Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

[blkvyyper]

Hello to all in the forum,
Got a quick question about resin. We all heard of epoxy and poly resins. Pros and cons of both. My question is about acrylic resin and can it be used for fiberglassing. I can get about 55 gallons for about 200.00 and am wondering if can be used instead of epoxy or poly resin. Has anyone used or had any experience with using acrylic resin?


thanks in advanced...
BV

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Acrylic Resin, as I know it, is used for making Plastic...NOT for adhesive or laminating wood and cloth. I would not think it would be suitable for boat restoration or repair.

 

[blkvyyper]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Acrylic Resin, as I know it, is used for making Plastic...NOT for adhesive or laminating wood and cloth. I would not think it would be suitable for boat restoration or repair.

WoodonGlass,
thanks for the reply, actually all are used for making plastic. Not to knock down what you said, after all you have more knowledge on this than i do. Just thought i would throw that out there since people use poly,epoxy...etc for boat building.

Thanks again for the reply.

BV

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

WoodonGlass,
thanks for the reply, actually all are used for making plastic. Not to knock down what you said, after all you have more knowledge on this than i do. Just thought i would throw that out there since people use poly,epoxy...etc for boat building.

Thanks again for the reply.

BV

Not sure what your mean by this. Epoxy, to my knowledge is not used to make plastic sheets like acrylic is. The windshield on my boat is made from acrylic resin poured to make an acrylic sheet. Epoxy is used more as a glue but there are special epoxy formulas use for coating things such as Bar Counter Tops etc. but they would not be used as and adhesive.

 

[blkvyyper]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Not sure what your mean by this. Epoxy, to my knowledge is not used to make plastic sheets like acrylic is. The windshield on my boat is made from acrylic resin poured to make an acrylic sheet. Epoxy is used more as a glue but there are special epoxy formulas use for coating things such as Bar Counter Tops etc. but they would not be used as and adhesive.

WoodonGlass,
Thanks for the reply, I read that somewhere while researching acrylic resin that it, epoxy resin, and poly resins are all used in making plastics. But i trust what you say, like i said before, your the expert here, not me.

I got the idea for my question because i ran across this :
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/543996596/HOT_Insulation_Acrylic_Resin_Fiberglass_Sleeving.html

That's why i was wondering if anyone had ever used acrylic resins with fiberglass in boatbuilding.

thanks

BV

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

If you read the ad it is an acrylic resin coating (plastic) over the fiberglass webbing. It's a sleeving used in wiring for heat and chemical resistance. The acrylic is what gives it those properties. Same reason they use Acrylic for table tops etc...

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Techincally yes it's all a form of plastic, but with huge variations in make up and application. The term FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic)

So there are different names for each to determine the difference, polyester, vinylester, epoxy, acrylic are all forms of plastic.....

CW

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Yep technically correct statement but it's a real stretch to think of Epoxy as Plastic when compared to Acrylic. but then again Arcylic Enamel Paint has "Plastic" in it just like Epoxy Paint has Epoxy in it!!! I'm so confused!!!!!

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

My question is about acrylic resin and can it be used for fiberglassing. I can get about 55 gallons for about 200.00 and am wondering if can be used instead of epoxy or poly resin.

Nope..It cannot be used for fiberglass saturation in boat building.

Not now..not ever..

There are so many types of resins out there to do a job that fits the application ( casting resin is one of them ).

Yea..mebbe if I did a counter top with quarters and sea shells I might think about your Acylic resin..but not for lammin a boat up ...

YD.

 

[blkvyyper]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Hello to all experts,
Thanks for all the replies and input on this question. WoodonGlass, like i said, i got the idea from that ad. I know that ad is different from what I was thinking of doing. But I figured I'd throw the idea out on the forum and see what all the experts think about it. Then I was thinking of using accepted rebuilding techniques for the restoration and coming back over it with a couple of coats of the acrylic to encapsulate everything, just a thought... extra protection I guess. Since it's known for its durability, thought it would make the restoration, when completed last that much longer. Since it can't be used as an adhesive for this application, what do you think of it as fiberglass coating for the finished glassing or like a clearcoat is should say...I know it might be overkill, but thought I would introduce something maybe no one has thought of.

BV

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

The acrylic resin will make a cool looking bar top. it just cant be used in the fiberglass process.

 

[oops!]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

most bar counter tops......kitchen counter tops......and bathroom counter tops are poly resin and gellcoat.

corian.....a very popular brand.....is poly resin and gellcoat..

the fillers that are in them are different.

in fact.....our thickened resin we call peanut butter.....is the EXACT SAME PROCESS to make a counter top. (cast composites) cultured marble, cultured granite, cultured onyx......this is all poly resin and gellcoat.

these are some castings i made of a filler used for cultured granite

this is the reason marble clear resin and clear gellcoat were made.

yes.......your counter tops are made form boat building material.

i cant attest to an acrylic because i have not investigated the product.

but if the point is to encapsulate your work........use gellcoat......you get 50 years out of it

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Oops!, have you checked out this product yet? www.mirteq.com I'm using it for my boards and it's great. Basically a vinylester resin with chopped strands already in it. Kinda like a part in a bucket...

CW

 

[blkvyyper]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Wow the famous Oops replied to my thread....Thanks!!!
and thanks to all other experts for replying also. Oops, I was thinking about your reply, if poly resin and gelcoat last 50 yrs, then with the durability of acrylic which they use to embed things like baseballs and such, I would think it would last even longer. Or am I hitting way out in left field on this. Gelcoat tends to fade over time and cracks due to stress if i understand it correctly.
I would think that with a couple of coats of acrylic, for example inside the hull for added water sealing and outside of the hull to protect the paint and hull from gouges.you might get scratches but not cracks. Just throwing some ideas out there for opinions.

Once again, thanks again to all the experts for all your replies and valued opinions.

BV

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Have you ever tried to drill a hole into acrylic sheeting ? .. If you dont have the proper bits your risking it to crack and fail. Its very brittle.

Gelcoat is brittle as well I agree.. but I think the nature of keeping products the same is worth while..

YD.

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Yep ^^^^ I'm sure someone has tried it in the past and if it was good it would have spread around, but it hasn't. Leave the product delevopment to the engineers and stick with what it time tested and proven..

Now don't take that the wrong way, these guys are speaking from years of experience.

CW

 

[blkvyyper]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Yacht Dr. and Cadwelder,
Thanks for your input and replies. Well coming from an engineering background, couldn't help myself...LOL I'm sure your right, never read about it anywhere and when i saw it's other uses, the old brain started turning. Just to make sure everyone is clear, I wasnt talking about acrylic sheathing...I was talking about using it as a final coating over your laid glass. I know they encapsulate baseballs and insects in the stuff and it last forever. Probably not the same stuff, then again i don't know. But it was a thought, thought i was on to something. But All the experts are probably right, so i'll stick to the restoration techniques used by everyone else.

Thanks again to all the experts who replied and gave their insight on this idea. It was greatly appreciated.

BV

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Hey hey BV .. thinking outside of the box is great ! .. ( mubbles something about Velcro to himself) ..

I have sprayed Acrylic enamel .. Acrylic thanes .. Acrylic alone..never.

Try it on something small man..try it out on a scrap with some wood covered with glass..then do your acrylic coating.

Bench test it kinda thing.

Im not saying it will not work.. I dont think it will work ( I have only 2 years in acrylic training ).. but NONE of us has tried it.

Do the test thing

YD.

PS. I have cracked a few hatches using standard drill bits ..

 

[blkvyyper]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

Thanks Y Dr. for the vote of inspiration...LOL Took some men thinking outside the box to make a crazy flying machine in the early 1900's and look where we at now. I'm gonna try it to see what it will do like you say, on a scrap and mix up some acrylic resin sealer mixture of some sort and let it fly. probably will not work since i can't use a mold to use extreme pressure to get the desired results. But maybe a mixture of acrylic and poly resin or epoxy resin will give me a new product...or an exothermic meltdown one!!!

Thanks again Y Dr.

BV

oh by the way, I'm redoing a 1976 procraft 16 footer. already gutted, sanding now,soon to be redesigning the whole thing for better weight distribution. Would 1/2" ply do for the rebuild or would 3/4" be to heavy? trying to go light as possible. Seems 3/4" is to heavy but i could be wrong.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Question to the experts about a acrylic resin...

I prefer 3/4"

YD.