Hello all,
This will be my first post on this board.
A few years ago i built a strip canoe, using W.E.S.T., had a great experience, easy to work with, very strong, no problems what so every, execpt the price. I just recently re priced it at about $85 gallon (resin and hardern, if bought in 5 gallons).
I have been out on ebay and there is a guy out in CA selling his product for about $35 less per gallon. To finish my two current projects i need about 15 gallons.
My questions are: Has anybody ever used this guy? Is there much variation in epoxy quality? With west are you paying more for the name?
Hope I am not rehashing an old post. Thank much.
Give RAKA Epoxy a call. http://www.raka.com/ Quality is great, friendly people, good price. -John
ReplyDeleteYou have used RAKA? I have used the cloth and filler, never tried their epoxy, the price is certainly right.
ReplyDeleteI built a weekender (Stevenson Projects) three or four years ago. I used way too much epoxy. Didn't realize at the time that a little goes a long way. I think this is the unsinkable little boat... It's always interesting to see people's first epoxy ply boats.. Epoxy everywhere! I used Raka because the Weekender site resommended it at the time. There were many people using it, and no one has ever complained as far as I know. It works real well, i got two differenet speed hardeners, and as long as you don't put about 5 squirts in a dixie cup and sit it on the workbench, everything is as expected. When I did that, smoke was pouring out of the cup as it melted into my maple bench... Something about thermal properties.. Live and learn. Now I put it in a flat pan if I need more then a little bit at a time. Here is a picture of the boat I built.. -John
ReplyDeleteOoops here is the picture.
ReplyDeleteAttachment: tnP1000339.JPG
Here it is bigger then 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. Technology!
ReplyDeleteAttachment: P1000309.JPG
Tell me more about your project. I have looked at the weekender and Vacationer several times, just cann't get my wife on board for the idea of sailing all weekend. How long did it take to build? Did you use marine grade plywood?
ReplyDeleteSend me all the pictures you can. If I can ever finish these duck hunting boats I am going to start the vacationer. aholley@bankfirstnational.com Thanks One question just to clarify, you used luan plywood? Not Marine grade? I bought marine grade for my duck skiff, spent a grand on the wood and shipping, then I am going to encase it in epoxy. Not sure if that makes for the most sense. Andrew
ReplyDeleteI used luan, I couldn't afford Marine grade. Marine grade is guarenteed to not have voids. I got a sheet of luan, and drew some of the smaller parts on it, and cut it up. No voids. I figured, that yes, marine would be better, but the biggest diff is voids, and the glue that is used. I cut out a 4 x 4 section, and boiled it on the stove, it didn't delamenate. So, I bought Luan, it was 8.99 a sheet, and I coated it with epoxy which soaked in, sealing it up. The outside wasn't a problem, it had expoy, fibreglass, and two layers of epoxy to fill the weave, then a high built primer, and two coats of marine (Interlux) paint, then auto wax once the paint settled for a couple of months. Nothing, I mean nothing is getting through that hull. Least of all water. So, if you can afford it buy marine, you will know there are no voids, you will know the glue is good. You will pay through the nose. Or, spend the 20 bucks a sheet for luan (It's doubled in the past 5 years) and test it until you are satisfied. My two cents. -John
ReplyDeleteThanks, i think. Now to night I have to go home, walk through the garage and see a pile $1,000 pile of plywood, when I could have gotten by with spending about $250. Live and learn i guess. Thanks for all the info.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with using good stuff. You can sleep at night knowing you used the right stuff for the job. I cut corners. My goal was to build a boat that was workboat quality, and I couldn't break the bank. -John
ReplyDeleteHey, yeah I remembered once there's a guy out in Califorinie selling the epoxy very reasonable but, I don't have any knowledge about good it is.. But here is the site http://www.jgreer.com That place have it all foam, epoxy, and bulk epoxy in barrels up to 55 gallons... and some how to(s) Their price is $68.00 per 1 and a 1/2 gallons.. No kidding.. they have a 83 gallons kits too, and their 6 gallons kit run $240.00
ReplyDelete