As a first time boat owner, with an epoxy repair coming up this weekend, I can't thank you enough. Some invaluable information in here that nobody else mentions. Popping the cured epoxy out of the old mixing tub. Genius. Lol #rookie
An excellent video giving all the information that anyone would need for your products. I have just purchased my first 105/205 pack to start experimenting.Thank you. Malcolm
I just used West Marine 105 resine with 205 hardener. Project completely ruined. I was building a memorial wooden bench for my dad who passed away this past April. My dad was an avid fishermen. I wanted to inlay one of his fishing poles, some of his lurers, and a few of his flies he tied. I carefully routed out the board to perfectly fit the pole and things. Everything looked amazing until I poured the epoxy. I had a few bubbles I was using a heat gun to bring to the surface and pop. Then about 10 minutes in the epoxy started foaming up out of the hole and off the edge of the board. Not only is project ruined but my dad's fishing pole and other items are now ruined. Yes, I used the pumps to get correct ratio of resin and hardener. Also made sure my workshop was heated to the ideal temperature based on the back of the resin can. Yes, it was thuroughly mixed.
really nice finding such an explanation video as I am looking into using epoxy for a few smaller projects. Need a bit more information on setting time though. Probably just go with one of the slower hardeners and see what I can do.
Kaaxe For the first few projects I think 206 hardener is the way to go. Like most people, I started with 205 and kinda felt pressured for working time before the mixed epoxy began to gel.
Its handy to have both. Don't use slow hardener on anything you need to hang upside down or sideways as it will stay wet for ages and get droopy. On transom jobs I need it to stay wet for a while so what I do is a start the first layers on slow then the last 2 layers I will put fast hardener in. This ensures its all dries at a similar rate and from what I know stops rapid overheating 5hr later and you come back to a warped hull or a melted boat. If you do an entire large transom or large bulky project in slow hardener in cold weather (sub 15deg) then you will 100% get a fire about 8-10hr later when it decides it finally wants to properly cure.
How do I find the closest dealer of your products. I live close to the Alabama and Florida line. I'm just starting a restore job on a 1971 model boat. I bought treated plywood to use under my seats but the wood is still damp from the factory treatment so do I have to let it totally dry before using your fiberglass products?? I like your informative videos
Thank you for the feedback, we are glad that you like our videos! We have several stores in both Alabama and Florida - you can see which one might be closest here: www.westmarine.com/store-finder. You can also find out more information through our customer service team at www.westmarine.com/CustomerService/Help-Contact-Us ; we have a live chat there as well. Feel free to message us additional questions where we might be able to help at social@westmarine.com and we will do what we can.
We're glad you enjoyed the demo, Ted! West System non-clear hardens to an amber color when it cures. #205 Fast Hardener, mixed at a 5:1 ratio with #105 Resin, results in a pot life of 9-12 minutes at 72°F, with solid cure in 6-8 hours. It has a minimum recommended working temperature of 40°F. #206 Slow Hardener, mixed at the standard 5:1 ratio with #105 Resin, has a 20-25 minute pot life at 72°F with 12-18 hours required for solid cure. It has a minimum recommended working of temperature of 60°F.
Great question, Chad! Please contact our product advice team for better assistance on this. You can do so by calling us at 1-800-262-8464 or emailing productadvice@westmarine.com.
We do sell a foam, that is not for surface repairs and does not use a filler as it expands on its own. If you are trying to patch a surfboard you need to contact the manufacturer as some materials are not compatible and won't stick. If you are able to use West Systems epoxy then we have several fillers as some are structural and some are cosmetic. Here is the link to their selection guide: www.westsystem.com/filler-selection-guide/
Daft question. Could you advise me if any of West Systems products are suitable for caulking a 110 year old wooden yawl? I've looked at your products and bought some to try out. I'm not putting your products down, but I've tried a couple and it doesn't seem to have much "give" in it. I've used it with card cotton for the caulking and seems to set more like a hard epoxy with very little give, ie during twisting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Are you tripping mate? Caulking is sikaflex not west systems. This is epoxy, you know the stuff the actual boat is made from, if it was as flexible as Caulking then a boat would practically be a rib it would be so flexible. You need Caulking the clue is in the name ffs
Yes, some West System products may be applied to aluminum. However, the surface prep and application processes differ from fiberglass. West System does offer the G/Flex 650-K Aluminum Boat Repair Kit (West Marine 9223140) specifically for small repairs of aluminum boats. www.westmarine.com/buy/west-system--g-flex-650-k-aluminum-boat-repair-kit--9223140 For more complicated projects you can refer to West Systems directly: www.westsystem.com/contact/need-help/
We don't believe you do mix them. You would use either or not both mixed together. It sounds like you may need more than just penetrating epoxy. This is a great book on repairs: www.westmarine.com/buy/west-system--fiberglass-boat-repair-and-maintenance-book--318485?recordNum=1 Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with.
Drill several holes at least 1cm you need more than one hole or it won't breath out. Fill it with pure epoxy but do it quick don't give it any sitting in the mixing cup time. Use large tubs to mix it in quickly and it will become viscous as you do it. Pour when you see its at its most viscous then allow the hull to fill till it overflows out the hole on the opposite side. I moved my boat about a bit when I did it to make sure all the air was out and it worked amazing. I did it to make the bottom end on a 16ft 1978 mayland cuddy fishing boat have self righting capabilites as I kept putting it on its side at a particularly bad bit I fish at. It weights a bit more now but the boats more stable. £500 for the effort right enough.
We have those as well! You can find an article mentioning them here: www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/DIY-Using-Epoxy-Systems They are available on our website here: www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=west+systems+color+pigments
Who told you that? Colidal silica is used in paper and even in the food industry and is classed merely as an irritant. Sanding cured epoxy and inhaling isn't ideal but is not linked to increased cancer deaths. Epoxy can be dangerous if you inhale it after sanding it before it cures. This case scenario would only ever come up if you forgot to add hardener and needed to sand off the last of the un-catalysed epoxy. The glass fiber strands in some fillers are lung and eye irritants and no more. Not saying to not wear ppe around epoxy it's just that it isn't "super-cancerogenic" you must be talking about loose fill which used to contain asbestos blue, that's a different story altogether that would get stuck in the little sack that acts as a valve above your lung and caused asbestosis which was bad... really bad. I knew people who worked with asbestos blue loose fill for 30yr and they are still here now with no problems. I think it's the guys who accidentally inhaled bigger bits of it who died of it. Its not advised to sand or cut asbestos like pipe lagging or old asbestos tiles.. but if you need to then keep it wet when you do and wear a decent mask and have a shower afterwards
