What is the "West System" ?

[cameronke]

What is the \"West System\" ?

greetings all!

Can anyone please tell me what the "West System" is? Does it differ from other GRP polymers or is it just a brand hype?


Regards
Cameron

 

[aztec]

Re: What is the \"West System\" ?

west is the manufacturer/distributor of an epoxy resin, the term "system refers to the range of products available as addatives, allowing the resin to be mixed with other things like microfibres for "thickening" or microbaloons for filling/fairing.

 

[pvb]

Both a brand and an acronym...

Years ago, a technique was developed for building boats using carefully dried wood which was then saturated in epoxy resin. This new technique produced a strong and durable construction. The technique became known as the Wood Epoxy Saturation Technique, leading to the acronym WEST, which a company called Gougeon Brothers adopted as a brand name for their resin. It's developed over the years as lightweight microballoon fillers, etc, have become available - leading to more versatile uses of epoxy on boats. So it's both a brand and an acronym for the original technique.

West System products are good quality, but there are many good quality alternatives, both branded and generic. International Epiglass is a commonly-found alternative brand.

 

[bruce]

Re: Both a brand and an acronym...

west has a web site that has all kinds of information on 'glass' work that is free and can be used with 'other' epoxy materials, and their mixes work when mixed with the cheap stuff...