I’m about to hotcoat a 5’10 board that’s been glassed with 6oz bottom and 6+4 oz on deck.
How much epoxy resin do I need to mix up to hotcoat the deck and bottom respectively?
I’ve tried searching the archives but the computer I’m on doesn’t let me do proper searches for some reason so I appreciate all help
Thanks /Erik
Just south of a pint will be more than enough.Herb
McFly,you’re a slacker!
This is what Greg Loehr reponded some time ago: “Hot coats run just a bit more than an ounce per foot. For instance a 6’ board would take about 7 oz. per side. Longboards, 9’, take about 12-15 oz. per side.”
regards,
Håvard
I’m about to “hot coat” with West Systems Epoxy after laminating with the same mix. Do I alter the 5 to 1 ratio to speed things up or what.
I’ve only heard of hot coating with polyester, changing ratios putting additives in etc. Does this still apply with epoxy. Perhaps I warm the board up first, I’m so confused…
Can someone enlighten me…
thanks
Hicksy
I’m about to “hot coat” with West Systems Epoxy after laminating with the same mix. Do I alter the 5 to 1 ratio to speed things up or what.
I’ve only heard of hot coating with polyester, changing ratios putting additives in etc. Does this still apply with epoxy. Perhaps I warm the board up first, I’m so confused…
Can someone enlighten me…
thanks
Hicksy
NO, if i understand it correctly you need to have a faster hardener if you want it to go off quicker…or you can laminate at a higher temperature. But you cant alter the mix ratio.
Hicksy, I use the same ration of resin / hardner for my gloss as for my lam coat. Dont see any advantage in the resin going off any quicker than normal, gives you time to work with it. I’d leave it 48hrs before sanding at least.
All this additive F chat is for another epoxy system, which I dont think we get in West Oz.
pics look good
After all that swell during the week, it was flat as on Sunday!!
gray
You have to keep epoxy resin ratios the same the only way you can speed up the process is to use a faster hardner compatible with the resin, after you have mixed the epoxy you can heat the mix by putting your container of resin into some hot water,heating up the resin and mixing the resin(don’t get any h20 in the resin)this will give it a kick start. 400mls of risin would be more than enough for one side oops I mean both sides of the board.
ive goten in the habit of heating before each resin job…
a large box with a blowy heater going in ,i only use 120ml for a shorty …
when the board is hot as soon as the resin hits it it goes super runny and spreads real easy , that bit of heat in the begining helps it to kick…
just make sure any air can escape when its heating…
ive built an oven that holds 3 boards, if im working on more than 3, i will rotate them , that way as im filler coating i will pull a scorching board out the oven and bang a coat on real quick…then go back to the oven and get the next one , same again…
you could make something out of cardboard, or even a black plastic sheet draped over something, with a blowy heater blowing hot air in …
but definatly when the board is hot it really helps…if the resin and board is cold you use twice as much resin…
regards
BERT
Additive F help EMENSLY with hot coatiing. It helps the resin flow and eliminates problems (fisheyes, blush, flow issues). Before Additive F we used to heat, like Bert and still do somewhat in winter. 20 second in a microwave works wonders when it’s below 70¼. The fast hardener we now have speeds things up pretty good on hot coats as well.
As for polyester hot coats, I’m not a big fan. I’ve seen this work, but I’ve also seen failure. On West system with fast hardener, the polyester won’t even kick. This is because of a high phenol content and the blush characteristics of a straight chain aliphatic hardener.
Bert, I actually have the opposite problem, the resin is a little thin for hotcoating. It will run off the rails leaving weave showing. I usually hotcoat one side and wait with the rails untill the leftover in the bucket starts to heat up and thicken a little then hit the rails. I also always coat the entire rails when doing both sides so I’ve got double the amount on the rails. But then again I’m a newbie screwup 
Do you use or have tested the oven for postcure as well? If so does it have a noticable effect?
regards,
Håvard
Just a query, what are you guys using to apply the resin to the board for the hot coat. I’ve heard of foam rollers, squeegees, brushes. What medium gives the best results.
I like the idea of the hot box Bert, I’ll be trying that in this cold weather…
thanks in advance
Hicksy
havard…
yea i double up on the rails as well …
coz i bag my glass on , its a lot flatter without as much weave texture…
so i give a light sand on the rails just so the weave shows and is scuffed, leave some resin on the flats but use a real dry brush on the rails , when its dry i do the other side the next day , give the rails another light scuff , with 150 dont hit weave this time,and another dry brush coat on the rails , that way youve had 2 chances to get any pinholes…
so finally when i sand i have no weave coming through…
so i can finish with a coat of 2 pac…
brush works fine,i use a squeegee on my own boards ,im a bit of a fanatic when it comes to getting my own boards super light…
regards
BERT
Well, i finished my hotcoating on both sides now, on the deck I used about 300+ grams or about 300ml and had about a third of that leftover when done.
For the bottom I used only about 240grams and still got a little bit leftover.
So next time on a 6’ board I’ll try around 200grams.
I’ve used SP systems epoxy called SP115 both for lamination and now hotcoat on my board.
Very easy to work with, good clarity, nice and thin and wets out weave well too. Also sands quite easily when well cured.
I’ll recommend this epoxy, but have never tried any other brands so far.
Thanks for all the help
Next sanding to be done and then glosscoating with polyurethane varnish also from SP systems.
Also gonna be putting in RED X boxes and plugs, almost done…
/Erik