I’m not looking to fill (aka q cell). I’m looking to fair. The board lady mentions epoxy fairing compound on her site. Anyone have any suggestions for good manufacturers/brands for epoxy fairing compound/putty?
Go to this page:
http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product_Catalog/Epoxy/epoxy.html#SystemThree
and look for QuickFair
Notice that is is basically just premixed epoxy with microballoons so you can probably get the same effect with your local materials. I’ll not claim any real expertise but I think the difference between filling and fairing is just exact nature of your final mix. I looked into this a bit last month. Check out this info sheet about the different fillers:
http://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/pdf/Product%20Bulletin%2014.pdf
So, for example, microballons make for easier sanding but will not keep the mix from flowing under gravity. Cabosil will resist flowing but is harder to sand. I have been using a mix of 2/3 microballoons to 1/3 Cabosil that was suggested by Boardlady. I add enough to get the consistency I need for the specific job. I add more Cabosil if I need more flow resistance.
Thanks for the info. I will check it out.
we handle a fairing compound
PM me for details as i dont want to use this as a plug
I am sure that there are other great epoxy filler / faring products out there - and others with more experience than me will offer great suggestions. Im looking forward to hearing about other products myself.
I use (and really like) the board lady suggested product “Watertite Epoxy Filler” by Interlux for filling epoxy board repairs that will ultimately be painted over. Prepare yourself for the price tag - its rather expensive.
It is a two part 1:1 mix ratio light blue in color. It is designed for fully submerged applications on yacht hulls, etc so it should be more than adequate on a board.
I decided to try it after using some other cheaper products. They worked but when cured and sanded always seemed to have pinholes that needed at least a second application for fairing before painting (more time, more waste and more sanding dust). The Interlux product when cured and sanded had almost no pinholes or divots that needed refilling and fairing before applying paint.
I will use epoxy and q-cell for filling and fairing as a repair on old white poly boards that I am not going to paint. I kind of like the opaque color and it sands fairly easy.
Hope its some help for you,
yoyo
Use toothpaste consistency cabosil-epoxy for an initial cover. Sand down with 120 and then use a “primer-putty” like Bondo Spot Putty or a 3M type (they make a marine version, $$$). The so-called fairing putty Eva uses is to blend in the feathering of paint edges as done in a body shop. I’ve used the red bondo stuff on plenty of Suftech repairs, painted, and then clear coated (urethane finishes) without any problems. After applying the spot putty, you sand it with 220. Done right, you won’t see it, just what’s left in the pinholes. You can’t use this stuff as a filler at all.
I like to use a mix of micro baloons and 15 min epoxy adhesive resin (not laminating resin). I just mix it up slap it on. let gravity do its thing. Then as the epoxy begins to cure enough to support its own weight I put on some gloves, spray the curing epoxy and my gloves with denatured alcohol then work the epoxy to shape with my fingers (critical timing here). If you do it right, it comes out very smooth with hardly any sanding.
Seen the maker of the highest quality and strongest windsurfing styro boards use a dry low dense fairing dust, gloves, squeegee, then final hand smoothing and pushing into whatever voids.
Asked about hi dense, he said no, low fill and soaks up the next coat quicker and more evenly.
Dry? I suspect it’s smaller molecularly, and goes into the micro voids easier than a mix of resin.
I’m a poly builder, so it’s all observation and question. MikeZ is the guy.
Dean
Awlgrip 2 part epoxy fairing compound (awlfair) is the boat industry standard, other (slightly cheaper compounds are made by international and Hempel etc, just as good). Fairing compounds are light in weight and easy to sand.
For a board repair, Basically same as PeteC, initial mix 2/3 microballoons(brown)or glass bubbles(white) and 1/3 silica, dont make it too dry, just enough silica so it doesn’t sag. Sand it and fill pinholes (there will be some ) with fine polyester body filler (bondo?) then paint.
Hope this helps
Well you use and extra layer of glass or two and and these back so its not like filling in the weave just a few dimmples, so I use P48 car body filler it works great, can be sanded in about 10 mins so with 2 or 3 applications sanding each back with progressively finer gris you can get it super smooth, up till now thats been my little secret so use it wisely.