability as wisely as possible. So blush is an important
factor, adding more sanding to the job. As is a thin product that requires
more coats to fill a weave. I know all things have trade offs and you must
find the ones most in tune to yourself. There are several builders who said
as much in their posts, that it was almost a personal decision and one must
experience the use of different types to find the best suited for
themselves.
As good as all these products may be, there seems to be radically different
results and qualities and so far I don't think there is one best epoxy.
I'm not opposed to diving into this fiberglass/Epoxy job with my check book
in my rubbergloved hand, I was just asking the locals where the rocks were.
My sincerest thanks to all that read and responded to my question.
Now if you'll excuse me I gotta call the police chief to check on my trip
to the store, lol.
Dave
"John R Weiss" <jrweis...@home.com> wrote in message
news:Pm2B6.4347$%o2.3...@news1.sttls1.wa.home.com...
arbarnhart
Interesting results; they seem to endorse all the vendors with varying
caveats. I discovered the issue about Raka being thin and his solution (just
give it a few minutes, then use it) the very first time I used it. But I had
been given the advice of getting half slow and half fast hardener (their
default) and mixing the hardeners unless you had a reason to want slow or
fast; it appears he just used slow hardener.
His tip on measuring with the mixing cups is pretty good. I have been
measuring using baby food jars, but I have 9 month old triplets and a
seemingly unending supply of little glass jars. Anyway, I glued two short
1x4 pieces at a right angle to make a little stand for the jar and marked
the board behind the jar so that I can see the marks through the glass.
-Andy
"Dave" <da...@mediaone.net> wrote in message
news:RvmB6.4075$bA2.1...@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
Pat Ford
wrote:
>> it, also I think that a lapstrake hull shuld have planking of some 1/3
>inch up
>> to round 12 feet.
>
>Interesting. I had noticed on your yahoo board you mentioned that the
>Arendal is built with 9mm ply, while the similar sized boat that Gavin
>Atkins designed calls for 5 or 6mm. Tom Hill also mentions the thin stuff
>(but his book is _Ultralight Boatbuilding_, so that's not surprising).
Traditional lapstrake has been produced using as thin as quarter inch
planks. Mayber thinner has been used-don't know. I recall one boat
which weighed a little under 10 pounds.
>I'm guessing you don't clamp as tightly either. Do you use screws through
>the planks (not just at the end)? If so, do you leave them in permanently?
Laps are fastened with rivets or clinch nails. "Modern" lapstrake
powerboats used machine screws-for example Lymans. #10s bronze if I
recall. Quite expensive.
Jacques Mertens
Our prices decrease very quickly with quantity, for example, hardener in 1
quart cost twice what it cost in one gallon!
Check again: with shipping , at boatbuildercentral.com, we are usually very
close to cheap generic resin but you get System Three resin instead and
absolutely the best technical support in the industry. Not only System
Three full support but our support through a very active technical support
message board: some days we have more postings than this newsgroup!
See it at:
http://boatplans-online.com/board/index.php3
--
Jacques Mertens
Boat Plans OnLine
http://www.bateau.com
Dan Bollinger
resin compounding and work with resin compounders. In the end, it is the
custom formulations that perform the best and usually at no additional cost.
Dan
--
Dan Bollinger
KernHend <kern...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010412115844...@ng-fi1.aol.com...
arbarnhart
It seems as if there are a lot of lap strake techniques out there. So far, I
seemed to have picked up differences along these lines:
Ancient lapstrake
Traditional lapstrake
Modern lapstrake
Glued plywood lapstrake
"Lap stitch" plywood and glass tape
The glued plywood lapstrake seems to have two different schools of thought
depending on whether you read Tom's book or Ian's book. And while I only
explicitly mentioned glass tape in "lap stitch" (because it is used on every
joint), it seems that most of the glued plywood lapstrake boats will have at
least a strip on the gar boards.
-Andy
"Pat Ford" <pf...@halcyon.com> wrote in message
news:3ad5f341....@news.halcyon.com...
arbarnhart
OK, I checked again.
At boatbuildercentral.com, a gallon of resin is $47.50 and a half gallon of
hardener (2:1) is $40.00 for a total of $87.50 or $58.33 per gallon.
At raka.com, the same thing (only it is generic product) is $69 or $46 per
gallon.
At fgci.com, their 1:1 is $61 for 2 gallons (1 of resin at $30.50 and one of
hardener at $30.50) or $30.50 per gallon.
So your price is almost double the price of the cheapest generic, but only
about 25% more than the generic that many people (myself included) have had
good results with. I know you get cheaper in higher volumes; so do they. But
6-8 quarts is a fairly standard sized order for a hobbyist small boat
builder.
Even though I have had success with Raka, I do believe that System 3 is
probably better at some things and more consistent between batches. But the
differences have not been important to me for what I am doing. If it were
important to me, System 3 seems to have the best price of the premium
compounded epoxies and you have good prices for System 3.
-Andy
"Jacques Mertens" <ne...@bateau.com> wrote in message
news:BIoB6.130$O%3.9...@news1.atlantic.net...
Jacques Mertens
We can resell generic epoxies and make more profit on them that on System
Three.
Why then do we choose to resell System Three?
Read more about the differences, not only about the resin properties but
also the technical support, the consistency of the service and other
differences like the FGC resin that is shipped in paint cans!
The tech. support at System Three combined with ours is first class. For
example, since last week, we now email a UPS tracking number with every
epoxy order.
To many, all those things are worth it and the response of our builders is
clear: many don't mind spending a tiny little bit more for quality but we
have no problem with those buying from Raka. Larry Steeves knows our kits
quite well and is always nice when I stop by his place.
M.H. Sprang
>
> arbarnhart skrev i meddelelsen ...
> >
> >Yes, you are correct. I have "lapstrake" synonomous with "epoxy ply
> >lapstrake" in my head, but not everyone does.
> >Yep, those Vikes had a "swell" time building boats...
>
> Doing a lapstrake with epoxy glued overlaps you must know that it will be
harder
> to make a repair.
> It's all right to glye the overlaps ,but then sicaflex or other
rubber-like
> sealer can just aswell be used .
Huh? The epoxy on a lapstrake boat is not only used to seal the strakes, it
also bonds them together. I doubt if that can be done with sikaflex. My
whole 10ft dinghy is glued together, no screws or rivets or whatsoever.
> What's good about lapstrake is, that you don't
> need to vorry for close fit, as one or two mm. more or less overlap mean
> nothing.
> Personally I don't like the idear of overlap gluing ,and I don't se the
need for
> it, also I think that a lapstrake hull shuld have planking of some 1/3
inch up
> to round 12 feet.
> P.C.
1/4 " is enough. I have even seen 8 footers made of 4mm ply, but that seems
a bit thin to me. Remember that a (epoxy-)glued lapstrake gets its strength
from the glued lands, which effectively work as longitudinal stringers.
Meindert
www.customware.nl/boats