Just hand lammed the bottom of my latest. Used the kinetix epoxy. How bloody good is this stuff. No smell, so easy to use, much less waste, better job. Old news to most of you, but super stoked!
I just finished my first 6kg pack of Kinetix. Next pack will be Kwik Kick. I’m told kwik kick dont exotherm… That stinking exotherm has cost me hours and hours of work in the plug regions … that I don’t need to be doing. Glad you got the stoke BF.
Cheers.
Cab-o-sil silicone dioxide in your plugs–even if you use RR which exos a lot less
EDIT: actually, I only use RR so I have no reference point how it exos against other resins, but I’ve never had any issues if you add Cab-o
Have you tried ice on he under side of the board while putting plugs in?. That doesn’t sound like fun. This time of year is cool, so I’m hoping the cool weather and ice packs will stop exotherm.
OK. I like what I’m hearing … This here cab-o is in addittion to particle F ? I didn’t see any reference to it over at the RRKK website but then maybe I wasn’t looking. I remember from my PE days way back in the mists of time we used to thicken up the PE resin with Cabosil SP… No way this could be the same stuff right? Anyway there’s a company near by called “chemical house” If I give the botanical name they will have it or invent it but how is it applied/ mixed and in what proportian. Honey, Mayo or Treackle ?
The additive F is what you’re referring too? That’s for the hotcoat, just like an epoxy surfacing agent. Makes it sand out better, takes out the variables etc…
http://shop.fiberglasshawaii.com/resin/resin_additives/wcse-
Been there done that with the epoxy game. Got great results with it and none of the horror stories but its just too much hassle and takes too long…then after all that the boards don’t stay white. Switched to UV cure and won’t be going back. Have a gallon or more of epoxy going to waste…no use for it. Epoxy’s not all bad…it has some traits I like but UV cure poly is just so much more to my liking. Heck, I’ve already made a board start to finish in less than 48 hours.
Don’t use Additive F in your plugs, don’t need it. Use Cab-o-sill or thixotropic agent. Too much Add F on unsealed EPS will melt it. Loeher recommended 1% F w/glassing, more when hotcoating. I’d send him an PM with your RR questions or read FoamEZ’s literature and Greenlight’s process, both are helpful they talk about working with RR.
Epoxy is where it’s at. Polyester resin is old school chem tech that kills your brain cells among a myriad of respiratory issues. Those brain cells don’t come back huffing in poly resins. Epoxy is stronger, lasts longer, and the flip times and flex characteristics are as good or better than poly. Better for you and the environment. Your gear will stay out the lanfill longer. My boards are white and clear…speaking of, just ordered a new batch of RR with an optical brightener. Looking forward to even whiter boards…
Also, what I do when I seal coat some of my blanks (when not doing micros), I cut my spackle with quikcrete concrete acryllic fortifier. It’s bright white, improves bond strengh on your slurry and helps get that seal coat more durable and stain-resistant than spakle and water. While it sits in the rack preglass, I noticed the blank cleans off dust better, doesn’t get as dirty. Another benefit of acryllic fortifier is that this stuff was designed to increase water resistance in cementious mixtures. Foam, being similar to concrete in that water seeps through it, benefits in a way…my 2 cents anyway. I prefer to use spackle over micros a lot because the part is lighter, cosmetics are better, and I don’t notice much strength difference. I really thin-out my consistency, i live in a dry climate. I like this mixture to really lock into the mirco tears of the foam surface.
EDIT: I think the main reason why Cabo-o is used in your plugs is to prevent resin from seeping into your blank. Another benefit is it allows you to dial in your fins and they usually stay put once you set them. Consistency is thick like peanut butter
Lammed the deck today. Yeah, I like this stuff!!. Mako uv poly is excellent stuff as well. But I’m able to glass in the garage ( attached to the house ) now, not in a tiny, pathetic excuse for a garden shed. The no smell is awesome too.
I tell you what though, my glassing skills are terrible, the best resin in the world can’t change that!!
Welcome the the present (& future) Beerfan!
See if you can get your hands on Resin Research PH over there. It’s quite nice.
~Brian (spreading epoxy on foam since 2004!)