how much epoxy

[MasterNavigator0913]

I am getting ready to purchase some supplies and dont' have a clue how much epoxy and how much and thickness of cloth.

I can certainly use some help and advise.

here are the details.

I am building a ply wood pontoon boat. Each pontoon is approx 11 feet long, triangle in shape with the bottom 28 inches and sides 20 inches. what type of cloth to use as an abrasion protective surface and how much and what type of epoxy to conpletely encapsalate the plywood.
here is a link to the plan in case you would like to look.

http://www.svensons.com/boat/?p=Novelty/Pontune

thanks

mark

[RodB]

I would be surprized if you don't end up needing 15 gallons by the time you finish...maybe more, maybe less... but you should start with 5 gallons of resin, and 2 1/2 gal of hardener (mixes up to 7 gallons) I would recommend System Three (mixes two to one... resin to hardener) and depending on your climate, you may have to split up your hardener to get some medium and some slow in addition to the standard Fast. Note: different folks use different amounts of epoxy to build the same project....depends on whether they use epoxy "liberally" or are quite "stingy" with it. System III is very easy to work with, reasonably priced, and does great in varying temps and humidity.

I live in a hot environment and use 70% Fast Hardener, approx 20% medium, or medium mixed with fast, and about 10% slow mixed with medium or by itself. Where do you live?

On cloth, you can get by glassing everything that is exposed to the weather and sun with 6 oz fiberglass cloth, but I would use Xynol polyester cloth from Defender Industries to sheath the bottom ...which gives you much better abrasion resistance and a tougher bottom. Double ( better yet triple) coat all surfaces not glassed with epoxy to insure proper mill thickness for moisture protection.

Suggestion: glass all panels on the horizontal (on 2X6's laying on sawhorses) before assembly, it is much easier to get great results...its the only way to go. Most all panels can be glassed before assembly... then just tape the joints with appropriate fiberglass tape...like the chines should be taped with biaxial 5" wide tape.

Be sure to apply a good primer and paint in finishing. If left in the water all the time, the bottom should be primed with two part epoxy primer and painted with bottom paint. Painting is another thread.

Good luck,

RB

[ 12-02-2005, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: RodB ]

[paladin]

I agree with Rod...although I would use Xynole all over....and MAS resin for the saturation...it wets out easier.

[RodB]

Paladins right about the Xynol, you just have to decide which areas will be subject to abuse and if they require the added protection...but the bottom is definitely worth using Xynol on.

I think both System III and MAS epoxies are getting closer to the same cost, and folks just tend to recommend what they are used to.

RB

[Billy Bones]

I just bought 12 g of RAKA and am Very happy with it. The ease of use over West system came as a big surprise.

Larry at RAKA will tell you how much epoxy to wet out what sort of cloth.

Good luck