Alternative to micro balloons

[Gixer]

I need to make up a very small amount of epoxy resin to fill a couple of screw holes. I don't want to buy a pot of micro balloons or specialist filler to make the the paste.
Is there any household item I could use to bulk it out?

 

[FairweatherDave]

Chopped up match sticks maybe, or saw dust? If you are passing Hove drop me a PM and pop by and have a bit of my stuff but I'm sure you could blag something in the yard. (Dave with the Konsort at SYC)

 

[The Q]

Talc if it's in an area that's not going to be permanently wet.

 

[ylop]

if you've got resin - have you got glass? just chop up strands as small as you can manage.

 

[wingcommander]

Noddles apparently

 

[Refueler]

Talc if it's in an area that's not going to be permanently wet.

Bicarb of Soda is better ... Talc is actually a poor agent to use.

 

[Gixer]

Great ideas guys, thanks.

I do have some chopped matt, don’t know why I didn’t think of that! Think I’ll try that first.

cheers for the offer Fairweather Dave

 

[William_H]

I have used talc for many years espeially on the bottom of the GRP keel which seems to have some atraction for rocks. No problem being under water. ol'will

 

[Bobc]

I need to make up a very small amount of epoxy resin to fill a couple of screw holes. I don't want to buy a pot of micro balloons or specialist filler to make the the paste.
Is there any household item I could use to bulk it out?

Sawdust

 

[Refueler]

If its just a hole to fill ... then tape under as backing ... then PU Glue - this expands with moisture and is weather proof in brown version ... white is interior grade - but actually still good ...

Once foamed and cured - 24hrs ... knife and then sand ... dab of paint.

 

[Gixer]

If its just a hole to fill ... then tape under as backing ...

Thanks, I can't get behind it without some major disassembly.

 

[Refueler]

Thanks, I can't get behind it without some major disassembly.

In that case - as long as mix is thickish - it wont matter if some goes through - you won't see it !!

 

[srm]

Chopped strand mat usually has a filler to keep it together that dissolves in polyester resin. Never used it with epoxy as I do not know how the filler it will react with the epoxy resin.

 

[thinwater]

Chopped strand mat usually has a filler to keep it together that dissolves in polyester resin. Never used it with epoxy as I do not know how the filler it will react with the epoxy resin.

The resin does NOT dissolve in epoxy, and thus mat is not used with epoxy. Chopped finely, though it should be OK. I used chooped up finish glass for screw holes.

In fact, one of the strongest ways to install screws in a cored deck is to drill a hole, remove the core with a bent nail or rotary tool, and then fill the plug with chopped glass and epoxy. Finger nail-sized bits of glass cloth stuffed in the hole work well. Much stronger than neat epoxy, because there is something for the threads to grab and because it won't crack. fill half way with neat epoxy, stuff as much glass as fits, and then top off with epoxy, popping bubbles as they rise. Very strong, usually stronger than the screw.

 

[Refueler]

The bent nail trick is the way to actually decore limited areas of deck when core has had water in via a fixing. I've known guys drill series of holes in a pattern to do this to an area ...
But then the new filler is full strength PU or similar - to avoid weight.

 

[thinwater]

The bent nail trick is the way to actually decore limited areas of deck when core has had water in via a fixing. I've known guys drill series of holes in a pattern to do this to an area ...
But then the new filler is full strength PU or similar - to avoid weight.

Interesting idea for just a few square inches. Let me see if I understand ....

• Drill holes close enough that practically all of the core is removed. About every 3/4-inch on staggered centers, perhaps. Vac out the mulch, which is not easy ... but blowing in one hole with compressed air and sucking out others might help.
• Fill with expanding polyurethane foam. In fact, Gorrila Glue (common US polyurethane adhesive that is moisture tollerant and foams during curing and is stronger than most foams) sounds like a good option for this. I have used it in a similar manner.
• Fill the holes with epoxy.

Being able to really remove core from a relatively large area, without cutting off the skin, sounds good. This could be pretty neat from the inside.

 

[Refueler]

Interesting idea for just a few square inches. Let me see if I understand ....

• Drill holes close enough that practically all of the core is removed. About every 3/4-inch on staggered centers, perhaps. Vac out the mulch, which is not easy ... but blowing in one hole with compressed air and sucking out others might help.
• Fill with expanding polyurethane foam. In fact, Gorrila Glue (common US polyurethane adhesive that is moisture tollerant and foams during curing and is stronger than most foams) sounds like a good option for this. I have used it in a similar manner.
• Fill the holes with epoxy.

Being able to really remove core from a relatively large area, without cutting off the skin, sounds good. This could be pretty neat from the inside.

If you consider the area as a grid, (think of such as the Wellington Bomber - the structure was geodetic).

Apply that style to the deck by not removing all core - but drilling and bent nail removing in geodetic pattern. Even to the extent of the Indian Fakir lieing on a bed of nails ! You basically create a bed of supporting pillars .....

You could of course inject some water absorbing agent ... Burgess Seal ? before the PU ....

Gorilla Glue is brand name for PU Glue ... yes - but its also available in larger volumes via Builders Merchants as plain PU Glue ... in of course two varieties - Seawater Proof Brown and the Interior Water Tolerant White.

Both same product

Both same price. But of course look at size of that Bison bottle .....

 

[Ardenfour]

Custard powder

 

[thinwater]

If you consider the area as a grid, (think of such as the Wellington Bomber - the structure was geodetic).

Apply that style to the deck by not removing all core - but drilling and bent nail removing in geodetic pattern. Even to the extent of the Indian Fakir lieing on a bed of nails ! You basically create a bed of supporting pillars .....

You could of course inject some water absorbing agent ... Burgess Seal ? before the PU ....

Gorilla Glue is brand name for PU Glue ... yes - but its also available in larger volumes via Builders Merchants as plain PU Glue ... in of course two varieties - Seawater Proof Brown and the Interior Water Tolerant White.

Both same product

Both same price. But of course look at size of that Bison bottle .....

Thanks! A good idea, and now I understand.

One advantage (and I have done lab testing of this) of polyurethane over epoxy is that the expansion forces it through any available cracks or gaps, and forces it into good contact, top and bottom. It does not need to be as strong as epoxy, only as strong as the core it is replacing.

 

[Refueler]

Thanks! A good idea, and now I understand.

One advantage (and I have done lab testing of this) of polyurethane over epoxy is that the expansion forces it through any available cracks or gaps, and forces it into good contact, top and bottom. It does not need to be as strong as epoxy, only as strong as the core it is replacing.

PU glue can be mixed with water or other medium to thin and increase its foaming ... or used raw - where it has incredible strength but light weight.

Here's an example of diluted PU giving immense strength .... the nose cone of a Model jet of mine ... The model is supplied with an ultra light thin plastic nose cone - first landing and its split / cracked etc.

Here you see my attempt on left with a foam piece to support ... but on the right dilute PU foamed up and creating a strong nose cone for near zero weight penalty ..

As you say - the amount of foaming is impressive and pressure exerted can be surprising. The other advantage - is it does not care about wet surfaces to bind to ... in fact they advise to wet the surfaces before application ...