Other How to fill Pinholes?

smokeysevin

smokeysevin

one man with a couch
Location
Houston
I got my bottom deck sanded yesterday, and for the most part it looks good enough for me. There are probably 15 or so pinholes (pin holes) that I need to clean out and fill before slapping some sealer primer on and painting. I don't really want to mix up a full or half batch of resin and waste it.

Is there a good method for filling them in without wasting materials?

Thanks,

Sean
 
JFGJetski

JFGJetski

Location
Stevensville
You got a few options some better than others. Depending on which epoxy brand you use you can always weigh up a small amount of resin and hardener to the correct mixing ratios. You could always bondo for an easier fix. If you do use bondo MAKE SURE you use fiberglass bondo, not original bondo as that will absorb water over time. Depending how big these pin holes are you might be able to get away with a high fill primer. There's certainly more ways but these are the first to come to mind. Hope this helps

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smokeysevin

smokeysevin

one man with a couch
Location
Houston
Jonathan Gelesko said:
You got a few options some better than others. Depending on which epoxy brand you use you can always weigh up a small amount of resin and hardener to the correct mixing ratios. You could always bondo for an easier fix. If you do use bondo MAKE SURE you use fiberglass bondo, not original bondo as that will absorb water over time. Depending how big these pin holes are you might be able to get away with a high fill primer. There's certainly more ways but these are the first to come to mind. Hope this helps

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I am using the uscomposites epoxy I am just not super confident in my measure/mix ability on a small sample. I have a digital scale so I am pretty sure I could get close, I just don't want to mess it up.

I did think about just mixing the epoxy and using a syringe to inject it but I was not sure about how well it would flow through a needle.

Sean
 
JFGJetski

JFGJetski

Location
Stevensville
Personally I'd recommend weighing up your epoxy. If your worried about getting the ratios exact I'd recommend weighing up the proper amount of resin then zero out the scale and in the same cup messure out the correct amount of hardner.(just don't add to much hardner as you wont be able to take it out) This is so no excess epoxy/hardener is left on the sides of the cup if you use 2 cups and transfer to one.

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smokeysevin

smokeysevin

one man with a couch
Location
Houston
Mix in a shotglass on a scale, got it.

Should I do straight resin/hardener or should I add filler? I am not sure if I could get the holes filled if there is cab or micro balloons in it. They may just sit on top.

Sean
 
smokeysevin

smokeysevin

one man with a couch
Location
Houston
Cab and micro balloons are just what I have on hand. Cab sucks to sand, the MBs were a nice surprise. Despite living in Humid AF Houston, I don't get the swamp-crotch so talc is just not something I keep around.

I will see what I can come up with though.

Sean
 
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JFGJetski

JFGJetski

Location
Stevensville
If your looking to spend a little money on some faring compound I would highly recomend west systems micro light faring compound. I have always had great success with this faring compound. I get almost every thing through west systems epoxy from resins to fillers and faring compounds.

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fastgtfairlane

fastgtfairlane

Location
Charlotte, NC
i have us composites fast cure 4 to 1 epoxy. i use a kitchen digital scale to weigh in the correct ratio. and can make super small batches this way. the simplest way to measure out is using the grams scale. for every 4 grams of resin, 1 gram of hardener will be added. example -20 grams of resin- 5 grams of hardner. to fill in the pin holes, id mix up some fairing filler with the epoxy and use it. only downside on that is cure time but its much stronger than bondo or any cheap filler and will bond better since it uses epoxy. ive also used "evercoat everglass" filler which is kevlar reinforced, waterproof, and works with fiberglass as well as smc.
 
smokeysevin

smokeysevin

one man with a couch
Location
Houston
Not planning on using bondo at all.

This hull is not going to be a beauty queen and its not a race hull, I fully expect it to get beat up down the road. That being said, I want to give it the best chance of success I can so I am happy to do what I can.

Sean
 
AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Use dolphin glaze or everglass for pinholes that need to be filled right before primer. Much easier to sand than any epoxy/Cabosil/microballoons mix and epoxy doesn’t always get into every pinhole. Plus it leaves an extremely smooth finish.
 
Vumad

Vumad

Super Hero, with a cape!
Location
St. Pete, FL
smokeysevin said:
Cab and micro balloons are just what I have on hand. Cab sucks to sand, the MBs were a nice surprise. Despite living in Humid AF Houston, I don't get the swap-crotch so talc is just not something I keep around.

I will see what I can come up with though.

Sean
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Baby powder, which is available local to you, is the same thing as talc. It wont be as white because it has fragrances in it, but it will work just as well. You're painting it anyway.
 
Vumad

Vumad

Super Hero, with a cape!
Location
St. Pete, FL
mikidymac said:
Or just go to the drug store and spend $2 on baby powder and use the epoxy you already have. Seriously, it’s pinholes on the bottom of a ski.
Click to expand...

I posted it first, but since your delivery was much better than mine, I humbly declare you the winner.
 
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