Vinylester Resin

I waded through the archives and read the things posted on this Resin. I was wondering if anybody might have something to add to the subject.Some friends of mine are building a boat out of this stuff and I can get it pretty cheap since they are buying drum lots.The way I understand it is it works about the same as normal poly resin and will also work with U.V. systems.I will probably use normal M.E.K. hardener.The boards will be opaque…I gather that it is not the ticket for a normal clear glass job due to the ugly color and lack of U.V. light inhibitors.Any input appreciated…R.B.

R.B. Vinylester Resins are basically Epoxy modified polyester resins. Typacally you get higher strength properties,higher adhesion, elongation and Heat Distortion Tempertures compared to standard Orthothalic resins (standard surfboard resin). Yes they have darker colors, but the basic rule of thumb on resins is the darker they are the stronger they are (true with epoxies as well). Both Dow Momentum and Ashland Hetron now have fairly clear VE, but nothing like the color of the standard S249A. The problems you might run into are: 1) The promotor system is probably geared towards curing a thicker laminate. Surfboards are very thin laminates and the resins are promoted to cure out in thin laminates, this is not the norm. 2)You need to make sure not to under catalyse the resin, they are typacally designed to be catalysed at 2 to 3% MEKP, not 1 to 1.75%. If you undercatalyse the resin, you will undercure the resin. If you can use UV Cure initiator instead of MEKP, this will help with both the above problems. Also, like with Epoxies, VE resins don’t do well in the sunlight. Good Luck, Sluggo I waded through the archives and read the things posted on this Resin. I > was wondering if anybody might have something to add to the subject.Some > friends of mine are building a boat out of this stuff and I can get it > pretty cheap since they are buying drum lots.The way I understand it is it > works about the same as normal poly resin and will also work with U.V. > systems.I will probably use normal M.E.K. hardener.The boards will be > opaque…I gather that it is not the ticket for a normal clear glass job > due to the ugly color and lack of U.V. light inhibitors.Any input > appreciated…R.B.

R.B.>>> Vinylester Resins are basically Epoxy modified polyester resins. Typacally > you get higher strength properties,higher adhesion, elongation and Heat > Distortion Tempertures compared to standard Orthothalic resins (standard > surfboard resin). Yes they have darker colors, but the basic rule of thumb > on resins is the darker they are the stronger they are (true with epoxies > as well). Both Dow Momentum and Ashland Hetron now have fairly clear VE, > but nothing like the color of the standard S249A.>>> The problems you might run into are: 1) The promotor system is probably > geared towards curing a thicker laminate. Surfboards are very thin > laminates and the resins are promoted to cure out in thin laminates, this > is not the norm. 2)You need to make sure not to under catalyse the resin, > they are typacally designed to be catalysed at 2 to 3% MEKP, not 1 to > 1.75%. If you undercatalyse the resin, you will undercure the resin.>>> If you can use UV Cure initiator instead of MEKP, this will help with both > the above problems.>>> Also, like with Epoxies, VE resins don’t do well in the sunlight.>>> Good Luck, Thanks Sluggo…I haven’t seen the resin yet but I think it came from ashland.Im going to do the lamination with cut lap opaques to eliminate the U.V.problem.I will have plenty of time to test it before going ahead.The main question I have is will it improve the strength/durability?Cost wise it is a little more than poly but less than epoxy.The cost doesn’t bother me I just wonder about the long run results.>>> Sluggo>>> I waded through the archives and read the things posted on this Resin. I