Resin Failure?

[Kennay]

NM seadoo, I went ahead and set up my port supply online.

Matt, your's is still cheaper by nice chunk of change before buying the hardener.

 

[thegoldenboy]

Toms knows what hes talking about..id listen to him :notworthy:

Too bad his advice isn't applicable here. Yes I know he knows his stuff. :fing02:



I agree with Matt, all you hear on this site is West Systems, you think they sponsored the damn place...

Yes its good stuff, but were talking resin here, Jetskis are not space age and do not require the best of the best.

Buy it if you want, but for doing footholds, and reinforcing its a waste of money for an amateur (which 99% of the people on this site are, despite what they think of themselves). I'm a hack at best, but I can lay glass smooth and roll out to make it look good enough for me. Thats all.

I used WS once and only because I didn't want to drive to the composites store. A West Marine is around the corner, but in Canada were talking over $70 for a quart of West Systems and Hardner! Forget it...

$40 for MVS, it dries to a blush/reddish tint. Big deal, mix in a black pigment ($7 will last you forever) and you're good to go.

As far as laminating or strength goes? We're talking minor differences no one working on a standup will care about. At least not me.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Use whatever you like,I will also,I have to warranty any and all of my repairs,I have never had one come back,I won't be taking a chance by using an offbrand epoxy to do repairs on customers boats just to save a buck or two,I charge premium prices for body repairs and they recieve premium quality repairs,I usually end up repairing boats that body shops and others have tried to repair and failed, nuff said.


http://www.pwctoday.com/showthread.php?t=146248&highlight=carnage+resurection

 

[Matt_E]

Fair enough sir.

I would point out, though, that I am not using off-brand resin.
It's DOW brand.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

if only 3 companies make all the epoxy resin in the country, is ANY of it off brand?

sort of, some has added things...

I use this stuff, its good, and cheap.

http://www.epoxyproducts.com/summarymar.html

here is some interesting reading also, I agree the website layout sucks.

but you can call and talk to them, everyone I have ever talked to there knew A LOT about epoxy.

http://www.epoxyproducts.com/mepoxies.html

 

[ANT]

I'm using US composites epoxy resin and harnder. Can;t beat the price $60 for quart hardner and gallon resin. I usually use west system, but I have to say there really is no difference. If you closed your eyes and i swapped out some mixed up west for the US you wouldn't know the difference. It's just as strong to for whatever you need.

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago, I laid up some carbon and it wouldnt kick off after sitting overnight, so the next morning i just put it in my house for the day and it kicked. It was just too cold for it. It hardened up perfect at 70degrees. my garage was about 30-40. Around 40-50 it's going to almost stall.

I would suggest you take it inside your house while you at work or overnight. It's epoxy so it's not going to run a smell through your house either like polyester or vinylester would.

 

[tomski]

http://www.westsystem.com/webpages/userinfo/moreinfo/000-915.pdf


westsystem.com

I was first introduced to the West System Products 25 years ago. I will not use any other type for repairs requiring epoxy. Why experiment to save a few bucks?

Their products are proven to be high quality.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Damn Straight

 

[Matt_E]

Use whatever you like and what you're comfortable with.
I have gotten used to the DOW 828 and like the way it handles.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Matt I see now why you are the top poser,oops I mean poster sorry.:stups:

 

[Matt_E]

I am both, actually. :bigok:

 

[kevbo]

Im getting the impression that West is better than 828? Looks like the areospace industry hasn't cought on, they still use 828.

 

[Foximus]

So here is something interesting I had happen to me. For some reason there is a 3/4" hole in my pump. Its through the large (usually unused) bung in the middle of the stator section. I had a rubber cap secured on it for a while, but once I started really moddin the ski it finally blew off. So I decided to mix up some UScomp Epoxy and 404 filler and filled up the hole. I waited basically 2 days and it was still "soft". If i pushed on one side of the hole, I could see/feel movement on the other side (3/4" thick too).

I finally said F it after waiting 2 days and took it for a spin to try out the new impeller I put on at the same time. Went out riding for about 20 minutes in 65* water. When I pulled the ski out, the epoxy was hard as a rock and has been since. For sure I dont think it could have been the cold that hardened it.. Could it have been the pressure of the pump that somehow acts as a catalyst?

 

[D-Roc]

me and steve have been laying up all winter with west systems, i used fast and he uses slow for bigger layups. the next day it is very soft and gummy but hard enough to remove the plastic. i looked at all the resins at canada composites and didn't cheap out with the resin. if you had spent the extra money for the west systems you would have this problem.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Realistically on your own personal ski use whatever you can get your hands on,it will probably work just fine,There are probably not any bad epoxy systems out there and you will probably never put epoxy to any kind of real test.With the liability involved in doing repairs on customer boats I feel safer using the West System,thats just my personal belief.I do use generic cabosil and microbaloons additives as I feel West Systems addtives are overpriced probably due to repackaging costs,you can by these in bulk for much cheaper and save quite a sum of money doing so.

 

[stanton]

do this and your resin will cure.

i like the west system. pumps are ez and the viscosity is perfect.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Ahhhh one of my favorite shop tools.

 

[SXIPro]

So here is something interesting I had happen to me. For some reason there is a 3/4" hole in my pump. Its through the large (usually unused) bung in the middle of the stator section. I had a rubber cap secured on it for a while, but once I started really moddin the ski it finally blew off. So I decided to mix up some UScomp Epoxy and 404 filler and filled up the hole. I waited basically 2 days and it was still "soft". If i pushed on one side of the hole, I could see/feel movement on the other side (3/4" thick too).

I finally said F it after waiting 2 days and took it for a spin to try out the new impeller I put on at the same time. Went out riding for about 20 minutes in 65* water. When I pulled the ski out, the epoxy was hard as a rock and has been since. For sure I dont think it could have been the cold that hardened it.. Could it have been the pressure of the pump that somehow acts as a catalyst?

WTF is up with that hole? My 91 SN has one, It had a big rubber hose hooked to it which then led to a plastic fitting which t'd off to a smaller cooling line on one nipple and then to another big rubber hose that that looked like a garden faucet which then spills onto the ride plate.

Can someone explain?

 

[Foximus]

Well, that makes more sense to me then. I never knew what it was connected to, mine has never been hooked up. Its the original type of syphon bilge they put on the first 2 years of SN's, at least thats what Ive heard of. I know they connected it to the bottom of the rideplate, I guess the pump and the rideplate both syphon for greater bilge effect.

Since half the stuff on my Sjet is from a blaster I just assumed it was the rooster tail fitting.

 

[hangtime]

I use West Systems too and my garage is heated but I don't keep it above 60 and it takes a while for the fast to dry .Usually overnight with a heat lamp on it sometimes longer .

I've never used any other brand and I never will ,this stuff is bulletproof