Need some advice on Expoxy

I am getting ready to start putting in new floors and transom on my boat resotration project. I know I will be flammed but. Home Depot has some 3m expoxy will that do for the inside of the transom and new deck? I need this to be cheap, I am broke but need to get started. Where would you recommend me getting expoxy in a jiffy.


I also plan to spray bed liner on the floor when I am done.

thanks,

merrile

 

I would not use any epoxy from Home depot...I would try to find a dealer in your area ...I use US Composites here in Florida and they ship nationwide very fast...I can get 3 gallons (includes 2 gallons thin epoxy resin and one gallon slow hardener) for about 142.00 including tax( or less than 50.00/gallon delivered top my door)...Is is good quality epoxy.Maybe Home depot in your area has a good product though I have not seen anything other than small tubes or pint-size amounts of epoxy in any hardware stores much less big-box stores...The gallon of polyester resin I bought at a Home depot last year was defective and already half-cured and I had to return it...it was also a high-wax casting polyester resin not good for boats...I use epoxy for everything now...polyester resin is so nasty to deal with compared to epoxy in a multitude of ways...good luck and post pics...!

 

Cheap and poor quality usually go together. Probably you should do a realistic estimate of the job and see if it is within your budget. Using materials that will fail is a waste of your money.

 

I hate to say this but "being broke" and restoring just don't go together. Gonzo is giving you good advise even though it's not what you wanted to hear.

MIA

 

yeah, I found a local place and got some decent polyester resign. I know its not expoxy but I think it will be fine for the work that I am doing!

 

You can often buy used cheaper than restoring...but when you restore you can make it to suit...gonna cost you a little change if your in a hurry...not so much if your on a "5-year plan"...depends on size of project boat though...there are some people with 40-footers who have been restoring them for 25 years....most of those boat projects are more botany experiments though..at least the one's in backyards here in Florida...

 

try www.raka.com I have been very satisfied with the speed of deliver and the products.

 

souljour2000 re; US Composites

I checked out the US Composite site to see about the epoxy you mentioned, nice price! How does it compare with West System Epoxy? If you order 5 gallons of resin do they use a 5 gallon container or all 1 gallon jugs?

Also, polyester resin stinks, will make you stink and it shrinks, "DON'T"

 

Not sure....but I would think it would all be in gallon jugs....have only ordered 3 gal...and one and a half....just got the phenolic micro-ballonns and its working well as a fairing material...Jest marine wanted $15.99 for 1.7 ounces of that stuff....I ordered 2 big round one pound containers from USC, or 32 ounces for about $45.00 shipped...

 

Thanks for the info. I e-mailed US Composites and they sent me their epoxy data sheet so I could compare it to West System. Their epoxy only has a 1 year shelf life but it should be fine for most applications. The price is certainly excellent. Really nice price on pigment too! Will give their products a try for sure. For main glasswork I'll stay with West though ..... Just my choice.

 

Hey there Wetfoot....glad you are liking the US Composites product.. I have never tried anything else..it seems to be a good product...the shipping is always solid...and the price is almost incomparable for the quality of the product...also...I had good reports in this forum about their product...someone in here I knew had been around the block a few times...that sealed the deal and I ordered from them...haven't been disappointed nor has my wallet either...try their phenolic microballoons ..try 2 pounds for about $45.00 shipped...I think Jest Marine wanted $ 15.99 plus tax for a little can of 1.7 ounces the other day...I made for the exits rather quickly with the sales clerk looking on in askance...

 

Keep the containers closed (especially the curing agent) and then shelf life is not that big a deal. For resins shelf life of the stuff I sell is 2 or 3 years (depending on factory).