Has anyone used both of these epoxies and if so what are your thoughts in comparing how they are to work with? I have used the SB 112 for a couple of boards, and am in general pretty happy with it, although the low odour and high flex of the RR sound a lot better. I have heard so much good about the RR, problem is no Canadian distributor, I was hoping someone could tell me if it was really worth the extra shipping cost.
thanks
i havent used the other stuff but i can tell you and i am sure that 95% of RR users are going to tell you its worth the extra cash once you see how well this stuff works.one of the main reasons i use rr is beacuse of the low odor, you could glass for days in your garage and it would be hard to tell.
it ain’t the shipping that’ll hurt ya
it’s the duties and brokerage charges. I’m sure Greg and the gang know how to get the right paperwork in order, but generally, for commercial items coming across the border, especially items that might get stamped hazmat, you can expect to double the cost of the item when you factor in the brokerage fees. My last order of balsa doubled in price due to bad paperwork and a broker getting involved; no fault of mine.
Can I suggest a quick trip down to Vermont for a ski weekend or the like and having the resin shipped there at the right time? I buy resin when I know I’m going Portland or Seattle for a weekend.
A quick check in the archives will fill you in re: SB112 vs. RR. I haven’t used it, but I understand that the SB112 is pretty slow in comparison and may have some volatile flow additives. I think that beyond the physical properties, the area that’s received the most attention at RR has been to do with turnover…making epoxy perform a little faster (from lamming or hotcoating through to tack free/sanding hardness) to improve production characteristics. I certainly appreciate the faster cure rates; makes life lots easier. Will say that I believe there are better resins out there for glossing with, but lamming and hotcoating with RR is a dream.
Do yourself a favor; wait until you’re going to the States and pick it up then, or have a friend bring it up. If you’re careful with your usage a 1.5gal kit will do three boards…easy…and get yourself a pint of Additive F; it’ll last four+ kits of resin and you can use it to the same effect with other epoxies you may already have in your collection.
HTH
For lamming on balsa directly to the foam I like to use the System Three stuff with it’s slow hardener gives you like over 3-4 hours to fart around trying to get your wood on right and taped down right to prevent cracking. MY Fibergalss Hawaii 2-1 even with slow hardener will kick in 20 minutes for sure,
For anything on the outside layer (lam and finish) there’s really no choice other than Greg’s stuff.
Goes on smooth no smell and is easy to work with. Finish coats with the stuff’s amazing…
Sanding and gloss wise…
Go with Greg’s stuff if you can get it and smuggle it across the border… The stuff’s that good.
But this again highlights Greg and Bert’s ever growing problem…
High volume mass production and a globally easily accessed distribution network.
Maybe they should go see Billabong Inc. words out they got cash to burn and need to by something for expansion purposes to keep thew street happy…
It’s not clothes or retail… but what they hell might as well get in on the ground level and lock in the opportunity…
a couple million here and there never hurt anyone if done right…
listen to others. Be a pirate . . . caveat though, I dunno if US to CAN border checks are intensive . . . like MEX to US ones are. They go through everything. And the bomb sniffing dogs will nail something suspecious as RR. No more shipping ganja in your hollow chambered lb’s.
I can see this now. Some new super uber resin and foam comes out and some new stringer material. But it is banned by the surf industry and PETA & US Govt for being too good. But they are developed and made in HI. HI surfboards are so good they break lips and while they don’t turn kooks into kelly, they are the next best thing to PB and Jelly.
Then we have to put the resin in wine bottles and sandwich wooden crates to ship the uber surfboard materials into the mainland.
hey Great White, thanks for the info, that was pretty much the problems i was thinking of. i may just have to take a couple short snowboard trips down to sugarloaf instead of my yearly pilgramage to Fernie and Golden. for your Balsa, there is a place in T.O. that sells bamboo veneer, 3mm thickness or thicker in full 4x8 sheets, i got some samples from them and they will even ship small orders. might be interesting alternative to balsa.
cheers