Pvc stringers?

forgedin78

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Has anyone ever tried to use those PVC trim boards as stringers in a rebuild? Azek boards or something like them? THey are pretty floppy in one direction, but standing on edge, they are sturdy enough I would think. Once there glassed in especially. Just a thought. Might take all the worry of water intrusion out of it.
 

ondarvr

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Re: Pvc stringers?

They can be used, the problem they have is they don't offer any strength, so the laminate needs to be strong enough to take the entire load, this isn't a problem, it just costs more. Normal resins don't bond that well to PVC, so that can be an issue too.
 

forgedin78

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Re: Pvc stringers?

What do you mean normal resins don't bond to it? Polyester wont bond to it?, Or epoxy won't bond to it either?
 

ondarvr

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Re: Pvc stringers?

Normal polyester won't bond great, epoxy is better, but there are special PVC and ABS bonding resins in both types that do a very good job. You won't be able to buy small amounts though.
 

Bondo

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Re: Pvc stringers?

but there are special PVC and ABS bonding resins in both types that do a very good job. You won't be able to buy small amounts though.

Ayuh,.... Really,..??

How does the stuff measure up to sticking to the original Hull,..??
Expensive,..?? More than Epoxy,..??
Would the Minimun be a 55gal. drum,..?? or a trucktanker,..??

What are they known as,..??
 

ondarvr

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Re: Pvc stringers?

Bond-o

Oddly enough they're referred to as "bonding resins" they make them for acrylic also.

They can bond well if its done correctly, almost as well as what a polyester to polyester bond would be.

You could buy it in drums if there were other orders being made at the same time, otherwise it would be a 10 drum minimum. Most resin companies won't make, or at least don't like to make, smaller batches than that.
 

forgedin78

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Re: Pvc stringers?

So, Regular Epoxy, like west systems, wouldn't bond to the Pvc? Even if it was properly scuffed up?
 

ondarvr

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Re: Pvc stringers?

How does the stuff measure up to sticking to the original Hull,..??
Expensive,..?? More than Epoxy,..??

It will work just like normal resin, you won't really see any difference. I was thinking you were asking about how well it bonds to PVC the first time I read it.

The cost will be more than standard resin mainly because of the lower volume of product being made. It's not a resin that would be stocked for sale anywhere, just not enough demand for it. Much less than epoxy though.
 

Mark42

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Re: Pvc stringers?

After working with dimensional PVC boards on my hard top project, I would advise against using them for stringers. I say that because they compress easily and do not rebound, they have practically no structural strength in any direction, and any fasteners put in them will strip out very easy.

The problem with the PVC boards is that they are dense enough to be very heavy, but are actually a foam that has no strength.

The PVC Sheets that are designed to be a plywood replacement could be another story all together. Those I did not use and have no experience with.

BTW, I can tell you that epoxy sticks to to the dimensional PVC boards so well that if its removed, it rips off a chunk of PVC. All I did was sand it lightly to remove the glaze on some pieces, others the cut face was porous enough as is to make a great bond.
 
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