Favorite epoxy?

[Dan Forman]

I would like to get a system of bulk epoxy that will allow different setting times for different hardeners. Does anyone out there have a preference as far as brand, or are they all pretty much the same? Thanks

Dan

[Kurt Loup]

I like Raka epoxy and have also had good results with US Composites epoxy, but I don't have as much experience with it as with Raka. As far as I know, they are only available through mail order. An internet search should easily find their websites. Their websites list the various hardners that you can use with the same resin. I use cabosil/colloidal silica additive to thicken the epoxy to the desired consistency depending on what I what to do with it.

Kurt

[Chris Padilla]

Dan,

www.raka.com (http://www.raka.com) is a good place with very good prices and a very informative website. I use them all the time and love their products.

[Richard Wolf]

I like West System Epoxy, and you can find it at most marine supply.
www.westsystem.com

Richard

[Bob Johnson2]

Ditto for West Systems, I like the 207 hardener.

[Mark Singer]

I have used West Systems for years....very good stuff!

[Bob Marino]

Has anyone tried System Three?



Bob

[Mike Cutler]

Has anyone tried System Three?



Bob


Bob. Yes I have used System Three. I used Epoxy for the first time, on a large scale, this past fall. The System Three products were easy to use, worked per the directions, and the additional info on the System Three site.
I also got some tips from alot of folks here on the ' Creek.
I ended up buying two 500ml syringes from a tack shop(horses) for metering the products. I didn't need to mix as much as the folks that do boats I guess, and the System Three pumps would have given me a lot more product than I could have used at one time.
I started with the #2 hardner, but the temps in the shop were too high and the pot cured in 12 1/2 minutes. I switched to the #3 hardner and the time was > 60 minutes. I mixed the two hardners per the website direction and ended up with an approximate 45-50 minute pot life. I also kept the components in the refrigerator, and cooled the pot after mixing in a "double boiler like" pot arrangement, these were tips I got from folks here on the 'Creek.
It worked well enough, that epoxy is my "glue of choice" at this time. The ability to control pot life and cure time is too great an improvement/ advantage to not have at my disposal.

[Don Middleton]

I'll offer another endorsement of West System. We built a vacation home in Southwest Colorado, and our builder introduced me to the joys of epoxy - for quite a number of applications. I now have a setup at both of our houses and the metering-pump system works very reliably and very conveniently. Epoxy becomes liquid Duct Tape. Or Velcro, your choice ;-).

I once mixed a batch in a plastic "picnic cup", and the exothermic reaction produced predictable results: a melted cup and epoxy everywhere. I now gather up used tunafish cans and wash them out. They work just great with the small disposable "acid brushes".

As I recall, after a few years the "fast" hardener may turn a dark brown and works very well for filling knot-holes in lumber, turning seconds material into something quite useable. You can also purchase tints from Brownell's and match the epoxy up colorwise.

[John Bailey]

I've used both West System and System Three on boat building and kayak paddle projects. Both are good, but I was able to get through to System Three easier to get questions answered. I've also used MAAS(sp) with good results. the first time I used epoxy I didn't have the metered pumps. What a mess. The metered pumps worked evey time.

John

[Bob Johnson2]

Has anyone tried System Three?



Bob

I've used the SYSTEM III as there is a local dealer where it's pretty cheap compared to the West. Unfortunately I did not get nearly the same results I consistently get with the West. If you only need small batches for glueing, scarfing, and the like the System III will suffice, if it's for areas like boats or bar tops, spend the few $$$ extra and get the West. The West seemed to allow the bubbles beat into it to excape and harden completely clear where as the System III looks cloudy in spots (millions or tiny bubbles). The West also seems to flow better when your spreading it over large surfaces, which is probably for the same reason it alows the air to excape, must be a consistency thing. Do use the pumps if you buy it in big enough containers.

[Dev Emch]

I know were talking epoxy here but I have to say I just love Resourcinol Glue by DAP/Weldwood. It was one of the forrunners to modern epoxy and was used to build the mosquito bomber used by the RAF during WWII as well as the famous Higgins boats used for D-Day landing operations. I also think it was used to build some of the PT boats. It is two part with a powder and a thick brown, epoxy like resin. Equal Parts. Pot life and setup time is very long so you have lots of time and dont need to rush a glue up. Works wonders on bent strip lamination as it has virtually no creep. And here is the best part... as long as it wet or uncured, its water soluable. It only becomes super water proof once fully cured. So clean up is with soap and water. I use lots of this stuff. My main glues are titebond II, resourcinol and hide glue made from the granules in one of those fancy french choloate pots.. does anyone remember that fancy name for these double boilers?

I just started investigating the joys of using West System epoxy. They sent me a bunch of technical litrature which I am digesting right now. Looks like good stuff and it has a following. Not as easy as using a cheap package of 5 minute epoxy glue from the local hardware however. There is lots more to it and so I am in study and digest mode on the west system paperwork.

I also just reviewed some videos on the construction of bamboo flyrods. The host can sure use a pot of coffee... make that a barrel of expresso! Man is this guy dry! But he covers some good info. Being that he comes from MI, he has found a local chemical company in MI that sells their own industrial epoxy which he swears by. Some strange Indian name. Comes in two 1 gallon cans and you mix it up in a tiny dentil cup. He uses it for gluing the strips together. As some of you may know, this process requires the strips to be wrapped and the wrap string is glued to the epoxy making finishing difficult. He likes this brand because it makes the filing and sanding of the binding string easy and does not gum up files and sanding blocks. Another area I am still checking out so I need to take his word for it. I know the old timers used resourcinol for this.

[John Bailey]

Dev,

Does'nt Resourcinol leave a dark brown line. Or has that been worked out of it over the years. I've never used it, but have read about it's great qualities for boat building. Where do you buy it?

John

[Dave Richards]

I'll put in another plug for Raka. I have had very good experience with it. Built two boats using it and since I have a bunch left over, I frequently use it on other things.

[Sam Blasco]

I've used West System for years with great results, therefore never bothered to investigate using any other epoxy. Find a friend with a port supply # and get on his good side. You can save 30% or more at West Marine this way, taking the sting out of the cost.

[Dev Emch]

Yes, it does leave a redish brown glue line. But in the case of vacum bag laminations where you glue resaw veneer to baltic birch substrates, this is not an issue.

In certain cases such as scandinavian bent strip furniture, they use the glue because it leaves this brown line and they use it with birch and maple type woods just to get the constrast.

In the case of some bamboo flyrods, this line is also desired for stylish reasons.

In the case of some woods like walnut and mahagony, the line is almost invisible. This can be important in the case of bent strip laminations where you dont wish to see this line.

To a great degree, the line color has not been that great of an issue. When gluing boards to make a larger side or when glueing boards to make a table top, more often then not, its titebond II that gets used.

And lastly, I am looking into using epoxy for some areas. For example, in making very thin layer boats from strip lumber, it is often done that a thin layer of woven fiberglass is glassed over the wood. It is darn near invisable when the polyester resin is applied and greatly enchances strength. This is an application where I would not use resourcinol.

[Richard Wolf]

If different glues are being considered. I would suggest Unibond 800. I is a two part glue lile resourcinol, designed to work in vacuum bags, but can be used without, and comes in different colors of light medium and dark to match your wood, or give contrast. It's set up time can be changed with mix ratio.

www.vacupress.com/veneerglue.htm

Richard