CPES-a modest proposal

[erebus]

This has probably already been proposed, forgive me if it has. I'm also sure that others are already doing this, at least informally but...

I've put several gallons of CPES into and onto my boat across time. I also don't let anyone say rabbits or have bannanas on my boat...Maybe it works, doesn't seem to hurt. As far as proof, I haven't seen anything real-world that sells me either way.

I would like to propose that several of us in various parts of the country do a multi-year test to see how well the stuff really does what its proponents claim. Seems like there are three basic claims:
Improves adhesion/lifespan of paints, varnishes, caulks and adhesives;
Prevents the spread of dry rot
Part of a "restore don't replace" system.

I'd like to standardize the testing as much as possible between areas and make it fairly extensive. Anyone interested?

I'm in Juneau Alaska, not much sun but it doesn't get better as far as rain/wind etc.

[Art Read]

Good idea... Though I guess that's just what we're doing, allbeit informally. As for finish adheasion, that's what sold me, and based on just initial impressions it does what it claims to. Pretty obvious when sanding for second coats compared to my un-CPESed "control" samples. For the rot preventative qualities, the jury is still out and I've used red lead as well, so... As for "repair instead of replace", I'm sceptical. Perhaps for a window sash, but not on my boat!

[PilotArt]

My first use of CPES (one year ago).

Had to remove and reinsert one piling, ten years old and came treated with the green stuff.

I scraped off the barnacles and saw a few worm holes. I put the CPES on the still damp wood over the portion that was soon to be back below the water line.

I will report back in ten or fifteen more years if there is any difference in that piling compared to the dozen that have no CPES http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[Don Z.]

As I see it, if Bob Cleek says something is good, I pretend it came from a burning bush... I don't always agree with him, mind you, but I've never known him to sell snake oil.

[Jim Surdyke]

During my working life, I have completed over 100 major yacht refits (major defined as 50' and up with a budget in the six figure range). I am now deeply involved in my last refit, my own boat, a 1936 65' ketch motorsailor. This is the first wood boat that I have had to do significant repair, restoration, replacement and addition's to the yacht platform. As it is my wife's and my intentions to cross oceans upon completion, I am very cognizant of the fact that the repairs and improvements I effect, one day could very well save or end my life.

Each decision I make or product I purchase is done under the basic premis that "drowning is not an option".

Through the Wooden Boat Forum, I became acquainted with Smith's CPES and purchased sample quantities of a number of his firms products. I conducted what tests I felt were necessary to determine for myelf whether these products would be used on "DEVSHIR".

I am completely sold on CPES. I use it as a stabilizer for wood that has suffered deterioration and I use it as a binder for epoxies, varnishes and paint coatings.

A product of Smiths that I find even more valuable than CPES, and very rarily mentioned is his Fill-It. This epoxy wood substitute does such an amazing job that I am curious why it isn't the lighting rod of his product line instead of CPES.

This is the test I performed. I took two pieces of quarter sawn white oak 2" x 6" x 24". I applied one saturation coat of CPES until all surfaces were shiney. I let dry for one day then laminated the two pieces together using SMITHS Tropical Hardwood Epoxy and put the two pieces together with grain running in opposite direction. I let sit for two days and then out of the center 12" of the board, I sawed out a free form shape that was about 75% of the wood, on a band saw using a 45 degree angle of cut. I then coated the fresh cut with CPES and let sit for a day. I then filled the area that I had cut out with SMITHS Fill-It.
I let set for a day and sanded the fill-it so that it took the shape of the 4" x 6" board. I then drilled a pilot hole into the Fill-It and screwed in a 3/8ths eye bolt.
I then painted the assembly with two coats of Smiths HiBuild Epoxy paint and let dry for two days.

To the eye bolt I tied a piece of polypropelene line and dropped the board into the LA Harbor. For 41 weeks, the board spent one week in LA Harbor then one week setting on the dock in the LA Sun (For those of you who watched todays news, LA has the destinction of being the worst place on the planet for UV A & B rays )then back in the water etc.,etc..

At the end of the test (this spring) we stripped the paint and found that the oak had not been penetrated by water and the bond between the oak and the Fill-It was unbreakable.

Works for me!

[Dale Harvey]

I built a carry box of some old cypress fence boards. They were '60's pond cypress and had some wet "punky" spots. I deliberately made the handle of a piece with a large pocket of rot in one end. I stood this end in a can of CPES and soaked for about 10 min., then used the can to prime the rest of the box, including the old used cracked fir plywood bottom. The handle is glued into a straight notch with Smith's Tropical Hardwood Epoxy. The whole thing was then coated with Cetol. The rotted end is unfilled and clearly visable. This box usually carries 15 to 20 lb. of tools, often down a dock or over water. This blatent tempting of the fates has yet to produce a problem, but is only in the first year of testing.