Will vinylester resin stick to royalex?
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Will vinylester resin stick to royalex?
Or is epoxy resin the only way to go? I am repairing an old canoe for a friend trying to squeeze a few more years out of it. Thanks.
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Rumplestiltskin
- C Boater
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 4:43 pm
Vinylester resins, depending on formulation, are usually just as tenacious as the epoxies.
Just be sure it (the vinylester resin) is fresh (recently promoted) and that the MEKP catalyst is still potent.
Nothing holds forever to ABS, so using a good vinylester rather than an epoxy is no big deal. But if you have any reservations about the age or formulation of the vinylester, then do yourself a favor and get some fresh West System Epoxy. That stuff is readily available and simple to use. Most people are more than happy with the results it produces.
Most of the work involved in repairing an ABS canoe is surface preparation, and skimping on the resin by using an old formulation is a false economy. Since using something fresh is the best idea, why not get the West System epoxy?
Just be sure it (the vinylester resin) is fresh (recently promoted) and that the MEKP catalyst is still potent.
Nothing holds forever to ABS, so using a good vinylester rather than an epoxy is no big deal. But if you have any reservations about the age or formulation of the vinylester, then do yourself a favor and get some fresh West System Epoxy. That stuff is readily available and simple to use. Most people are more than happy with the results it produces.
Most of the work involved in repairing an ABS canoe is surface preparation, and skimping on the resin by using an old formulation is a false economy. Since using something fresh is the best idea, why not get the West System epoxy?
good quality vinylester will stick to abs (up to a point) if you rough up the surface adequately.
The one thing you are likely to find is that the vinylester is less flexible and more brittle than a good epoxy - ie:West System, System3.
Since ABS tends to flex quite a bit, you are probably better off with Epoxy. Unless you are making a major repair, you won't need enough epoxy to make the cost difference a major thing.
The one thing you are likely to find is that the vinylester is less flexible and more brittle than a good epoxy - ie:West System, System3.
Since ABS tends to flex quite a bit, you are probably better off with Epoxy. Unless you are making a major repair, you won't need enough epoxy to make the cost difference a major thing.
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Rumplestiltskin
- C Boater
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- Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 4:43 pm
If I recall correctly, Markdc70 was once a new boat builder with a single Fanatic mold that he had picked up from this board. A couple years ago (?) he was asking here about how to proceed with his first boat-building project, and had purchased his materials and supplies from JRS for the job.
My assumption is that he has some vinyl ester resin left over from those days, and was thinking about using it to help extend the life of a buddy's ABS canoe.
My advice is to use fresh resin only, regardless of formulation. The shelf life of vinyl ester resins is relatively short once it is promoted. (Epoxy resins usually remain good for a longer period, all other things being equal.)
BTW, Mark, how did your first attempt at using the Fanatic mold turn out? If you are willing to do a serious ABS repair, playing with the resins and cloths must have been an OK experience! Have you paddled anything you built yet? How about posting a progress report on your "first one?"
With the popularity of lightweight glass boats growing among the longboat C-1 set, paddlers that are willing to build (and show others how to do it) will likely experience an increase in paddling "friends!"
My assumption is that he has some vinyl ester resin left over from those days, and was thinking about using it to help extend the life of a buddy's ABS canoe.
My advice is to use fresh resin only, regardless of formulation. The shelf life of vinyl ester resins is relatively short once it is promoted. (Epoxy resins usually remain good for a longer period, all other things being equal.)
BTW, Mark, how did your first attempt at using the Fanatic mold turn out? If you are willing to do a serious ABS repair, playing with the resins and cloths must have been an OK experience! Have you paddled anything you built yet? How about posting a progress report on your "first one?"
With the popularity of lightweight glass boats growing among the longboat C-1 set, paddlers that are willing to build (and show others how to do it) will likely experience an increase in paddling "friends!"
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Rumplestiltskin
- C Boater
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 4:43 pm