Epoxy resin.

[Capt. Clueless]

I know many of you have used bucket loads of the stuff, and you will also have been (presumably) pretty astute as to where you would get the best price.(I doubt you got it from a chandler for instance) I'm looking for around 10litres + hardener and currently searching the usual suspect sales sites, but, just thought that someone here just may know the cheapest source currently please?

 

[macd]

You're right that the best value won't come from a chandler. But there are countless different formulations of epoxy resin, each with different characteristics and uses. For what purpose do you seek yours?

 

[Capt. Clueless]

You're right that the best value won't come from a chandler. But there are countless different formulations of epoxy resin, each with different characteristics and uses. For what purpose do you seek yours?

Use on ply bulkhead laminating in, and coating/sealing ply etc.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Use on ply bulkhead laminating in, and coating/sealing ply etc.

If done correctly, polyester will do a good enough job. This time of year, unless you are able to het the place, epoxy will not work as well as polyester.

Don't get caught up in the West epoxy sales guff.

 

[macd]

Use on ply bulkhead laminating in, and coating/sealing ply etc.

As Paul suggested, polyester may be more practical at this time of year, although epoxy potential does the better job.
I'd pose your questions to East Coat Fibreglass Supplies: https://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk

It's some years since I used them (most of my resin work is is now done in warmer climes), but I always found them helpful in the past. They get creditable mentions on here from time to time. Their site has plenty of good info, and they always seem receptive to queries such as you might have.

 

[PaulRainbow]

As Paul suggested, polyester may be more practical at this time of year, although epoxy potential does the better job.
I'd pose your questions to East Coat Fibreglass Supplies: https://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk

It's some years since I used them (most of my resin work is is now done in warmer climes), but I always found them helpful in the past. They get creditable mentions on here from time to time. Their site has plenty of good info, and they always seem receptive to queries such as you might have.

I would second East Coast Fibreglass, i deal with them for all of my GRP supplies.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

I bought 5l of this stuff for sealing plywood
http://www.mbfg.co.uk/epoxy-resins/eposeal-300-epoxy-primer.html

They do other resins for laminating etc.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

Thanks guys, I have to admit I hadn't taken temps into acct. It will be cold where I'm working with maybe my breath for heat only. Thanks. I'm going to contact East coast fibreglass, they seem a pretty fair company, and will be able to point me in the right direction, (although I think you guys already have).

 

[C08]

Make sure you get solvent free whoever you get it from and avoid possible health problems. I have used SF Epoxy from the Ffyne boat co in the Lake district, it will tolerate some cold curing and the hardener is 50% of resin so is easier to manage getting the correct proportions. Also second the E Coast Fibreglass people who have good products and nice to deal with.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

I bought 5l of this stuff for sealing plywood
http://www.mbfg.co.uk/epoxy-resins/eposeal-300-epoxy-primer.html

They do other resins for laminating etc.

I like mbfg too...

As for which epoxy, my extensive knowledge of 1 job is: Gurti 206 is great. laminating, gluing, filling.

'poxy at this time of year (namely less than 15C) the problem is substrate penetration... if you are doing a job that does not require this then 'poxy will still do the job. Such as: gluing pre coated materials, wetting out fibre matt onto pre coated substrate, fill coat, sanding coat.

 

[tommyhilly]

Hi, guys!
I'm sorry to change the subject a bit. You're just talking about epoxy here and maybe you can help me. Hope it.
So...I want to do the table, but my main problem is that I don’t know which epoxy I need to use.
You said about this and this. And I read a lot of sites and articles. There is some information about epoxy on the wiki and I think it is true. See this article - Epoxy - Wikipedia. There are two links in this paragraph. Is it good epoxy? Or recommend the epoxy that I need to use, please.

 

[tommyhilly]

I forgot to say what I want to do…
That is my first work with epoxy (in that scale) and I want to do something like that. I want to connect wood, iron and epoxy, and mb something else. Filling thickness approximate 1.6-2.4 in
And I don’t know how epoxy adhesives with iron.

 

[davidej]

Aren't you using "potting " resin which is quite different to the usual laminating resin used in boatbuilding.

 

[Boater Sam]

There are epoxies that will cure at very low temperatures, like -5 C.

Ask Sherwin Williams, they manufacture all sorts or paint and epoxy.

 

[dankilb]

Hi, guys!
I'm sorry to change the subject a bit. You're just talking about epoxy here and maybe you can help me. Hope it.
So...I want to do the table, but my main problem is that I don’t know which epoxy I need to use.
You said about this and this. And I read a lot of sites and articles. There is some information about epoxy on the wiki and I think it is true. See this article - Epoxy - Wikipedia. There are two links in this paragraph. Is it good epoxy? Or recommend the epoxy that I need to use, please.

You need a casting resin, like this (I’ve used before on the boat, for filling large voids): GlassCast 50 Clear Epoxy Casting Resin - Easy Composites

 

[dankilb]

just thought that someone here just may know the cheapest source currently please?

Not sure if anyone has answered this part of the question. I doubt that East Coast are cheapest - as much as I rate them and have spent ££££s with them, very happily, in the past year.

AFAIK Easy Composites’ EL2 is the cheapest performance laminating epoxy available ‘retail’ in the UK. It’s been tried and tested by various members on here, myself included, who are happy with it:
EL2 Epoxy Laminating Resin - Easy Composites

 

[davidej]

You need a casting resin, like this (I’ve used before on the boat, for filling large voids): GlassCast 50 Clear Epoxy Casting Resin - Easy Composites

I think casting and potting resins are one and the same thing.

 

[dankilb]

I think casting and potting resins are one and the same thing.

Yup and ‘pouring’, etc.

You know you’ve got the wrong one when it starts smoking!

 

[ip485]

A few projects like this have kept me busy in lockdown!

Standard epoxy is not the answer. You should use a specialist resin for embedding materials. As was mentioned earlier Clear Cast (which I use) is a good example. There are various products which take account of how thick you intend to lay the epoxy. The key to these resins is they maintain good clarity and degas efficiently. There are a few techniques to learn but the results can be very satisfying (as well as frustrating).

 

[ip485]

GlassCast 50 Clear Epoxy Casting Resin - Easy Composites

I am guessing a project of this size is £300 or £400 of resin. Obviously do work out how much you need, it can be surprising the volume of resin required when you calculate this. I havent used metal in anything yet (mine are all carbon fibre and kevlar because I like the interesting results of these materials, and they are a real challenge to work with) but I cant envisage any issues. Problems start with any materials that are difficult to properly wet, and then end up releasing gas, and cause a depression in the surface. With a see through base (which for example the cribbage board has, when removed from its box) you also will need to give careful thoguht to the mould and removing the finished art work.