Jim Oliver

My Feedback: (1)

HI GUYS,

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY DISCUSSION ON THE "BEST" CA GLUE OR THE "BEST" EPOXY FOR GENERAL BUILDING (BALSA/PLY/ETC).

AT ONE TIME I USED ALL THREE GOLDBERG "JET" CA'S WITH SATISFACTION; ALSO USED HOBBY POXY II. RECENTLY I HAVE TRIED BOB SMITH CA BUT NOT TOTALY HAPPY WITH IT DUE TO SHORT SHELF LIFE. HAVEN'T FOUND A REPLACEMENT FOR HOBBY POXY II; HAVE BEEN USING ZAP 30 MIN. Z-POXY.

SOMEONE PLEASE INFORM ME ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND TO BE "BEST".

THANKS,

Ed Smith

You will get as many answers to these questions as there are people who reply.
I will offer my opinions on epoxy. There seems to be two epoxy resins that have risen to prominence for our use. West Systems and MGS. West systems is a top quality brand and has three hardeners available, basically, slow, med. and fast. When I mold my fuselages I layup both halves and join them in the mold while still wet. For this I need three hours working life in the resin. West slowest hardener does not give me this.
MGS has two hardeners, slow and fast. The slow gives about 6 hours working life and the fast 20 mins. The two hardeners can be mixed to allow the user to customize the working life. MGS supplies a chart that shows the different working life and cure times for different hardener mixes. I now use MGS exclusively. I use it for molding, gluing on wing skins and as a finishing resin.

Ed S

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Jim,

Put the Ca in the refig when not using and bring it out several hours prior to building, It will keep alot longer..

scott

stegre

Has anybody here used flexible epoxy? If so, who is your source?

Steve

boater

My Feedback: (2)

Jim, I too mourned the passing of Hobbypoxy II, but I went to Petitt's web site and found they still make it for the full size boat market(not called Hobbypoxy II), maybe you can order it somewhere. On the other hand, though it makes a wonderfull wood glue, I don't like it for laying up fiberglass parts cause it is so flexy, prefer one of the hard brittle epoxies like West Fast Cure, have found the slow cures to be more flexy than the fast cures, same with Aerospace Composite's glue (which they admit), and TAP plastics. Ed---- did you find the MGS glues to be suitable for layup?? What kind of fuselages were you laying up?? I lay-up boats and prefer a very stiff lay-up. Would like the slower 6 hour cure, but do need the hardness. Do you notice a difference in hardness between the two hardeners??

Ed Smith

I mold my own fuselages for Pylon Racers. For molding parts where I need more time I use the slow hardener. For gluing wing skins I use the fast cure, I can do that easily in 15 minutes. For glassing and bagging the wings I need more time so I use the slow cure. When I mold propellers I mix the hardeners equal amounts of each, I need about an hour to lay up a prop.

When fully cured There is no difference in the hardness of the product. The slow cure does take a little longer (24 hrs min) before it can safely be removed from the mold. I am currently using the L335 resin with it's appropriate hardeners. I did try another MGS resin that was less viscous (Thinner, right?) I thought it might be easier to use. I cannot remember the number. It was more expensive, had it's own hardeners. I found it not different enough to warrant the extra cost.

Stumbling on MGS was like going to heaven. It is a top quality epoxy, I can customize the cure time and there is a supplier reasonably close by.

Ed S

basmntdweller

My Feedback: (9)

Hi Ed,
I had been looking for epoxy when I happened on this thread. Is the MGS offered in smaller quantities. I have only found it by the gallon.
Thanks,,,basmntdweller

Ed Smith

It is available from the supplier I use in 1qt size. This is a German product. As it is available in 1qt and not 1litre I am guessing it has been repackaged.

Ed S