3m Epoxy vs west system

[fishinonthebrain]

I am rebuilding a transom and was wondering if anybody would recomend the 3M epoxy resin you can find at HD? There is quite a price difference between  $36.00 gal versus $98.00 for west system. i want to do it right but don't want to over spend if I don't have too.

[saltfly]

My understanding of the 3m epoxy sold at HD. Is that it is a home use epoxy and doesn’t get as hard as west system. You can tell the difference while it is curing. The west system in the mixing container, gets to hot to hold, which makes for a harder finished product. At least that’s what I was told. I know I can’t hold the container I mix west system in, while it cures.

[gran398]

I am rebuilding a transom and was wondering if anybody would recomend the 3M epoxy resin you can find at HD? There is quite a price difference between  $36.00 gal versus $98.00 for west system. i want to do it right but don't want to over spend if I don't have too.

Search "reviews" for this product.

If it cures out....and its for a pour...

Nothing wrong with saving money. And 3M has always produced quality products.

[slvrlng]

Yes, 3M is a great "marketing" company. I have never seen 3M epoxy resin at Home Depot. The only resin I have seen there is polyester. Other than the small dual mix tubes for small repairs. West system is good stuff but expensive. You need to check with US Composites and order from them. Really nice product and at a great price. I like their 3 to1 because of its cured hardness. Also don't forget that some resins aren't compatible with certain types of glass. Some have a binder on them that can only be melted off with the styrene in polyester resin.

Is this the Home depot product? Or something like it?
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... C5FXN2PX8k

Link to us composites. One good thing epoxy is non flammable so that saves shipping hazardous.
http://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html

[Capt. Bob]

Link to us composites. One good thing epoxy is non flammable so that saves shipping hazardous.
http://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html

I'll second that Lewis.
Learned about USC on this Forum and with limited experience with glass repair, the product(s) were/are easily used. I liked the customer service end, especially in helping me choose product. Not really necessary if you're an expert but helpful to us dummies. My repair on the tank cover worked well. Shipping was very fast also.

[wingtime]

Where are you located?  Your going to see if you can find a fiberglass supplier in your area.  Buying your supplies at full retail is going to get expensive.  Also I'm sure the stuff at Home Depot has a bunch of additives to give it a long shelf life...  that equals not as strong as fresh product.

[fishinonthebrain]

Yes, 3M is a great "marketing" company. I have never seen 3M epoxy resin at Home Depot. The only resin I have seen there is polyester. Other than the small dual mix tubes for small repairs. West system is good stuff but expensive. You need to check with US Composites and order from them. Really nice product and at a great price. I like their 3 to1 because of its cured hardness. Also don't forget that some resins aren't compatible with certain types of glass. Some have a binder on them that can only be melted off with the styrene in polyester resin.

Is this the Home depot product? Or something like it?
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... C5FXN2PX8k

Link to us composites. One good thing epoxy is non flammable so that saves shipping hazardous.
http://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html

It was definitly a 3M product.

[fishinonthebrain]

Where are you located?  Your going to see if you can find a fiberglass supplier in your area.  Buying your supplies at full retail is going to get expensive.  Also I'm sure the stuff at Home Depot has a bunch of additives to give it a long shelf life...  that equals not as strong as fresh product.

Located in Baton Rouge, La.

I have found a place in New Orleans called Advance Plastics that has Coosa, fiberglass, and resins. The prices are in line with anywhere else I could find online.

The price of the 3M at HD was so cheap I had to inquire.

[saltfly]

Ok I did what Scott said. I went to 3m’s web site. Their epoxy rosin isn’t listed as a marine epoxy, like west or mas. The only marine rosin they offer is a polyester rosin. Unless it is so new, its not on their web site. So you can give it a try, but with all the work it takes to restore a boat. I would hate to have to tear  epoxy  apart, after doing it once, if the epoxy fails. Now their are alot of 3m's Bondo marine products out their, which are used for fillers and patching.

[kraw2]

Stick with West Systems or a marine epoxy resin. No stink and superior waterproofing and bonding qualities.

[wingtime]

As far as epoxies go I have had very good luck with West and MAS.  I personally prefer the MAS, but the West is easier to get.

[fishinonthebrain]

Thanks guys i have a little west epoxy left and will finish my console with that so as not to use different epoxies on the same project.

 I went ahead and bought some epoxt resin,1708, and misc materials from U.S. composites this morning to do my transom. They do have some good prices and repeadly have had good recomendations on this site. I have another thread going for a 1987 CCP222 and will continue showing progress on that project.

Thanks for the advice everybody.

[orb]

I have only used epoxy from http://www.aeromarineproducts.com/ , and it works well. It is reasonably priced, a little cheaper than west systems epoxy. That being said, in the future I will be using west systems epoxy. I recently purchased "The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction" book. It documents how much research they have put into working with epoxy, how it works, what works best. I was really impressed with the amount of research they put into boat construction with epoxy. The book primarily deals with cold molding wooden boats with epoxy, but the info on epoxy in the book is so extensive. With using any other epoxy, what they claim it will do, I think is pretty much a guess. They may claim it will do alot. West systems epoxy has the research behind their products.

[Callyb]

I know this is outside of the title, but MarinExpoxy is a very good product also and the price is very reasonable. It is available at http://boatbuildercentral.com/products.php?cat=41. You might want to check it out also. I have used it a few times with very little amine blush. I have also used West System and was happy with it too, but it blushes quite a bit from my experience. I would be prepared to work wet on wet if you go that route.

[fishinonthebrain]

I know this is outside of the title, but MarinExpoxy is a very good product also and the price is very reasonable. It is available at http://boatbuildercentral.com/products.php?cat=41. You might want to check it out also. I have used it a few times with very little amine blush. I have also used West System and was happy with it too, but it blushes quite a bit from my experience. I would be prepared to work wet on wet if you go that route.

what do you mean by blushing?