Strongest Most Flexable Epoxy Around??

[boardinthehills]

I need something that is going to hold a delam/clean break; edges are still luckly attached. Any ideas?

[RootSkier]

Any decent slow cure marine epoxy will work. Just make sure to spread it around well, heat helps.

[likwid]

MAS or West.
Take your pick.
Slow hardener.
Lots of pressure and heat if you can do it.

[RootSkier]

Oh yeah, put some wax on areas where you want to be able to remove the epoxy later. Save yourself a bunch of effort.

[The Suit]

For an application like that where you need some flexibility, I think that West System's G/flex will work better than their standard laminating resin.

[vanisle]

I use West Systems with an adhesive filler and have been super happy with it.That new G-Flex looks like just the ticket for doing occasional repairs on skis.

[boardinthehills]

Nice. Thanks for the tip. I hope this saves my touring season.

Still use heat to slow the cure process with West G-Flex process?



As a side note do not try and split a Burton. Way to much effort. Cheap side wall snapped on a steep skin. Last Burton I buy; when I started drilling holes some wood was rotted out with no prior d-lam. Kind of hard to warranty something that you sawed in half.

[The Suit]

Still use heat to slow the cure process with West G-Flex process?

Heat will speed up the cure and decrease the working time you have before the epoxy starts to set. You can heat your epoxy with a hairdryer/heat gun before application in order to lower viscosity and get better penetration to the damaged area.

Once you've worked your epoxy into the damaged area and clamped it, it will cure at room temperature.

[arild]

Kind of hard to warranty something that you sawed in half.

Good idea on not buying any more Burtons. They sport all but quality. Lots of bling though.
Did you try warrantying it?

"Dear Burton,
I was in the process of sawing my board in half in order to make a splitboard. When I did this, I discovered rotted wood. Pictures attached.

Best regards,
---------"

Please do this, and post their reply.

[MultiVerse]

You can’t go wrong with West Systems but I’ve had even better luck with Smith & Co’s stuff:

http://www.smithandcompany.org/products.html

http://www.glueoakandteak.com/

Which can be purchased here:

http://www.rotdoctor.com/products/awg.html

Their marketing is terrible—because they are a bunch of chemists selling really high end epoxies that they make in house to those who already know their stuff—but “Oak & Teak Epoxy Glue” is the same as “All Wood Glue” which will work on wood, metal, plastic, etc. and remains flexible (it’s designed for salt water ships & boats) and is waterproof.

[boardinthehills]

^Did you happen to see the Tropical Wood Epoxy for "when flexibility is important." Seems like a cool concept as they relate it to having the strength of the wood "lignum vitae". Wikied it. Apparently measures as the strongest of all trade woods.

[MultiVerse]

^^^ Next time I place an order, the Tropical Hardwood Epoxy Adhesive is on the list but I haven’t tried it yet.

Also, if anyone ever has rotting wood, wood that will no longer hold a finish, or just want to waterproof it; the Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES) is magic. It basically penetrates the cellular structure and turns it into epoxy. So anything water damaged; let it dry out, brush on CPES, then glue with epoxy.

It’s not UV resistant so it requires either paint or a clear-coat but I’ve used it to restore 100 year old sun baked wood that couldn’t hold primer or paint and after using CPES the wood held a finish like it was new. Bummer; it’s so expensive.