Does it have to be west system epoxy?

prv said:
Maybe see what EC Fibreglass have on offer - I'd trust them to sell quality stuff and their site generally has a bit of information about what uses each product is suitable for. They're also happy to give advice on products and techniques.

Pete
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+1 for West.
They have been incredibly helpful and patient. I was completely new to epoxy, glassing and like. With their help I'm pleased with the results, and feel confident the job will serve its purpose.
 
Dougy said:
:-) I'm glad you said it, I watched it twice thinking I had missed something, that's 18 minutes...at my age thats a percentage of my time left...
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These guys wave blowlamps across the epoxy to get the bubbles out, regardless of all the hazard warnings on the tins. Suggest doing that on a boat repair and most forumites would say it's just plain stupid.
 
prv said:
West is the one with the best marketing :)

There are other equally good brands; some say others are better (less susceptible to amine bloom than West).

That said, £8.95 seems suspiciously cheap. I would be looking very carefully for a catch.

Pete
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I'll second that, like a lot of things 'marine' its all about the BS unfortunately. It wasn't till i used other brands of epoxy (especially non-blushing types) that you realise how bloody awful Wests is to use. Using Wests in winter is an absolute nightmare, nigh on impossible. I'd recommend reactive resins but they're no more so go with Mas epoxy imo, its around the same price as wests but a damn sight easier to use.
 
guardian said:
I'll second that, like a lot of things 'marine' its all about the BS unfortunately. It wasn't till i used other brands of epoxy (especially non-blushing types) that you realise how bloody awful Wests is to use. Using Wests in winter is an absolute nightmare, nigh on impossible. I'd recommend reactive resins but they're no more so go with Mas epoxy imo, its around the same price as wests but a damn sight easier to use.
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I grooved & filled all the lands & sheathed a complete boat( 26ft Stella) with the West system. I also applied a resin to the whole of the inside of the hull . I found it easy to use- apart from initially getting 300 grm mat to bond around the lands of a clinker hull. . Some ( not the major sheathing) of the work was done in winter months in an open fronted building. I totally disagree with your comments. It is a great product to use, if you know how
 
Daydream believer said:
I grooved & filled all the lands & sheathed a complete boat( 26ft Stella) with the West system. I also applied a resin to the whole of the inside of the hull . I found it easy to use- apart from initially getting 300 grm mat to bond around the lands of a clinker hull. . Some ( not the major sheathing) of the work was done in winter months in an open fronted building. I totally disagree with your comments. It is a great product to use, if you know how
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I use epoxy to make a living pretty much all year round come rain or shine, trying to get a job done and waiting literally hours to get a 25kg drum upto temperature just to get the stuff to pour or worse its turned crystalline in the drum and you're having to pay for labour to sit there continually heating and working the pot so you can keep going with what you're doing, is just a ball-ache not to mention a loss-maker from a commercial perspective.

In fairness I guess wests is aimed more at you, the weekend warrior (casual user) than me (commercial pro) and as for that 'use before' label stuck on everything Wests make - what a con! But this product is aimed largely at the marine industry after all.................
 
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guardian said:
I use epoxy to make a living pretty much all year round come rain or shine, trying to get a job done and waiting literally hours to get a 25kg drum upto temperature just to get the stuff to pour or worse its turned crystalline in the drum and you're having to pay for labour to sit there continually heating and working the pot so you can keep going with what you're doing, is just a ball-ache not to mention a loss-maker from a commercial perspective.

In fairness I guess wests is aimed more at you, the weekend warrior (casual user) than me (commercial pro) and as for that 'use before' label stuck on everything Wests make - what a con! But this product is aimed largely at the marine industry after all.................
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A whole new can of worms....working temperature. I have to glass a couple panels in and a small repair with epoxy and waiting for acceptable temperature in UK is a pain...at this rate will be close to launch date!
 
guardian said:
In fairness I guess wests is aimed more at you, the weekend warrior (casual user) than me (commercial pro) and as for that 'use before' label stuck on everything Wests make - what a con! But this product is aimed largely at the marine industry after all.................
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As a commercial user you get a substantial discount on west products. i negotiated 35% on everything I purchased for my project so one would expect that you would /should be getting considerably better deals.
 
I have used West, Sicomin, SP and Resoltech. The reality is, that they are all stronger than the wood I use, so it is more a question of local supply, price and which application. Last boat was entirely Resoltech and very happy with it too.
New boat is with another French commercial outfit, but I happened to be given a 200lt drum, so that solved the choice!

As for use by dates. Plenty of people, esp those in the Carib, say that they use resins after 10 or so years and tests come out fine.
 
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DownWest said:
I have used West, Sicomin, SP and Resoltech. The reality is, that they are all stronger than the wood I use, so it is more a question of local supply, price and which application. Last boat was entirely Resoltech and very happy with it too.
New boat is with another French commercial outfit, but I happened to be given a 200lt drum, so that solved the choice!

As for use by dates. Plenty of people, esp those in the Carib, say that they use resins after 10 or so years and tests come out fine.
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Well thanks all and as usual great advice and interesting comments... took all your advice on board and purchased Blue gee from Force4 (who also said it was there best seller)
 
guardian said:
I use epoxy to make a living pretty much all year round come rain or shine, trying to get a job done and waiting literally hours to get a 25kg drum upto temperature just to get the stuff to pour or worse its turned crystalline in the drum and you're having to pay for labour to sit there continually heating and working the pot so you can keep going with what you're doing, is just a ball-ache not to mention a loss-maker from a commercial perspective.

In fairness I guess wests is aimed more at you, the weekend warrior (casual user) than me (commercial pro) and as for that 'use before' label stuck on everything Wests make - what a con! But this product is aimed largely at the marine industry after all.................
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You're not selling yourself as a pro here.
 
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