Repair & maintenance: Epoxy mixes

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Epoxy mixes

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Repair & maintenance
Forum Discription: Questions & tips on the subject
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6744
Printed Date: 08 Aug 25 at 1:34am
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Topic: Epoxy mixes

Posted By: zailor
Subject: Epoxy mixes
Date Posted: 18 May 10 at 5:28pm

I have some of those powders you put into epoxy to make it so more magical things!

I have collodical sillica
Microballoons (sound like something the smurfs have on a birthday party!)
And Mirofibres.

I've used the sillica to make the epoxy more, thick and thats what I used to fix the "shark bite" in my dagger board my moulding it into a blob and sanding down.

Anyway, what do there magic powders do to epoxy and what are their uses?

Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 18 May 10 at 5:49pm

Silica - thicker/thixotropic, brittle
Microfibres - stronger, flexible
microballoons and similar - lighter and, since you use less epoxy, probably cheaper

Posted By: zailor
Date Posted: 18 May 10 at 5:57pm

so Im guessing I was right using silica for the dager board so its strong but brittle but I wont want flex

But the microfibers will be good for fixing my europe deck as in its old age its bound to flex!

And microballons, filling holes?
By lighter do you mean in weight or something else, forgive my dumbness

Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 18 May 10 at 7:15pm

by lighter he means less dense, yes- microballoons are hollow glass spheres.
silica does help make the finished resin harder, but in formulation tends to come into it's own in viscosity control- important more for un-cured properties, such as the ability to mix properly when pumped through a "static" mixer.

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-_
Al

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 May 10 at 8:20pm

The silica is the most difficult to sand back after, too, which may affect where you use it.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: zailor
Date Posted: 18 May 10 at 8:37pm

yes I found that out when I used it on my dagger board, I used the massive blob then sand down technique.

Thank god for power tools

So last question, would I use the micro fibres/ballons to get the right viscosity or add sillica to the epoxy/balloon/fibres mix?