West system G-flex?

[Bill Griffin]

I've read some comments here and there about using G-flex epoxy with white oak. Does anyone have any real experience with this product? I'm thinking of using it to laminate some white oak frames but holding off, I don't want to be the guinea pig on this.
thanks,
Bill

[JimConlin]

Not to worry.
Rockport Marine used G/Flex to laminate white oak frames for the restoration of Bolero, the S&S yawl.

[David G]

I've used it myself. It has a good track record since its introduction.

[stevebla]

I have some and use it for small jobs works well for me. The 1 to 1 mix is nice, it is a bit amber. Expensive.

[Dan McCosh]

I've read some comments here and there about using G-flex epoxy with white oak. Does anyone have any real experience with this product? I'm thinking of using it to laminate some white oak frames but holding off, I don't want to be the guinea pig on this.
thanks,
Bill

I've tried it, but can't comment on it much. Too many variables. I have done many rib laminates with conventional West epoxy, with no failures. Rib lamination is not an application with much strain on the glue joint anyway--the loads mainly are carried by planking fasteners.

[Bill Griffin]

Thanks folks, for the quick answers. Makes my winter plans much easier! I'll try to remember to post photos once I get started.

[Lance F. Gunderson]

It was used to re-glue a 36' unstayed spruce mast for my sharpie two years ago; holding up well so far.

[JimConlin]

At list prices for a gallon or two, G/Flex is about 25% more than 105/20x. I don't know whether it's in the usual distribution channels.

[Jay Greer]

I plan to use it for sistering the six broken frames in the engine bay of "Bright Star". I also used it to splice on a new mast head section and it is holding just fine.
Jay

[James McMullen]

Why would you use a product with no long-term track record with a material that really does have a long-term track record of failures when gluing? White oak possesses one of the more extreme variations in dimensional stability between wet and dry of any of the common boatbuilding timbers. This is but one of the reasons why white oak is most commonly used in structures utilizing mechanical fasteners over flexible bedding compounds.

Seriously, is there some sort of shortage of those woods that are known to work well with epoxy that you are required to fall back on white oak? Why earth would you borrow trouble when there are any number of woods that have no problems whatsoever? Or do you just feel lucky or somethin'?

There's no reason to buy special miracle epoxies if you simply use any of the dozens and dozens of suitable species for which we do have a long-term track record of success over time.