I have a question about waterprofing plywood. I read sometime back about using epoxy that has been deluded with some thing. But I can't find the text now. I bought some 30 min slow -cure. The guy at Hobby town want to sell me airplane dope. But didn't want to deal with the fumes. Can the epoxy be cut with alcohol ?
You should not need to cut the epoxy with anything once it has been properly mixed per instructions provided on the packaging of the epoxy.
I was looking for something that I could paint on and be thin and the hardener do it's job. I'll do a test with isoproply because that is what I have in my shop and if that does work. I'll to the big box store and buy so acetone, and see how that works if at all .
Do not cut the epoxy, you will end up with a sealing surface that, if it cures at all, does not necessarily seal. It will affect the cure time, generally. West systems epoxy is the most popular in general, is plenty runny, etc. Tap plastics marine epoxy is also a good viscosity. Stephen at strike has several other sources for good epoxy. I will freely admit that when I first got into the hobby all those years ago, I did the same thing, thinning the crap sold at my local hobby store. Did not end well, ended up scraping the goo off and coating with a better resin.
This is what West Systems has to say on the matter of thinning epoxy: http://www.westsystem.com/ss/thinning-west-system-epoxy/ In my experience, if you're using good epoxy and working in small batches, you can 'paint' it on no problem, no thinning needed. What kind of epoxy do you have?
Apply the epoxy and brush it out. If its really thick then put down small blobs and brush it out in an expanding circle and repeat until you have covered the entire surface. Then let it cure. I then take fine sand paper and do some light sanding to take out air bubbles and smooth the surface and then repeat. Sand again and put on a 3rd coat. This usually results in a nearly glassy smooth surface with very little air bubbles. I use west systems and it takes paint quite well.
Use a hair drier to heat the epoxy when it is hard to spread, as soon as the epoxy gets heated it runs like water (nearly).
Thank you all for the valuable input. It coun't have come at more opportune time. Since I wasted all of last nigth, trying to bend bambo skewers with boiling water, in the attempt make steam piping for my Japanens truncated stack. {I wonder how the Great Karnack does it?} I was just heading into my hobby room when I saw your aleart on the top right of my screen. I like the idea of using a hair drier because frankly it like Paul Bonyon winter logging quarters in there. To anwers the question what type epoxy. It is Hobby Town 30 min slow -cure. It's distribute by Bob Smith industiries. But I doubt thats of any use. The likely hood of me getting Wests Systems anytime soon. Is neal. For I have ruptured my Achilles tendon and my doctor has put no driving clause in her orders. So I'm at the whim of my wife and teenage daughter. I read the post, Nick you put up on Wests systems thinning epoxy. I like the idea about heating the part frist then applying the epoxy. Much better of my idea of putting both bottles in the microwave. And risk the raft of fore mention people, if some unforseen mishap. Well to much talking not enough doing. So I'm off to my hobby room, with my wifes hair drier in hand{what could possibly go wrong}. Thanks again guys. Skip
Thanks guys the advise you all gave .. Heating up the wood with a hair drier, made the epoxy flow like water. And I was able to cover more than I thought. But 30 min. epoxy is 30 minutes and no more. My advise to anyone is plan the work, and then work plan. In sort I went a rib to far in putting on the cap rail. to tie this all up, hair driers work great in thinning epoxy and thrift stores have often alot to choose from. So you don't have to gum up your wife's drier But you can't hurt borrowed equiptment.
