Need advice on what epoxy resin to use from us composets. Redoing transom in a aluminum boat, using marine ply to build up layers and want to use epoxy and glass to seal. I cant make a decision on whats right to use. Boat is used in salt and fresh. Thanks.
If it fly’s, floats, or, friggs, rent it!
If it’s only a transom in an aluminum boat you won’t need too much, I would go to West marine and get the “System 3”. I’ve had good luck with it in the past.
Just a question, nothing implied…Why not use polyester? Sounds like you’re fiber-glassing for waterproofing not so much for strength of adhesion.
218WA Sailfish
200 Verado
The "Penn"sion Plan
Yeah just really waterproofing. I tend to make jobs harder that they should be.
If it fly’s, floats, or, friggs, rent it!
I would use several coats of polyester and paint. Polyester nor epoxy resins will hold up in the sun
Charlie
www.tidedownsportfishing.com
(843)312-2981
Thanns6
If it fly’s, floats, or, friggs, rent it!
If you are gluing up multiple layers to achieve thickness, I would use a marine epoxy thickened with wood flour. Polyester resin has no bonding strength, it is not a glue.
S3 epoxy is very good, but also expensive (especially from WM!), more expensive than necessary for that project.
I would use either http://www.gulfstreamcomposites.com/product-p/raka_kit_1.5gallon.htm
or this http://boatbuildercentral.com/proddetail.php?prod=E_kit_1.5gal
I deal with both companies, both are excellent epoxies, both will have it to you in 3 days.
Get a pound or 2 of wood flour to thicken it with. Both of those companies sell the wood flour and it’s cheap.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
“Polyester resin has no bonding strength, it is not a glue.”
CAN YOU EXPALIN A BIT MORE?
I HAVE USED POLYESTER RESIN AND MAT BETWEEN LAYERS OF PLYWOOD TO BUILD SEVERAL SMALL BOATS FOR MY KIDS IN TIMES PAST, AND NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT BONDING.
IS IT BECAUSE WE USED THE MAT, OR DID I JUST GET LUCKY?
I AM IN NO WAY QUESTIONING YOUR KNOWLEDGE, JUST TRYING TO INCREASE MINE
Yes Chris, and you’re shouting again 
When using polyester resins you have to use fiberglass mat between the plywood layers to achieve a bond and it’s still not a very good one. Which is why you see so many rotten transoms in 10 year old boats. Granted, most production boats are built with polyester, because it’s cheap. Most custom boats are built with epoxy. Epoxy has much stronger shear and tensile strengths and no mat cloth is needed between the layers.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Thanks Captain Larry.
Btw this is my shrimping boat. Tear out complete, time for the fun part. Yes im behind the 8 ball. Its how i roll.
If it fly’s, floats, or, friggs, rent it!