Applying CPES to floor edges.

[Boomyal]

Just thought I'd pass on great technique for getting the edges of new plywood flooring well saturated with CPES.<br /><br />I used a four ounce squeeze bottle that came with a hair dye kit (not mine). It works great. It allows perfect and neat control while flooding the edges to saturation. No waste or dripping. You just cannot apply enough to the edges with a brush plus you slop it all over.<br /><br />It is also the only way to make sure that you flood any exposed voids in the edges.

 

[12Footer]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

I take it, the same as a catsup bottle? Good idea. I've not used that stuff yet, but will have to this winter....lots of it.<br />What is the working time with that stuff?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Originally posted by 12Footer:<br /> I take it, the same as a catsup bottle? Good idea. I've not used that stuff yet, but will have to this winter....lots of it.<br />What is the working time with that stuff?

Yeah, 12Footer, like a catsup bottle. You do not want the hole in the tip to be any bigger the 1/16th inch. I used a drill bit to test it. Depending how much you have to do, you could fill the whole catsup bottle. I rotated the large pieces, doing each edge twice letting the edge drink as much as it would take, then just squeezed the remainder out onto the flat surface as I brushed it in. Otherwise with large flat surfaces, I just mixed the CPES in an old stainless steel or glass bowl and brushed from it. <br /><br />This works especially well with large or long pieces. For small pieces, I used an old toaster oven tray. I'd actually dip the edges in the tray while I was brushing the surfaces<br /><br />I've not paid much attention to the pot life working time, it is generous. You do, however, only want to mix what you will use for each specific application. Once you spread it out on a flat surface, especially if it is warm/hot out it will start getting sticky within a few minutes, but still plenty of time to work the flat surfaces.

 

[cowboyup]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

I just bought one gallon of the stuff myself. I'm glad to see someone else is using the product too. Keep us posted on how you're using it i.e. rot prevention, using as filler and if your using their layup resin as well. Good Luck.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Originally posted by okstatefan:<br /> I just bought one gallon of the stuff myself. I'm glad to see someone else is using the product too. Keep us posted on how you're using it i.e. rot prevention, using as filler and if your using their layup resin as well. Good Luck.

Naw, okstatefan, I went for the US Composites epoxy resin, cloth and 2lb foam. Seemed to be the best price around. <br /><br />For the CPES, I've found no substitutes. I have used it for every small piece of wood to large pieces in my project. I've used 3 and 5 oz paper cups to mix it. I estimate how much I'll need for an application and draw a pencil line inside the cup. I pour part A to the line and dump it into whatever container I'm using to apply it. Then do the same with part B. I never have any waste and it's easy to mix more if you guessed wrong. Just take another cup and draw another line.<br /><br />I've double coated every piece I've done. I'll only single coat the top of the floor cause it will get coated with resin for the glass mat/cloth.<br /><br />Now I'm off to sanding and cleaning my pitted aluminum gas tank. I'm going to coat it with Liquid Marine Tex. That will make it impervious to any future surface corrosion, should any more water get below deck. Heaven Forbid!

 

[cowboyup]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

About your aluminum tanks...are you going to "etch" with 1/2 vinegar + 1/2 water or some other concoction or does the Liquid Marine Tex adhere on its own? I've got a 24' Grady with aluminum tanks I'll have to contend with once i get my stringers 'glassed in.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Originally posted by okstatefan:<br /> About your aluminum tanks...are you going to "etch" with 1/2 vinegar + 1/2 water or some other concoction or does the Liquid Marine Tex adhere on its own? I've got a 24' Grady with aluminum tanks I'll have to contend with once i get my stringers 'glassed in.

Good question okstatefan. I might look into it further. I know that it is common place to etch aluminum for paint but I was not given that instruction for using Liquid Marine Tex. See text of Email:<br /><br /><br />Good Morning John,<br /><br />The Marine Tex will work great on resurfacing and protecting your aluminum<br />tank. My suggestion is to clean the entire area with acetone or lacquer<br />thinner, then sand, and clean again. Mix the Marine Tex in the proper<br />proportions and trowel onto the surface. You can smooth the area with a<br />small amount of water on your trowel to relieve you of sanding later.<br />There is no need to apply Gluvit over the surface, as it is not impervious<br />to gasoline (Marine Tex is.) The Marine Tex will resurface and seal the<br />area to protect it from any future corrosion. If you feel more comfortable<br />using a liquid product to seal the tank, we do make a Liquid Marine Tex<br />which is sold by Boat US and most local dealers.<br /><br />Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any additional<br />questions.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Kristy Gillen<br />Rec. Marine Sales/Customer Service<br />ITW Philadelphia Resins<br />Phone: (215)855-8450 ext. 113, Fax: (215)855-4688<br /> http://www.marinetex.com/ <br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br />Today, I finally got around to cleaning the tank. A lot of scrapping, using paint thinner for the foam and goo and sanding with 100 grit paper. The pitting and etching is more extensive than I realized although there were no leaks. Picture below is what the tank had been sitting in for who knows how long. I don't think it would have lasted another year.<br /><br />

<br /><br />I'm going to fill the pits with Marine Tex putty then overcoat the whole tank with Liquid MT. Hopefully with my reconstruction and added drainage, the tank will never sit in water again.<br />I'll call Philidelphia Resins and ask them re acid bathing the aluminum.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Vinegar is used on aluminum to cut the oxidation prior to priming with zinc chromate. Dang near every piece of painted aluminum in the military is done this way. It is mil spec.<br /><br />Epoxy bonds extremely well to aluminum. The bond will be greatest to aluminum that has no oxidation. Wet sand your aluminum, clean with appropriate solvent (acetone, mek, etc). Oxidation starts immediately after you make a pass with the sand paper. When your tank is prepped (MarineTex and sanding) and ready for the epoxy coating, apply thinned epoxy and wet sand. This removes all oxidation and the presents of the epoxy keeps the O2 off the aluminum. Apply a second (not thinned) coat of epoxy as you normally would.<br /><br />The MarineTex is two-part epoxy with filler. I wouldn’t worry about wet sanding the pitted areas since it’s a filler for the pits and you will be coating the whole tank with epoxy. The finish coat of epoxy will hold the MarineTex in place…forever. <br /><br />Btw, I got tired of reading about how great CPES is so I called and talked to them today. Ordered 2-gals of the stuff. Should be here in a couple days. Now what do I do with it?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Originally posted by 18rabbit:<br /> Btw, I got tired of reading about how great CPES is so I called and talked to them today. Ordered 2-gals of the stuff. Should be here in a couple days. Now what do I do with it?

Git yerself a squeeze bottle, a box of 2" disposable Harbor Freight brushes, the old toaster oven tray, then start rounding up everything wood, around the home, that gets exposed to the weather. Oh and don't forget the 3 oz Dixie paper cups for mixing. <br /><br />For any rough or uneven wood you can use one of those little foam trim rollers that you get from Home Depot. They won't last very long so roll fast, but they spread the CPES real well on the rough vertical surfaces.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

We are putting a new floor in the cabin. When I read your post about using glass/cloth only on top I got real happy. Haven’t read all the instructions online for the CPES yet … they mention something in there about multiple coats. Do you sand between coats? How effective is the penetration after the 1st coat?…or do you apply the successive coats before the first coat is dry?<br /><br />I think I read something on the rot doc’s web site about CPES eating foam rollers???<br /><br />When mixing small amounts of epoxy I use a plastic yogurt cup. When done I put the stir stick back in it. 4 or 5 hrs later I pull the stir stick out and all the soft (semi-hardened) epoxy comes out of the cup in one big, floppy piece. Reuse the cup.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Glass cloth is for strength. The epoxy used to lay the glass is also a good second coat sealant. That is why I will only use one coat of CPES on the top surfaces that I will glass. Not only does the CPES penetrate farther that the epoxy, it actually helps bond the epoxy to the wood. Epoxy will soak in a bit, to raw wood, but without the CPES first, it can tend to make a dry bond with the glass thus being weaker.<br /><br />On the edges, example; a 4 x 4 sheet, I'll apply the CPES using the squeeze bottle, moving slowly along the edge, flooding it as I go. Keep rotating the wood 90 deg, doing each successive edge. By the time I get back around to the first edge, I apply it a second time, all around. You'll notice it takes longer to soak in as you flood the edge the second time. <br /><br />On the flat surface, I just pour out the CPES and brush it around until the surface is very wet, not puddled. Spred it evenly and let it dry till it is not tacky. Then I'll apply a second coat (no sanding is nec.), in this case to the underside of the floor only. Before I recoat the surface, I'll do a third application on the edges if they are not going to be totally encapsulated in epoxy. Then go right on to brushing the surface.<br /><br />CPES will eat the foam roller, but it lasted long enough to cover all of my original stringers (in place) You just want to work quickly. I could not have gotten as much CPES on those stringers, using a brush, with out slopping and waisting alot.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

If CPES eats the foam roller, where is the chemistry of that foam roller going as it’s being eaten? And how does that affect the performance of the CPES when it is contaminated with roller chemistry? Or is it even an issue? Just a thought.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Applying CPES to floor edges.

Originally posted by 18rabbit:<br /> If CPES eats the foam roller, where is the chemistry of that foam roller going as it’s being eaten? And how does that affect the performance of the CPES when it is contaminated with roller chemistry? Or is it even an issue? Just a thought.

The CPES did not seem to disolve the roller material, the roller just started to shred and come apart. I finished before I had to pick too many little pieces off the surface.