10’2" will be using clear epoxy. Can I free lap the 6oz bottom and the 6/4oz deck without too much visible laps? Poly it’s fine but epoxy???
I just did it on my board and you can barely see the lap line. I even used the Fiberglass Hawaii brand, not Resin Research and honestly, it’s beautiful stuff.
I agree with SrPato 220,
I’ve always done free laps and you can hardly pick the lap line using epoxy. Just make sure you sand your first lap down really smooth before applying the second lam.
I did my board with free laps. One side invisiable the other I could see the strings (it was my fault).
Freelapping epoxy is time consuming because of the gel time. You will need to go back to the board numerous times to check the laps have’nt drooped off. (They will!) This happens particularly at the nose and tail where you are overlapping the corners. I’ve used a heater box with flaps at each end to allow me to sqeegee these points.
To minimise your gel time work in a warm room and warm the resin also. Keep the mixed resin in a shallow tray- This is critical:- If you leave a deep amount of epoxy in a narrow container the heat build up will cause it to burn!!!
When somebody comes up with a UV cure Epoxy the troubles will be over!
Vaccuum bagging is another ballgame! Just getting into that…
speedneedle, I have freelapped with epoxy and had no problems with the laps coming off.
I spreadout ALL the resin from the bucket on the board and work from the middle and spread it out evenly and let the resin soak in slowly. Once the cloth is saturared I sgueege with pressure towards the hanging cloth(the lap).
And by the time I’ve done my laps the resin is so tacky it wont come off,I think this is because I’m a slow worker though.
cheers,Jimmy yoshio shibata.
Speedneddle,
Most of the newer epoxies here in the US don’t have the problems your dealing with. Gel time isn’t an advantage but a disadvantage once you have the right chemistry (viscostity and speed). Laps don’t tend to fall and the resin stays where it’s put. No “gel” time equals better quality and no work pressure.
Putting wet resin in a hot box is asking for trouble unless your under vaccuum. B-staging is more the call for the hot box with standard hand lay-up.
Your absolutely right about spreading the resin and keeping the room and resin warm though. Must be a challenge at times in Victoria.
More to the question though, freelapping is as easily done with epoxy as with poly. Actually easier because the epoxy laps sand cleaner.
Hi Greg,
I just lately bagged the first skin of a Corecell/ EPS/Balsa board, here in Victoria, approaching winter. The rail roll on the bottom lifted slowly when out of the bag after 10 Hrs!
So back in the bag for another 7( And this is with a water radiator under the table, and a bubble wrap tent over the whole thing.) The stated cure time on the resin tubs is 6 hrs!!!
Ah Victoria!
My friend and I have been following Bert Berger’s hints, but it took me days of frustration to gain a satisfactory outlet connection seal with some backyard engineering. Its removeable, no glue or tape, and reliable at last!!!
I’m enjoying the possibilities coming to me through vac bagging, while still making polyester boards (For Now!) and you are a leader. Your tips are invaluable. Thank you.
Speedy (Josh Dowling)
10 hours + ? That’s brutal. Hopefully we’ll have some of our resin down there soon. Check our website, www.resinresearch.net for info on some of our resins. They are pimarilly made for surfboards so they’re easier to use for what we’re doing. We’ll be making some changes to the website in coming weeks. We have some new stuff that wasn’t included there before and some new stuff as well. Your following the right path now. Don’t let anyone side track you… your onto the future.
Hi again Greg,
Thanks for the encouragement, and check the pix in my post tribute to Bert Berger.
I enjoy the slow cure of epoxy in terms of the ample time to prepare layups, the peel ply, bleeder etc, but as you suggest 10+ hrs in the bag is brutal, if only because the pump takes power to run.
I’ve followed posts discussing RR epoxy and I would look forward to having access to it. The market for it around these parts would most likely be initially biggest amongst makers of racing paddleboards. They are glassed without a bag and rely on strength of three or more layers of glass.
The glassing shop I shape at frequently repairs these type of paddleboards with Araldite. They are eggshell fragile and suck water. These are the classic problems with EPS Epoxy when used merely as a poly substitute.
I made a handfull of XPS boards 1996, using Dow blue styrene cut into profiles and glued together aka Gary Linden. They went amazingly but eventually blew the glass off in foot sq bubbles!!!
Took a while, but hopefully I will find a place in the Revolution!
Thanks again
Josh