TOPIC: Fiberglass repair question

Alrighty, I am getting ready to repair some holes...so I have a few questions... when looking at the GlassClown article on here about repairing holes in your fiberglass...

www.fiberglassics.com/restoration/fiberglass-repair-pictorial

at photo number 23. Can someone tell me.. "once the fiberglass is kicked" does this refer to the Set time to where fiberglass is still 'tacky'??

Also, when I am laminating layers, as in this example above, do I have to let each lamination layer 'set' before laminating the next layer (3-4 hours) or can I laminate all 3-5 layers in one fell swoop?

Finally, what exactly is the fairing filler mentioned in Photo #23 ??? I plan on using U.S. Composites "3 to 1 MEDIUM Epoxy Hardener" for my lamination of layers. What U.S. Composite fairing compound will work best with this system? Do I just make my own fairing compound by mixing in a powder?

www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html#epoxhard

Also, can I use the "3 to 1 Medium Epoxy Hardner" for coating and laminating my transom plywood together?

Thank you in advance for your time and information. Cheers!

Andy

Is there a reason why you're using Epoxy and not Poly. Your boat is made out of poly and mat. Gelcoat does not adhere very well to Epoxy and Epoxy is much more expensive than poly. But if you do use epoxy then you can make your own fairing compound by mixing in micro ballons or Glass Bubbles into the resin along with cabosil to make a thick mixture about the consistency of mayonaise or creamy peanut butter. KICK is referring to the time it takes for the resin to begin to harden. If you use a piece of Glass or Waxed hardboard to lay your resined mat patches on you can lay them all up at one time and then apply them to the area you are patching.

Yes you can use the epoxy to Glue your transom laminations together, but again, I would recommend Poly and NOT epoxy. If you have already purchased the epoxy then go ahead and use it.

MyFlamingo.. thank you! Actually, now that I am readying Jamil's tutorials... I am thinking I might use "700 Vinyl Ester Resin" from U.S. Composites... seems to be the way to go, and with the humidity of a Pennsylvania summer, I am worried about the flash of Epoxy.. this is my first time doing this, but I am ready to jump in!... can I use the Vinyl Ester Resin to laminate the plywood together then?

Also, what weight of matt and cloth should I use? Seems like 1.5 oz. matt and 3.2 oz cloth are acepted weights?

thanks again for your time!

The Great Poly VS Epoxy Debate ..L.O.L..In all honesty I used epoxy for the first time last month .I gotta say that in 99% of stuff I do now Ild never use poly again .especialy for a transom .Epoxy is WAY strounger than Poly .Will stick to just about everything where poly wont .Check my Delmar stage 2 transom job . I snapped 5/16 bolts that got glued in trying to get them out .. Try that with poly ..Epoxy wont kill your skin , Less chance of a fire and Barely Stinks Pluss Epoxy soaks into wood and seals the crap out of it ..At US composites ..Gallon and 1/2 of epoxy for $62 including hardner . Around here a good poly is around $40 and you dont get a full gallon ..Poly is brittle to where Epoxy is Flexible to a point .Flex is good and is designed into boats . Flex but not break .If your fixing a small hole and putting fiberglass to fiberglass and got some cheap Poly Go ahead .Glueing or attaching fiberglass to anything else ..Epoxy .This is just my expierience Dont mean to step on anybodys toes .This topic has been beat to death on just about every boat site around to ..

Nothing wrong with differing opinions, it keeps life interesting (as long as it's done with respect - thanks guys!) I enjoy reading the pro's and con's, and everybody's experiences with each way of doing things. Just went through this conundrum myself, decided to go with poly. (US Comp sells full gallons with MEKP for $29). It's my first time so I was torn on which way to go, but it's working out okay so far. Sure is stinky! LOL Make SURE you've got a good chemical respirator or you'll have a "buzz on" in no time!

Awesome guys.. thank you for your input... I kind of like how you can get pumps for the epoxy so that it takes the guesswork out of mixing things up. I know this debate is like Mercury vs. OMC... just getting ready to order and want to get what makes the most sense... Also, the mixers seem to be nicer with the expoxy.. using the same epoxy for multiple tasks, I like that.

retro54 wrote:

Awesome guys.. thank you for your input... I kind of like how you can get pumps for the epoxy so that it takes the guesswork out of mixing things up. I know this debate is like Mercury vs. OMC... just getting ready to order and want to get what makes the most sense... Also, the mixers seem to be nicer with the expoxy.. using the same epoxy for multiple tasks, I like that.

You might want to get some of that 1708 Biaxial cloth .Its super stroung and really goes around corners and multiple angles great .Just slightly more pricey but its worth it .Epoxy VS Poly ..I worked in a Body Shop for a long time .Takes a toll on your breathing after awhile .That poly can be really rought on you .Is it good ?? Well were working on 30 year old boats or older built from it so ya it does its job .But some stuff it doesnt stick to that well .Water will get threw it .I sometimes wonder if back in the day the transoms would have been sealed with epoxy then glassed would we be redoing alot of them now ? Poly Body putty (( Bondo )) Sometimes doesnt stick that well to Poly .But heres a trick .Get some epoxy automotive primer (( TCP Global sells it reasonable )) Prime your work with that and then lay your putty over the top of the primer then youll have no problems .Car restoration guys do it .