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Re: West Sys #205
By:lee
Date: 10/14/1999, 11:29 am
In Response To: West Sys #205 (Dave)

Dave, I'm no expert but have used 205 for a quick extra layer in the cockipit with some 4 oz cloth. It will work. It will have an amine blush that you will have to wash off after the stuff cures, so subsequent fill coats will have to go on long before the stuff sets. The thing to be careful is when you mix a batch and the room temperature is above 60degrees, if you don't get that stuff spread out it will warm up and start to set. I'm not talking just about going off in the mixing cup in 50degree ambient temp after 10minutes, I'm thinking of 30 minutes down the line and you need to sqeegee some more in one area and the stuff doesn't flow, it's wet, but you can't move it. So glassing operations should be well thought out without worry of delays. It's not the time to learn how to glass and learn how to glass with fast epoxy. Try a few test panels with angles to get some idea how it works in time and temperature. If room temperature fluctuates and you glass at 50degrees, it goes to 65, get back to it 18hrs later you might have a blush that will inhibit a fill coat,removing blush from a squeegeed fiberglass sounds dificult ,the surface is textured. I was perplexed by the "not for clearcoating directions" also, I'm not sure if that means their 207 is more than a preferable option,or that the blush is simply a lot and complicates glassing.

Other thoughts, since the West systems is 5/1 ratio make very sure that your pumps are accurate, as incomplete pumping throw the ratio way off,graduated measuring cups are a good idea. My understanding is that West Systems is good stuff for controlled environments. For environments with fluctuating temperatures, slower curing stuff is more condusive to learning.

Wrong stuff? If your workspace is a constant 40-50 degrees it's workable, I just wouldn't recommed learning on large areas of the boat with your only hunk of glass. I survived glassing with regular cure in 88degree,I saw that there was no way I was going to be able to finish squeegeeing the other half of wetted glass in time so ended up cutting out a big wet messy wad of fiberglass.

If the temerature fluctuates a lot fast cure will complicate the sequencing of layers uninhibited by blush. I installed shear clamps and deck rings with fast glue because I wanted to get to the next stage.

Other misc. thoughts, cold glue is more viscous than warm glue, thicker glue is a little more work to glass with, cold epoxy that is mixed up thouroughly will begin to thin as it warms from thorough mixing,then thin more in the cup as the chemical reaction begins, then it might thicken a little going on cold wood,so it is a little deceiving trying to figure out if the stuff is setting or cold. I know where I'm going now.... It's the roller and brushes,the roller holds lots of glue and can warm up and go off even though what is on the boat is still workable,and what is in the tray is still workable.

It's still workable....I'm just getting excited thinking about it.

Messages In This Thread

West Sys #205
Dave -- 10/14/1999, 10:30 am
Re: West Sys #205
lee -- 10/14/1999, 11:29 am
Re: West Sys #205
Ross Leidy -- 10/14/1999, 10:56 am
Re: West Sys #205
Tom P -- 10/15/1999, 8:52 pm