Best filler/mixer to use with epoxy (ferro hull)

[Kumuka]

Hello all,

Wondering which of the West System products will be best to use for small repairs to a ferrocement hull with their 105/205 epoxy:

403 microfibres
406 colloidal silica
407 low density filler

Any advice gratefully received...

Thanks,
Steve.

 

[VicS]

Hello all,

Wondering which of the West System products will be best to use for small repairs to a ferrocement hull with their 105/205 epoxy:

403 microfibres
406 colloidal silica
407 low density filler

Any advice gratefully received...

Thanks,
Steve.

See the filler selection guide on the West system website.......

except that the site seems to be down at the moment, but you will find the "User Manual and Product Catalog" on various suppliers websites eg http://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/images/TechnicalDataSheet/633.pdf which contains the same info

I think I d use 407 for ease of sanding but 406 will give harder result. It depends perhaps what you mean by "small repairs"

 

[DownWest]

I had a chat with the tech director at Resoltech and he recomended their RE 1010 waterbased resin as a primer for cement, specificly to bond in bulkheads. This was for a friend's boat and he found it very good. I used it for coating ply and it is very easy to apply and get a good finish without sanding. 50:50 mix.

 

[PGC]

Hello all,

Wondering which of the West System products will be best to use for small repairs to a ferrocement hull with their 105/205 epoxy:

403 microfibres
406 colloidal silica
407 low density filler

Any advice gratefully received...

Thanks,
Steve.

Hi Steve,

Have you checked Colin Brookes' site www.ferrocement.org for info? There's a forum which includes repairs.

Colin's son who is a boat builder in NZ and has been about ferro for a while looked over the repairs required to my hull whilst he was visiting UK. I'll check my notes and post them. It does depend on what you mean by small so can you give some details?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Kumuka]

Morning,
Thanks for the replies so far. I'm going to chip out a few rust spots (above the waterline), clean with dilute acid, wash, dry, apply rust treatment if I get to any bare metal, precoat with unfilled epoxy and finally apply epoxy/filler while precoat is still tacky...

 

[PCUK]

I use Fillite from East Coast Fibrglass Supplies. Hollow microspheres.

 

[PGC]

Found the notes. Small repairs - similar preparation to the description in your later post and epoxy with microfibers.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Tranona]

Suggest microballoons to fill to just below the surface topped up with a lightweight fairing filler for the final fill as sanding is much easier with this type.

 

[Kumuka]

Thanks for the further advice & suggestions. Tranona, that sounds like a plan if they turn out to be deep enough to allow...