Fiber glass repairs

[Jorg50]

There is a time in your life that there is the need to work with fiberglass. There was thread regarding this matter and had very detailed information are ratios of the percentage of mixtures etc. If anyone as seen this thread or provide the required help it would be very well appreciated by me.

Thanks in Advance,

Jorge 50

 

[MP&C]

For any fiberglass repairs we do it's West Marine epoxy, all the way. We use the 105 resin, 205 hardener, and their 300 mini pump set dispenses the proper ratio automatically, just match the same number of pumps on each..

 

[mikegt4]

There have been many fiberglass threads, this is probably the most recent.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440146&highlight=Fiberglass

Most composite sellers have good reference material, here are some examples:
https://www.fibreglast.com/category/Learning_Center
https://www.westsystem.com/instruction-manuals/
http://www.totalboat.com/
https://www.fgci.com/products

I use to buy from Fiberglast way back in the early 1970's when the founder ran it as a side business in Dayton. It is probably the best source for info as it is mostly geared to the DIY hobbyist with lots of helpful resource info. In fact I was looking at their web site today for some carbon fiber to do some repair and reinforcement on the main hatch of my sailboat correcting a botched repair by the PO. I spent 20 years in industrial and aerospace composites so it is easy work for me but it is still nasty to work with.

 

[Slick111]

If you can stay away from the cheaper polyester resins epoxy is stronger I build and repair the 787 for Boeing so I am a bit biased but if you like working with composites it is the future.

 

[kwb]

Polyester has its place, I know lots of people jump to West Systems but IMHO it is overkill for most jobs and insane on big layups.

Epoxy is not very tolerant to mix ratio deviations. Polyester/Vinylester are very tolerant and can be varied to accommodate conditions.

 

[gte718p]

I hate polyseter/vinylester with a passion.

MEKP is a nasty chemical to work with. Honestly I'm surprised you can still buy it on the retail market.

West Systems is expensive as hell in small quantities. However it is not horrible in bulk.
There are also lots of cheaper alternatives.

 

[kwb]

MEKP isn't the nicest of stuff but neither are the epoxies. Sensitivity problems building up are very real with them.

I think what most really don't like the the esthers is the styrene - it is the part that makes the smell oh so good.

 

[RivennHewn]

Total Boat epoxies from https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/home

 

[zendriver]

Usual usual question is “what are you going to do?”

I repaired a large crack in A shower stall floor , Using the basic big box store kit it. worked perfect.

I might have needed something different in a different application somewhere else.


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