Been looking into resins a little more....

[giddyup58]

PM sent earlier.

[Almako]

Not sure what your glassing Gazza but there's not a lot of strength in chop strand, especially compared to double bias.
When wetting out the double bias try and apply the resin to the surface first, lay the cloth down then start wetting it out again. It makes it much easier to wet out. I like to do this method whenever possible.
I use (Uni-Pro Little ripper yellow stripe) rollers on any vertical or smaller horizontal surface, on large flat surfaces like the sole I use a squeegee and just push the resin around.
Have a look under instruction tab on the West system epoxy site https://www.westsystem.com/the-gouge...-construction/
You can also contact ATL Composites and speak to them plus you can buy direct from them as well (West System)
Or you can talk to and buy direct from Allnex resins (Allnex brand)
Wetting out double bias is not hard though you can only go so fast, probably takes me 5 to 10 minutes per m2 but thats cause i'm only making 6 pumps of each at a time. If i'm making a filler i only pump max 5 or it just goes off to quick especially in summer.
-You should be using a squeegee even when you roll so you don't leave it resin ritch. So say you roll it on grab a squeezee (from ATL composites) and pull the resin towards you either back into your tub or keep moving along the surface being wet out. When there is no more to move and it has become tranparent your done. Then get your metal roller and roll out the air bubbles. I find if you wait a little or come back say 10minutes later bubbles don't re form.
I'm doing lots of glassing if your anywhere near Durack Brisbane I can show you.

[gazza2006au]

Almako some good pointers there, the squeegy and those yellow stripe rollers are what i will be using i have been using mohair rollers and i think they have been my down fall they dont hold the resin, i looked into getting proper resin rollers but they cost around $10-$15 for 2 rolls i would just be chucking good money away

I'm going to wet layup than move the glass to the stringers should be much easier

[Almako]

It could be the resin you brought.

1/ cheap resins from chandlery's can be hard to work with
2/ old resin become thick and it harder to work with

I use West System from ATL and it's very easy to use.

Try and stick the resin container out in the sun it will be a lot thinner and easier to work with especially with these colder mornings

[tug_tellum]

Mick, Damn, that is a long time to be doing fibreglass.

Yeah Ed it is a long time but its amazing how fast it goes. It certainly doesnt seem that long when looking back on it. Learnt a lot over the years and probably forgot a lot too. 46 years of styrene eating away at the front of the brain but I still have a few brain cells left,because they are smart enough to run and hide behind the tumor when they see the alcohol coming. Where would we be without alcohol. It certainly helps you to put up with the smell of resin and the itch from fibreglass.
tug_tellum

[EdBerg]

"Tumor" that doesn't sound good! All those points you mentioned are the reason I gave up working with fibreglass full time as a job. Now only do it now and then.

[tug_tellum]

Only joking about the tumor. Certainly dont get itchy after 46 years. Doesnt smell anywhere near as bad when you are not spraying a drum or 2 of resin and 4 pails of gelcoat a day into the atmosphere. Spend most of my time now hiding in the office , answering phones and doing invoicing etc.
Plan on giving it up one day.
Mick

[gazza2006au]

Almako yeah the epoxy resin is dirt cheap $420 for 24kg i went to buy the West Systems the bloke quoted me $500 over the phone than when i got there i asked where was the hardener he said thats extra, they wanted something close to $800 for resin and hardener i almost fell over...

i understand West System is a high quality resin one of the better ones on the market but at that price i just could not afford it

Hey Tug a lot of people complain about the itch i personally don't get to irritated by it i defiantly feel the little prickles but i can ignore it, I'm hardly ever effected by mossies too maybe think or oily skin from the foods i eat?

getting much closer guys i just spent 4 hours cutting and sanding the tabbing area just two more stringers and i will be glassing, i noticed my hull is made from vinyl ester found some big blobs of resin piled up with a yellow tint could possibly be epoxy but there is chopped mat on the hull so likely vinyl ester lucky i didnt start out with poly resin at the beginning

[EdBerg]

Only joking about the tumor. Certainly dont get itchy after 46 years. Doesnt smell anywhere near as bad when you are not spraying a drum or 2 of resin and 4 pails of gelcoat a day into the atmosphere. Spend most of my time now hiding in the office , answering phones and doing invoicing etc.
Plan on giving it up one day.
Mick

Well that is good to hear, as far as the smell, your nose probably can't smell anything anyway after all those years breathing in styrene! and resin , and as for giving it up, you know what they say, no time like the present! and Adventure before Dementia??
Ed.

[tug_tellum]

The nose still works good Ed. Cant give up yet still having fun working. It pays for things that we want to do. Would have to sell it because it would take me too long to empty out the shed,so I keep turning up every day that I am supposed to. It was a lot of years ago (35yrs) that I was spraying all that material and more .I was working for wages back then.
Mick

[gazza2006au]

Edit: if i made a female pod mould than lined the inner surface with 40 layers of cloth and used unwaxed polyester resin will this allow me to lay laminates over 2 or 3 days before adding the last layer of poly with wax and wil l that single top layer with wax cure all 40 layers to rock hard?

[gazza2006au]

Anyone know if u can mix resins with a drill and spade drill bit for drilling holes? can't believe i spent $150 on 4 litres of glue that is runny just took a look at the epoxy adhesive mix gave it a stir and its still runny as

been looking up stuff and i can use 2 litres of cabosil and 2 litres of epoxy laminating resin to make 4 litres of glue for $49 bugger

i mixed 3 batches of that 1:1 glue the other day and could mix no more wrist was sore from mixing if i can use a drill would be brilliant even if i have to stir the last bit in

[EdBerg]

Edit:

1) if i made a female pod mold than lined the inner surface with 40 layers of cloth and used unwaxed polyester resin will this allow me to lay laminates over 2 or 3 days before adding the last layer of poly with wax and will that single top layer with wax cure all 40 layers to rock hard?

Got to ask,

1) What the hell sort of pod are you making that requires 40 layers of cloth? what type of cloth and weight are you using?

If it is an engine pod female mold, prepare the mold, waxing and liquid PVC coat, I would gel coat it, cure it, Once it gels, lay it on it's side to let the styrene flow out, once cured, lay down 1 layer 450GSM CSM into the mold, cure it, add 1 layer of 600GSM CSM,+ 1 x 16 or 24 ounce W/R , + 1 x 600GSM CSM, wait till it cures and then add a single wet layer 600GSM CSM, add some sort of reinforcing (hardwood or plywood) direct to the wet glass and then an addition couple of layers CSM,W/R,CSM. That's it, do not use waxed resin for final layer, when it cures and you are happy, then finish off with a layer of flow coat (24hour max). You may need to add an addition set of CSM, W/R, CSM before the reinforcing depending on the size of motor and the design of your pod. IMO, adding 40 layers is pretty pointless, costly and heavy, that is what reinforcing and proper design is for. That I can't advise you on.

Laying too many layers at once can cause a thermionic reaction which destroys the resin. Be also aware that now that it is winter time, the Polyester resin will need to be a winter mix, ie: has more Cobolt promoter added to it, generally you use the same amount of MEKP though as you normally use, but it will cure better in a colder environment, within reason!


2) The final layer will not cure any other layers except itself, if you make a stuff up in the middle layers by forgetting the MEKP or not enough MEKP then that is a permanent stuff up. Solution, cut out and repair after cleanup or scrap item and start again.


3) "Been looking up stuff and I can use 2 liters of Cabosil and 2 liters of epoxy laminating resin to make 4 litres of glue"

Here is a fact sheet regarding Cabosil, generally I have found that adding any sort of filler into Poly resin will actually decrease your pot life despite what they say in the link below. If using talc I would normally add a bit more MEKP than normal, I also catalyze first then add filler.

https://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/pdf/pb14.pdf More info to read.

2) http://www.eagerplastics.com/cab.htm. More info to read.

[gazza2006au]

Thanks Ed the plan was to make a female mould from laminated sheets of chip board, than laminate the inside of the mould really think to have a all glass no plywood pod that has a opening on the transom side that will bolt onto the transom

I was going to use talc but i dont like how it contains asbestos but its super cheap and i know i can mix it thick

[EdBerg]

Gazza, if you don't want wood or ply then consider these foam cell products or similar brands:

http://www.matweb.com/search/datashe...06fc948ecc3c25
http://www.matweb.com/search/datashe...a54e67b5fce7af

http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/di...ns/54826-46182

No idea about costs or where to get them but I would assume that the larger Fibreglass suppliers would be able to get them or know where to get them. They may be expensive but you won't need much so may well end up being cheaper than making the entire pod out of glass and it will be considerably lighter as well. Foams are usually available in a range of thicknesses as well, if I wanted a ply/wood substitute would be looking at about 10-15mm thick, again depending on your design and size of motor. Having said that you would need to discuss your needs with the supplier as there are a whole stack of different foams with different densities and properties.

Personally I would use ply/hardwood because:

1) They are cheap and do a good job.
2) Do a good job sealing them and laminating them in and they will probably outlast you.
3) Properly seal any holes you make with epoxy and plan ahead where you want holes placed and you shouldn't have any dramas.

Most problems with wood/ply in boats come about because the manufacturers/repairers and DIY modifications do crap jobs in sealing holes and the timber in an attempt to cut costs and time. As a old boat repairer, I used to shake my head in disbelief at some of the dodgy things I have seen put out by so called reputable companies. Most of the problems would not have happened if a bit more time and effort was put in. Just my 2 Cents worth.


Cheers
Ed.