Most of us use epoxy in small batches, mixing several ounces at once. This gets the job done 95% of the time. But for some projects, such as large laminating jobs, you may need large batches of epoxy. Before you begin, you should understand what’s involved in mixing big batches of epoxy. Continue reading
By Meade Gougeon — GBI Founder
The 70′ sailboat RAGE holds the record for the fastest elapsed time for a monohull from the west coast to Hawaii. In 1994, she set the record of eight days, seven hours and thirteen minutes in the West Marine Pacific Cup from San Francisco to Kanoehe, Hawaii. RAGE took another seven hours off that record this past year. Continue reading
Futurist Daniel Burrus lists Fiber-Reinforced Composites (more commonly known as Fiber-Reinforced Plastic or FRP) as one of the top twenty core technologies that will shape the future. In company with FRC are genetic engineering, superconductors, thin-film deposition and so on. Among the top twenty core technologies, FRC is the only one you can use in your own little shop, for really important things like your boat or similar hobbies. Continue reading
When replacing planking, often you have to drill a new hole through the wood and “hit” the existing hole on the frame (so as not to riddle the frame with new holes). This tool will help you properly locate the new hole. You can either modify a set of barbecue tongs to make this tool, or fashion one from strips of aluminum. Drill a hole in the blades. Attach a pointed stud to the lower blade. Continue reading
Corners that require fiberglassing need to be rounded to allow the fiberglass cloth to conform to the corner. If the fabric you are working with won’t conform to a rounded corner, here’s a tip that may help. When draping fiberglass around a corner, orient it so the fibers are at a 45° angle to the corner. The fibers will conform much better than if oriented at 90°, because they are not bending nearly as much. Continue reading
Maine has always been a great place for boat lovers and boat builders. The two converge every year at the Maine Boat Builders Show in Portland. Despite Maine’s late winter snows, large crowds attend the show. Here are some of the boats exhibited at one show—coincidentally, their builders used WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy. Continue reading
Canoecraft by Ted Moores and Marylyn Mohr
Canoecraft—By Ted Moores & Marilyn Mohr
Step-by-step instructions for building a strip composite canoe. Features detailed drawings and photographs. Includes offsets for 7 designs. Revised and expanded. 32 pages.
This cedar and cherry strip canoe was built by Rex Southwell of Port Charlotte, Florida. Continue reading
Courtesy of Wessex Resins & Adhesives, Romsey, England
Peter Warner has always been interested in old cars. Late in 1990, he saw an old Citroen 2CV in a car scrap yard. After some negotiation, he paid about <£60 to have the “donor” vehicle delivered to his home. He wanted only the chassis, tires, wheels and the steering column. The old body was collected and taken back to the scrap yard one week later as part of the £60 deal. Continue reading
Adding a coloring agent to WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy is frequently done to make colored castings, highlight an epoxy coated surface, act as a colored base coat for paint, etc. Most powdered pigments are satisfactory, as are acrylic paste pigments and universal tinting pigment. Continue reading
