General Resin Question and Procedures

General Discussion
1

Hey everybody,

Hope everyone had a good work week.  I wanted to post a couple comments/questions about some of my repairs to get your opinions on the matters.  I know there are various threads about repairs, but each one only covers part of my questions and not the whole thing.

I was watching this video on youtube of surfboard repair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeDnbLRmYk0

In the video he uses a lam resin, a sanding resin, a hot coat, and a clear coat.  Today is currently do repairs for my friends and buddies, I do really good repairs but would like to switch up the resin I use because it is a bit too think so it makes my sanding job take forever.

These are going to seem like very dumb questions, but please understand that I am in a sense a novice and I only know what I know from reading and watching videos.

In the guys video he uses all UV actived resins, except when he is filling a ding.  I understand I can’t use the PU fiberglass resin on any epoxy board because it will melt the foam inside, but if I filled the ding could I go ahead and use the polyester resins to do the outside layers and fiberglassing to fix any repair - epoxy or poly?

I want to use UV activated resins because they are easier to work with and I have as much time as i need to, but the only ones I can find that are thing enough to do nice top coats and such are poly resins.

Are the lam resin, sanding resin/hot coat, gloss resin all the same resin with just different amounts of activators that speed up the drying time?  If it is, where is the best spot for someone like me to go and buy quart to gallon size amounts of the resin and the UV activator without paying a crazy amount?  I know there are a lot of sites, but which ones have you had a good time with and enjoyed buying from?

Thanks in advance and sorry for sounding like a novice, but I really just want to be sure.

Pete

Florida

2

Hi Pete -

Yes, after filling with epoxy putty you can use polyester for glassing, hotcoating and gloss.  Make sure the ding is completely filled in though.  If there are any gaps in your filler that allow the polyester to get inside to the foam, it will cause problems.

I know it's impossible to tell sometimes but if you can, try to find out what kind of finish coat was used originally.  Some use epoxy, some use polyester and some use acrylic or urethane formulas.  Your final coat will blend in best if you use what the original glasser used.

The main difference between the laminating, hotcoat and gloss polyester resins are the wax and UV protective additives.  Hotcoat resin has a styrene/wax additive so the resin cures tack free.  The gloss has the UV protectants, self-leveling additives, and the styrene/wax additive.

Fiberglass Supply and FoamEZ ship mail orders routinely and can help you.  There are other retailers too.  Ask about hazmat charges so there is no surprise with added charges.

3

I don’t know where you are in Florida, but Surf Source is located in Florida, so that might be good for you. I have used the UV catalyst found on this page. It works really well and isn’t badly priced at around $5 for 1 gallons worth or $23 for 10 gallons worth.

Chris

4

Thanks again for all of the help guys!  Very much appreciated.  I wish I had someone this helpful at a shop here, but it is nice to find people who are willing ot help out someone who is just getting into this stuff.

 

I saw on the surfsource site that they sell the different addatives so you can just make your own sanding and lam resins…  Do you guys know the different amounts that you should add to create your laminating, sanding, and glossing coat (how much uv hardnered to add, wax, solvents, or anything else?)

 

thanks!

It just saves a lot of money if you do it yourself vs. paying for the pre mixed stuff!

5

The guys at surf-source are super to work with if you call them with your order they will help you out with the amounts recommended for use.

6

[quote="$1"] ...I understand I can't use the PU fiberglass resin on any epoxy board because it will melt the foam inside, but if I filled the ding could I go ahead and use the polyester resins to do the outside layers and fiberglassing to fix any repair - epoxy or poly? [/quote]

Hey Pete - on the flip side, I glass with epoxy, so that's what I tend to have around.  So when I do ding repairs, I use epoxy, whether the board was glassed with epoxy or polyester resin.  I use Resin Research with the fast hardener, and I haven't had any problems bonding or otherwise.

7

…so I watched the clip, please DO NOT do that thing on the repairs!

That is what happening when guys that do not have a clue start in this business…

 

I try to not make repairs anymore due to my take on them is from a boardbuilder point of view…

 

-First: you should check what type of board do you have, the finish, tints, pigments, paint, clear board?

then check the dings; for example, those dings he butchered were very small, no sand inside, no apparent fungus, etc, so you cannot use the knife, also you never use the trimmer that way! put a bit of love and basic techniques!!!

You start with those, sanding, the sander get rid of the damaged part. You should sand carefully; Try to limit the sanding area,not gouging the plastic or the foam!, etc.

-Always put less resin and more fiberglass, always.

You should check every type of ding and see what s the best to not damage more the board, then proceed with the protocol.

 

-that clip and most only show that the internet can convert whatever in a “star”

Please take the time to really understand the process and be proud to do the best work possible not only filling with resin, ruining a board take the money and call it a day.

 

-by the way, there are no such thing like PU fiberglass resin…: you are referring to Polyester resin

8

Thanks for all of the help as usual.  I always fix my friends and my boards with the same materials that were used to build them, I definitely do my research.  The only thing I do not do is color matching, and honestly if they want that they can go to a shop.  I just wanted to make sure i was doing what I thought was correct from the videos I have watched that my good friend has from the Moura Surf shop which are very educational and really show you the steps.

I am not a big time repairer nor try to be, just someone who helps out his friends with good quality repairs to help them save some money.

Thanks again everyone!  I appreciate the constructive and positve help from the most of you!

9

If you are in Florida and you are looking for a good place to buy resin in Brevard County. All Florida Fiberglass is a good place to get it