EZZ70
Well-Known Member
Hey,
If you own a fibreglass boat chances are sooner or later you will have to face a repair of some sort weather it be a chip, scratch, crack, delamination, hole in-fill or perhaps a full on restore project or projects much like I have done, which then, you will be faced with both cosmetic and structural challenges and decisions.
As I researched "what to do" and "when to do it" I have found many many conflicting opinions and methods, the biggest of all question was, What resin do I use? I have found that, like any topic, ppl will argue pro's and con's just for the sake of arguing, which can be frustrating to say the least. By reading thread after thread I just became more confused and doubtful that I could ever be confidant enough to get started on this massive undertaking, so as the days and weeks of research went on I decided to re-focus research specifically on successful individuals in the fibreglass business and what they had to say. Here is my findings...
TO GET SATRTED:
Q. Regardeless of the repair the question more often than not is, which type of resin do I use polyester, vinylester or epoxy?
A. The most "COMMON" repair will be made with polyester resin
With that being said, there is no "one resin fits all". each resin has its own properties and application for its intended use, several other factors must be considered such as, is it above or below water line, is it structural or cosmetic, what will be your finish material (paint or gelcoat or non), what materials (fibreglass cloth) will you be using and on what materials will it be applied/bonded to (existing polyester, vinylester or epoxy), just to mention a few determining factors for making your decision selection.
The advise that I received was, "not all resins are manufactured of equal quality" automotive differs from marine resin so when selecting a retailer please insure that it is one that has a high turnover of product because resin does have a recommended shelf life. Some resins have a longer shelf life than others but regardless, something to be aware of. You don't want to purchase expired resin as the chemical properties will have changed resulting in less than expected material performance or failure.
As the days and weeks go by I will try and keep adding to this topic in hopes that I can help individuals make the correct resin selection and/or at the very least provide me with another task, just what I needed! LOL
Thank you
Rob S
If you own a fibreglass boat chances are sooner or later you will have to face a repair of some sort weather it be a chip, scratch, crack, delamination, hole in-fill or perhaps a full on restore project or projects much like I have done, which then, you will be faced with both cosmetic and structural challenges and decisions.
As I researched "what to do" and "when to do it" I have found many many conflicting opinions and methods, the biggest of all question was, What resin do I use? I have found that, like any topic, ppl will argue pro's and con's just for the sake of arguing, which can be frustrating to say the least. By reading thread after thread I just became more confused and doubtful that I could ever be confidant enough to get started on this massive undertaking, so as the days and weeks of research went on I decided to re-focus research specifically on successful individuals in the fibreglass business and what they had to say. Here is my findings...
TO GET SATRTED:
Q. Regardeless of the repair the question more often than not is, which type of resin do I use polyester, vinylester or epoxy?
A. The most "COMMON" repair will be made with polyester resin
With that being said, there is no "one resin fits all". each resin has its own properties and application for its intended use, several other factors must be considered such as, is it above or below water line, is it structural or cosmetic, what will be your finish material (paint or gelcoat or non), what materials (fibreglass cloth) will you be using and on what materials will it be applied/bonded to (existing polyester, vinylester or epoxy), just to mention a few determining factors for making your decision selection.
The advise that I received was, "not all resins are manufactured of equal quality" automotive differs from marine resin so when selecting a retailer please insure that it is one that has a high turnover of product because resin does have a recommended shelf life. Some resins have a longer shelf life than others but regardless, something to be aware of. You don't want to purchase expired resin as the chemical properties will have changed resulting in less than expected material performance or failure.
As the days and weeks go by I will try and keep adding to this topic in hopes that I can help individuals make the correct resin selection and/or at the very least provide me with another task, just what I needed! LOL
Thank you
Rob S
