I’ve ran the test and I know the truth. I did that test and handed it to all your customers. All your resins turn yellow get over it ! When I was challenged by your sales rep at a very pro, very large, factory full of Craftsman. He, just like you accused us of tweaking lab tests. Now if I twisted lab tests and walked back into that factory full of Craftsman. Well I would look like a kook. Im not in the kook business. Im in the best product business. And so are they! After all your years peaching Epoxy you should be happy. Its Coke V Pepsi. The factory full of Craftsmam or the backyard guy will also be happy with choices.
Any hope of getting back to some more epoxy tips rather than the bollox that this has turned into. We all know; business is business, dog eat dog etc. End of the day we all make our own choices.
It’s a shame as it had started as a really useful thread. Cheers Dean.
Here is a tip. Build a glassing tray. And count the drops.
Six boards top and bottom.
This works for me: pour all the resin out on the board in 5 or five strips and quickly smooth it out so that you have most of the surface covered. Don’t get too close to the edges, maybe 2 inches. Work on getting all the dry areas covered, then with a wipe from the middle begin to move the excess material (easily so you don’t get foaming) to the edges for wetting the laps. I use my hand under the lap and pull a little resin down from the row of resin I just brought to the edge and wipe the resin on. Run the length of the board. Do the other side. Just enough resin to wet the lap.
Bummer, so you are back to poly? or Resin x?
Not picking on you, just trying to keep the “tips” going: get some gauntlet length nitrile gloves and wear two or three pairs. Why? Some of the cheapy latex gloves split at inconvenient times, and when you have to mix another batch in the middle of a lam, you can just peel off the outer pair for clean hands while you measure and pour. Helps when you are doing multiple boards.
I had every confidence that everyone would recognize what all the mudslinging was about. So thanks.
Here’s my most useful tip…Get a good scale, at least to 0.1 gram for small batches, and use it for all mixes no matter whose epoxy you use. There is a very particular part of resin manufacturing quality control that is determined by weight and is kept in very tight specs as compared to density. Why? weight doesn’t vary with temperature, but volume and density do. I know weighing is a little more “complex” but a general rule of craftsman is the right tool for the job.
Stop reading here, if you are just here for tips. Keep reading if interested in watching two dogs fighting over the same bone.
If anyone is interested in test results, I am happy to submit samples for testing to any independent lab that Greg L chooses if he’ll do the same and agree to post the results right here on Sways. He has basically called us dumb, unprofessional and now unethical in our presentation of test results. Well I am ready to let an unbiased third party call the balls and strikes and then let the market decide who is telling the truth. So Greg, call me and let me know which lab you want to use.
Enough with the add F. Ours is designed to work fine without it. Different philosophy, different chemistry, different results. I’m pretty sure I mentioned we aren’t interested in making a copy of your stuff that does need it. If people are using it because of old habits, I can’t stop that, but I don’t encourage it. If I were as unethical as you seem to think, I’d go all napster and post a “reasonable copy” of it here so people could just make their own and not have to buy it if they want to use it. We both know it isn’t as exotic as you want to make it sound. After all, you may have “invented” the formula, but you didn’t invent the raw ingredients. But rest easy, I didn't get in this to make copies or encourage others to do so either.
Now back to the regular programming.
a very small bone. like a chicken bone.
its just resin, whos cares what people use. makes sweet bugger all how the board goes
yeah put as much epoxy as you like on a dog fish with a crooked outline and wack rocker
btw jesus post a board before you try and put shit on one of australias most experienced board builders you kook
.Get a good scale, at least to 0.1 gram for small batches, and use it
for all mixes no matter whose epoxy you use. There is a very particular
part of resin manufacturing quality control that is determined by
weight and is kept in very tight specs as compared to density. Why?
weight doesn’t vary with temperature, but volume and density do. I know
weighing is a little more “complex” but a general rule of craftsman is
the right tool for the job.
shit thats seems a bit strange ive been working with epoxy for years and never needed a scale. in fact one of NZ leading manufactures chemist told me that volume is close enough for day to day use
Hey Silly,
my point exactly “volume is close”, but not the most accurate choice. My advice is to use weight and avoid any of the surprises that come with “close enough”. Ask your leading chemist friend if they manufacture using weight or volume, that should tell you something.
Keep up the entertaining posts,
Rob
RR and GR resins are not the only choices, either. Fiberglass Hawaii stuff works just fine and the Composite epoxy I can buy an hours drive from here works as well as the FH resin and does not need any sanding agent. Its less expensive than FH resin and I believe it is less expensive than RR resin, too. You can get Composite from Rev Chem. I don’t work in the surfboard industry in any way shape or form and don’t give a shit what kind of resin people use. I do like useful tips, though. My tip is to use polyester resin (vomit resin thanks silly) on polyurethane foam because of its ease of use and speed to make repairs and epoxy on eps(vomit foam). I only do traditional hand lay-ups and don’t want any noisy vacumes frightening the birds that visit my yard(ok, so they have to put up with a bit of noise from my planer). Mike
hah real shapers use a wire brush and chainsaw
I’ve posted this before, but in order to up my useful tip to insider bickering ratio on this thread, I’ll re-post it.
Here is the simplest way to ensure perfect ratios every time when using
a scale and it is just as quick as eyeballing volume. First get a digital scale and then tape a $1 calculator (I like the
one with big buttons from office depot) to the wall next to the scale. This is based on Greenroom epoxy mix ratio of 44 to 100 by weight.
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put your empty container on the scale and tare the scale. the reading will be 0
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pour in your resin and take the the weight and enter into calculator. Say in this example it is 250 grams of resin.
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multiply your resin weight by 0.44 so, 250 x 0.44 = 110 grams (or insert your epoxy choice’s stoichiometry here)
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without removing your resin container, tare your scale again. reading goes back to 0
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add amount of hardener from calculator…in this case 110 grams.
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mix well and a you get a perfect batch.
If you have any questions, feel free to email or PM me.
This tip was one of the best ones I found on this forum. I found your original post a few months ago when I attempted to build my first ever boards. Three 14 ft EPS race SUPs in carbon fiber. It was a scary endeavour attempting such large boards, with expensive materials, with zero experience.
Being able to custom blend fast and slow hardeners to match my skills and the monumental challenge of 14 foot boards was a blessing.
Thanks for the tips.
PS, you should add this tip to your web site. It makes using weight sound so easy, and it is.
What’s the best substance to clean tools with when using RR Epoxy??
Any citrus-based hand cleaner with abrasive. I use Go-Jo with Pumice.
Love the tray… pro tip for the garage guys like me!
Use your fiberglass off-cuts like a handy wipe, soaks up the excess resin and gets your tools clean.
I meant no disrespect to neither you or huie,I was just trying to stir a little laughter…I’d post a board but then you might laugh,and thats the last thing I want to do today!
Hello RobW , hello Sway’s crew
Back yard guy…over 20 EPS/Epoxy surfboards…I take it from hot wire to gloss…One man show…No scale…no major problems…no delams…no blush…Why???
I’ve followed the rules from the begining…Someday I’ll try a different resin…For now I’m using RR…works great…
Do a search…follow the rules…don’t glass when it’s cold…
I have a Toyota Truck ,Tim has a Chevy, Mark has a Ford ,Lee has a Jeep , Rich has a Dodge…its all good!!!
Who’s Rich???
Just to qualify this advice…be damn sure that you know the maximum weight that your scale will accommodate.
If you follow these particular steps and you overload your scale when adding your second part, you will be in a heap of pain.
As a workaround, I measure the individual parts in separate containers for large batches and/or make sure I keep my total weight (including the weight of the container that you tared out) below the maximum allowed.
Short of that tidbit…scales have also allowed me to be more frugal with my resin usage…I am no longer limited to the measurements in the graduated mixing cups I’m using so I can cook up micro batches and leave less in the pot after all is said and done.
ah well jesus when i say kook i mean in a sort of endearing humourus kinda way