Hi. If I add styrene to my normal laminating resin, will the styren thin the resin out and make it suitable for a gloss coat. If so how much styrene should I add. Thanks
There’s no set amount or anyway I don’t measure it. Add the styrene before you catalyze, stir thoroughly, and think. The fumes will help you think [wink] Catalyze when you think it’s thinned enough. You don’t want the resin to get really “watery” unless your hot coat sanding is very good, 'cuz if watery it won’t fill little scratches (too thin). Also, suggest to set it off a little faster when you thin, so you don’t get too much runoff or sags on the rails. Your brush work should determine how much resin stays on the board, not gravity. You don’t want to breathe all that rapidly evaporating styrene (as if resin weren’t bad enough), so get a good activated charcoal respirator filter, and ventilate your area. I’m always open to others with different opinions.
thats not all you need to add to make it a gloss resin. lots of wax is needed. Austin S.
5% (weigth) of wax in styrene solution.
Can you say yellow or brittle. Glad I don’t get boards from you guys. Sluggob
man, what did you say??
Well said Sluggo, Styrene Monomer acts like a knife on Polymers such as Polyester Resin. When the “mers” are not attached any more what we see is a reduction in the strength; big time. Shattery glass jobs are the result. Ideally, less styrene means more strength but the thicker resin is unruly. Try using heat to “thin” the resin. A burst in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds will get you a high viscosity which will lay down thin. WARNING: do not overheat, bad things will happen. do not poison your loved ones. do not blow yourself up. Good Luck…
Hate to butt in… maybe I’m confused. Isn’t “high” viscosity thick and “low” viscosity thin?
Sorry John, “low” is finer or thinner. “high” is what one gets when they breath styrene all day; like I did… [wink]
The only resin I use is laminating resin.For hot coats I add 3% wax in styrene (surfacing agent)per Kilo, up to 5% is acceptable.For gloss coats 3% w&s then I add 3 - 5 % styrene depending on the temp.The resin base is the same for all three.Additives for anti sagging and thinning and gell time are the only difference.If you have the resources to mix them your self there is no need to have three different pails of resin hanging around.David.
I am with Sluggo.I sometimes add styrene to Reichold Gloss resin because at times it comes in thick batches.Its just a finish coat.Its best to warm up your resin somehow if its cold in the room.We used to have a drum warmer that worked like an electric blanket that stayed on all the time in the winter.I am speaking of Silmar or Dion resins.Other resins are sometimes a bit thick for boards…I avoid them. R.B.
it´s like i said or David platt said. and that´s all!! if you don´t like, do not put more styrene . only NEW lam resin and the wax solution in styrene. no mo problems with the gloss
Since I am a mostly a hobby builder/repair person a 5gal. pail will last me 3 or 4 months. By the time the pail is 2/3’s done the resin is noticably thicker. If warming doesn’t work I will add styrene. Not sure how much I add since I go with the view it weakens the resin so it is not much. Just enough make the resin look and smell like the fresh stuff. Sometimes I will add some to a cheater coat to help it work into the lam coat. Don’t usually add it to hotcoat. I figure thick with sags is better than thin and no sags. If I am using lam resin for a gloss as opposed to the good stuff I find I have to add a touch of styrene to make the heated resin thin enough. Haven’t yet had the nerve to nuke the stuff. The potential for a modernday funny but dangerous surfboard building story would probably be the result in my case. Take care. Patrick
I didn’t think about old resin when I made my last post.If its old and the styrene has evaporated its fine to freshen it up.There is a cutoff point,I once tried to refresh gloss resin that you had to dig out with a spoon and it failed.Probably safer to test a little batch of your thinned resin before glassing the family yacht. R.B,
it´s no matter how much styrene you add to an older resin. this resin will not be the same… tensil strength, mechanical problems, future cracks problems, too much bubbles, the adherence is not good, etc, these are some problems you´ll got it. by the way, the glass job may be look ok, but it´s not a ok one
We been using stuff called Cobolt promoter, which seems to make lam resin become perfect finish resin with just 2 drops. My glassed introducedme to it… anybody else aware of it? http://www.speedneedle.com.au
I did heat up the epoxy resin to thinner the viscousity. Never think it could work in poly resin. Good idea, a big substitute to styrene in hotcoating. Thanks Regards, CrabieHK
Consult an expert glasser( an oldtimer if possible) or chemist before trying this yourselve.Cobalt is a promoter sometimes added to speed up the gel time as opposed to adding extra catalyst. However, unless you are experienced this is not a good idea to try at home-I know this from experience. If cobalt comes in contact with catalyst outside of the resin mixture or even inside, if poorly mixed, there is a good chance of a violent reaction. I suspect this is why most resins are now prepromoted. Be very, very cautious with this stuff!!! Let the glasser do his magic. Take care. Patrick
If I don’t want a glossy finish, do I need to do a gloss coat or can I fine sand the hot coat? Should I do it for extra strength?
That will work fine. I usually wet sand the hot coat up to 600 then 3m liquid finishing compounds. It’s seems to work ok.Trev.