Epoxy Resin

[eurotk1]

I Have Been Looking At All Types Of Epoxy Resins And Came Up With Us Composits.its Properties Are Almost Identical To West.the Company That Makes It For Them Is Shell.does Anyone Have Any Experience With This Brand?i Was Also Told That I Could Not Use Matt Due To A Binding Agent In It.i Once Used 3/4 Oz Matt With West System With No Problems But I Guess I Shouldent Have.this Is A Low Budget Project But It Also Has To Last.also What Should I Coat It With When Im Done Because It Isnt Uv Stabe.could I Gellcoat It Or Just Paint It In Eurothane Paint?this Would Work For The Sides But The Floor Sees Too Much Wear And Tear For Paint.

[gonzo]

Any fibreglass for use with polyester or vinylester has a bonding coating. The price is the same. Mat uses a lot of resin, so it is not economic to use.

[Not A Guest]

Mat has a binder that does not dissolve in epoxy. This can be a problem.

Fiberglass has a "finish" that helps the resin bond to the glass fibers. For all practical purposes the finish is suitable for epoxy,polyester, or vinlyester.

[eurotk1]

What Weight Cloth Should I Start With,and How Many Layers On Either Side Of 2in 1.5 Lb Density Polystyrene Will Be Stiff Enough For A Pilot House.

[Theo]

Chop strand mat binder is broken down with styrene. Epoxy does not have styrene so you will get a milky looking part. They do make stiched mat but you will only be able to purchase this in full roll quanities. As the laminet schedual for the pilot house. I would use atleast .125" on each side of fiberglass. Don't just use chop strand mat.

[JR-Shine]

theo is right about the mat, be careful. As far as paint, it depends on what you are going to use it for. I have a canoe that is epoxy coated - I just used some cheap outdoor "porch paint" form Wal-Mart at about $7 a gallon, but if you want it to look nice and last use a two part epoxy paint.

Joel
Boatbuildercentral.com

[Dutch Peter]

Originally Posted by eurotk1

What Weight Cloth Should I Start With,and How Many Layers On Either Side Of 2in 1.5 Lb Density Polystyrene Will Be Stiff Enough For A Pilot House.

What's the size of the pilothouse?
Do you mean top or sides?
Full glass or do you intend to incorporate a core?

We need some specifics?!