Epoxy Brands
 

Is there a difference between epoxy adhesives purchased from Hobby store and the ones at hardware stores? Tks

I, have used most brands from both hobby shops and hardware stores (all 15 minute or longer) and have had good success with all; just pay attention to the mixing instructions and measure amount carefully. I avoid the 5 minute stuff if at all possible as it is easy to foul it up.

I have been using hobby store stuff. I will try hardware store brands like Devcon for convenience. The strongest ones I have used is Hysol 9460 .

Since I build boats as well as planes, I tend to use epoxy made for marine use, West Systems. Unlike the hobby shop and hardware store epoxies, West's has just about any additive you could want made specifically to mix with the resin and hardener

I have used both and generally stick with the stuff from the hobby shop because of the rate he turns his stock over. I like to keep my epoxy as fresh as possible. Also you won't find finishing epoxy in any hardware store for fiberglassing airplanes.

Like the others, it depends on what you are using it for. Finishing, fuel proofing laminating, construction. I like Zap finishing resin for glassing and also BSI. I've used the hardware brands as well with good success for general construction.

Keep in mind when you purchase a hobby brand from the local hobby shop like Zap or BSI that raptureboy mentioned and I also use, you are keeping the LHS in business and you have someone willing to help you when you have a problem.

West System and System Three are heads and shoulders above Devcon or relabeled hobby chain brands (Tower Hobbies, etc).

But the cure times are hours rather than minutes. No such thing as a free lunch.

Hardware store and hobby store are about equal. OK for most modeling uses.

Chandlery and direct from manufacturer are the good stuff. If you are glassing a fuselage or wing - get the real lamiating epoxy and thickeners.

Download the free .pdf Epoxy Book from System Three to learn a LOT about various hardeners and additves that will allow you to get the most out of epoxy. There are ways to lighten, strengthen, speed or slow that most folks are not aware of. If you don't know what "thixotropic" or "milled fiberglass" means you are missing half of the usefulness of epoxy.

https://www.systemthree.com/pages/literature

Actually, all epoxies take 24 or more hours to cure. Just getting hard doesn't mean it's cured. When I built my first boat, I used hobby shop epoxy. The stuff was hard as a rock in four hours but, when I pulled off the tape used to hold everything together, the epoxy let go and everything fell apart. I had to clean off the now hard epoxy(using Exacto knives, no Dremel or power tools then) redo everything and found it took over 12 hours to actually hold

Yes, the cure time is very often not realized by the average modeler. Even 5 minute epoxy takes several hours to reach full strength. What many do not realize is that the quoted time such as 5 minute, 30 minute etc. are the average time it takes to become tack free at room temperature or time that you should allot to use it after mixing and even this varies with total bulk of the mix and minor temperature variations.

When they say 5, 15, 30, minutes they are talking working tiome. The longer the work time the more time it has to penetrate the wood. I allow a minimum of 24 hours for full strength to be safe.

Interesting book Charlie P. , thanks for posting the link!