If your swim platform is experiencing water penetration, a repair or even a rebuild could be in your near future. We’ll show you how to measure the damage, and perform a successful repair that will last for years to come.
As a homeowner, I like to apply my WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy skills and expertise to basic household repairs. There are always repairs and improvements needed around my house, and keeping WEST SYSTEM Epoxy on hand helps to solve many of my personal DIY challenges. Great resources for tackling home repairs can be found in back issues of Epoxyworks. I’ll list some of the home repair and improvement articles that I have found especially helpful. Continue reading
Cover photo: The Farrier folding trimaran Nelda Ray under sail following Don Gutzmer’s aluminum mast step repair.
I received a call from a friend of mine who owns a 2004 Farrier F33RX folding trimaran, the 33′ Nelda Ray. This sailboat is a frequent competitor in regattas on the Great Lakes. The aluminum mast step was compressing the deck and causing laminate failure. I told my friend I’d figure out what went wrong and then fix it so it would never happen again. I’ll outline the process I used to make this successful repair. Continue reading
Here’s how we recently repaired a rotted Chris-Craft transom. The boat* had rotted stringers, transom, cockpit sole, and other problems common in fiberglass boats. I’ll explain the process we used for replacing the transom to provide some direction on tackling similar projects. Continue reading
A picture of an Equinox Snowcoach 685 inspired me to build a similar snow sled for my young kids. Growing up in Michigan, I learned to appreciate the outdoors. I remember snowmobiling with my family at a young age and those memories stayed with me as I got older. I still look forward to the few times each year I go up north to trail ride. I want my kids to appreciate snowmobiling as much as I do so, I decided to build an enclosed sled to pull behind my snowmobile. Continue reading
Cover photo: THE ANIMAL alongside one of Jon Staudacher’s other projects, an acrobatic airplane. Photo by Avram Golden.
My good friend and previous employer, Jon Staudacher, always surprises me with how he designs and builds his projects. Jon creates everything from hydroplanes to airplanes using materials and methods that are logical and practical. He would say he treats most of the things he builds like a science project, experimenting with new concepts in design and materials, and continually learning new things. I will explain some of Jon’s unique approaches to a few of his recent projects. Continue reading
“Should I use the 105 System or G/flex® Epoxy for my project?” This is a great question. Here’s what a Technical Advisor thinks about when recommending one type of WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy over another. Let’s start by comparing the handling characteristics and mechanical properties of both the 105 System and G/flex. This will show you the advantages of each and when one system is better suited over another for your project. Continue reading
For those who want to work with epoxy resin and hardener, each February Gougeon Brothers provides a Fiberglass Boat Repair Class for repair professionals. Here are some of the basic techniques we teach in the class, as well as helpful tips for working with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy.
What is the difference between working time, pot life and cure time? All three are slightly different. Continue reading
Featured image (above): A scrap of curved fiberglass panel was the perfect piece to extend the nose of the car body to match the new profile.
Creating things has been a passion of mine over the years, and I continue to improve my skills and grow more proficient at building composite parts. I also enjoy the challenge of helping others create one-off composite parts. I’m happy to share some of the materials and techniques I’ve used over the years to build composites with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy and provide an example of a recent project. Continue reading
Why use a WEST SYSTEM specialty epoxy? I will cover the important characteristics of each of our three specialty epoxies. After reading this short article, you may see a use for one of these products in your future. Continue reading