Fiberglass and epoxy questions, Paul or anybody w/experience?, I've done research but there are varying answers... Options

[neo914-6]

I'm working with TAP marine epoxy resin and various weights of mostly fiberglass cloth material. TAP is great but you have to find the experienced guy (like Home Depot or OSH) for good information.

I chose epoxy because it's odorless (CA neighbor friendly) and has good bonding strength. It requires more precise mixing ratios as I've found out the hard way.

The questions
Is the 914 top covered with a gelcoat? Does epoxy bond well to gelcoat?

How long should you wait between laying the next layer of cloth?

If more than 24 hours do you need to sand the surface for the next layer?

Is there a water soluable layer you need to wash off or you may have delamination later? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[JPB]

Well bro, epoxy MUST be laminated in timely intervals so as not to sand between layers. If you apply your layups/layers within the manufacturers maximum time, usually 6 hours max, you don't need to prep between layups.

Epoxy is great for penetrating in something before bonding and usually dries/cures slower. It is also sensitive to UV rays like sun light so you need to paint it once applied/finished.

Not all epoxies are water proof and usually need an over coat for water proofing or else it will disolve in the rain.

Some folks will use the epoxy for the first few layups and then switch to a 100% waterproof fiberglass after the epoxy has been cured and preped. Elmer makes a great waterproof resine which is available at Lowes.

If you are applying your resin and cloth to a gel coat surface, its best to try a small area and see how well it adheres before ya go and do it all.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) Gluck!