I have a question regarding the use of West System Epoxy in surfboard lamination…has anyone out there used it (not bagging – just traditional glassing methods)? I have a friend who has a couple of gallons left over from a canoe project and he has offered to give me the left-over resin and hardener. I am a first-time builder, but I must admit that I am fairly happy with how my shaping turned out and I don’t want to screw things up at this point with a poor glass job. My glassing schedule will be 2 – 6 oz. layers on bottom and 3 – 6 oz. layers on deck (this is on a 1 lb. EPS blank sealed with light weight spackle). I realize there may be yellowing with the use of West System, I am planning on tinting lamination with yellow; I also intend to finish the sanded finish with a UV protective acrylic sealer – any info on that kind of product would also be helpful.
I realize there have been previous discussions on the use of West System, but I didn’t see any definitive answers/results.
Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated!
I’ve heard people rag on it but it has been used for years on boats and other stuff with good results. As you know, it will turn yellow. It is also a blushing type of resin so surface prepping between coats is recommended. Other than that, it is a good product - just not specifically formulated for surfboards.
Pay attention to the 5:1 ratio and mix well.
Beware of some tough work ahead if you decide on cutting through double and triple layered laps.
If the resin is free, spend some money on the 207 hardener. The 207 is a little slower, but the 205 hardener blushes like crazy and really deteriorates under UV. The 207 has UV inhibitors and doesn’t blush any more than RR does. It is, however, yellow, straight outta the can. That said, if you’re already planning on tinting yellow, who cares.
As it turns out, it is 207 hardner; I did a test piece - you are right about the yellow (my test did not have pigment in it) and the cured piece is quite yellow. I’m very pleased with how the stuff saturated the cloth and tucking the rail was slick! The one problem I had was cutting the lap, I waited until the lamination was essentially solid, and when I cut the lap it pulled up way to much foam (because it was solid and because the resin seeped under the masking tape).
How do I know when it’s OK to flip and trim the laps while the resin is still pliable yet not so tacky as to stick to the stand? Does wax paper on the stand pad prevent sticking (just a thought)?