I’m glassing an U S Blanks EPS board, and I know the first step is to spackle it to fill in the rips and gouges. I’ve always had a problem with the idea of using a water soluble filler wetween the blank and the glass. Any water intrusion would disolve the spacke and cause it to delaminate. Instead, I used Fiberglass Hawaii two part epoxy, and added white pigment to it. I figured that if I color the first layer of glass white, and then did the second layer over it in clear, it would look just fine.
The problem came with the cure time. I know I measured correctly, and I’m sure I used the slow cure, but with white pigment, the working time was reduced to ten minutes. I was able to pull the glass off just in time asnd save the blank. Any clues to what happened? Has this happened to anyone else? Other pigment colors work fine.
I was thinking that next time rather than try this again, or use spackle, before I laminate, I would try to use a sealer coat of just epoxy , with micro-spheres to make it easier to sand, and turn it white, rather than clear.
If I applied this sealer coat, would I be able to tint the eps epoxy without the splochy look?
This one could either be very simple or very perplexing, because I’ve done loads of work with FH resin…
I found the fast just a little too quick for comfort in my cruisy lam times…Its do-able in a pinch, but it reminded me too much of polyester hot-mix heart attack.
The fast is the blue labelled pot, the slow the yellow. So, be sure which one you used, because 10min is waaay too quick for the slow, even in a hot climate.
So maybe its you making the boo-boo, or maybe its labelled wrongly. I doubt the pigment is responsible for accellerating the slow. Impurities added to resin usually slow it down.
I can’t believe 10 minutes with slow hardener. In hawaii for smaller quantities they fill out of 55 gallon drums and they probably put the fast hardener and labeled it slow. When you spakle it is very watered down to 5 finger poi consistency. You use very little. You could spray your board( don’t know the name of it) with the white stuff that allegedly make your board pop super white in lieu of spakle. Also consider a white pigmented epoxy foam rub prior to glassing? I think Uncle D knows about this. I personally can get my eps to where I don’t spackle. Even 1 lb stuff.
At 70 degrees you should have 20 minute pot life with fast hardener FGH. slow would be 40 minutes. Of course at 90 degrees cut both in half. get it on the board in a big pool verses leaving it in your mix bucket.
I suspect you got a mislabeled hardener. take it back and get the right one.
I think my problem was the temp when I laminated. It was around 100 degrees in beautiful So. Cal. I think I’m done with epoxy and EPS. Too limiting in too many ways. If I don’t mind the board being a pound or two heavier, PU and resin is just way easier.
Trust me, my earliest attempt with epoxy was a complete debacle, way back in ancient history. That I tried again is one of those inexplicable mysteries, but I did, and I’m happy about it.
Now, I’ll be using whatever construction a customer demands on price factors. No shooting myself in the foot with an absolute loyalty to Epoxy.
There is however a great deal of benefit in its use, mainly on the fumes factor, so I’d encourage you to perservere.
I think my problem was the temp when I laminated. It was around 100 degrees in beautiful So. Cal. I think I’m done with epoxy and EPS. Too limiting in too many ways. If I don’t mind the board being a pound or two heavier, PU and resin is just way easier.
I am just the opposite. The learning curve for both resins is about the same. If you are just starting out, PE resin use can be just as problematic when first trying it. I think epoxy is easier because you can lengthen the cure times more percisely, use it on any foam, vacuum bag with it and it has less fumes as Speedneedle mentions. Now that you have learned the hard way, you can probaly figure out how to do it better next time. Also RR is a little bit more forgiving than the aluzine FGH. Having said that, I have used both products for over 10 years and like them both equally and use either one based on avialablility and price. I understand how they are different and enjoy and take advantage of those differences when I use them.
