[ULF-1] Modern Adhesives vs Plan callouts - thickening

From: Member 112
Date: 2018-03-27 10:56 UTC-04:00
Message: #0549

There seems to be some confusion about the word "thickening" of epoxies. I have used System 3 epoxies for decades in wooden boat building. The epoxy mix is thickened by mixing into the mixed epoxy various items ranging from cotton fibres, ground glass fibres, silica and Member 60 talc (sawdust). You mix to get the consistency of the paste you want depending on the joint you are making and how much you are fighting gravity. There is a lot written on this subject in the wooden boat building world. Systemthree.com <http://systemthree.com/>, ptwatercraft.com <http://ptwatercraft.com/>, and, of course, Gougeon on epoxies. T-88 was the only epoxy passed for use in aircraft many years ago before it was purchased by System3. If, and when, my plans arrive for the ULF-1 I will use T-88 both straight and thickened for the build. If you are unfamiliar with epoxies I would strongly suggest the purchase of a kit to mess about with small quantities, gluing bits of Member 60 together and then breaking them. You absolutely must measure by weight or volume as specified. Do not think you can make the adhesive cure faster or slower by adding more or less hardener. This is a chemical reaction that depends on molecule to molecule bonding, it is not a polyester! The cure rate is defined by the temperature. I will not go into how to use epoxies here - read the boat building literature - after all water is much harder than air and epoxy built boats have survived incredible [email] to answer questions by phone if I know the answers.
R. Member 112,
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