Would this epoxy work?

[hamradio]

Hi,
I have some "bondo" brand fiberglass resin epoxy stuff kicking around the garage, that I would like to use.

I searched bondo, but everyone just seemed to think about body filler, it seemed. No way I'd use bondo body filler on my cars (so tough to sand), but as for the resin, would it work? Says for marine use, as you can clearly see. IIRC, my dad fixed the fiberglass hull of a boat a few years ago with it, still holding up.

I would like to try to make some skiboards. Full skis are too expensive to make, IMO. I know I would screw up the first few pairs of whatever I make, so why not use smaller amounts of materials, and waste less money learning how to make skis? That's why I would use skiboards.

I have a feeling most would say, don't use the bondo epoxy, it may not work. But, has anyone actually tried it? I'm pretty certain I would mess up the first pair anyway, and they'd fall apart soon enough, why not try the cheaper epoxy on them?

Thanks.


Edit- add pic-

Edit edit- sorry 'bout the messy workbench.

[uni412]

From the picture, it looks like you actually have polyester resin, not epoxy resin. I'm not really an expert on the differences, but I think that polyester resin doesn't flex as well as epoxy, doesn't bond to other materials as well, and isn't as durable in the long run.
I guess you could try it, but as far as I know, most everyone uses epoxy resin to laminate their skis.

I see where you're coming from about skiboards, but in my experience, most of the cost/time in building you're first pair of skis is in the equipement (press, mold, etc.) I don't think you would actually save a lot of money on materials and, if you decide to continue building skis, you'd have to build a bigger mold. If you usually ski, I'd just start out on skis because if they fall apart, you can just keep adjusting you're process until they come out right.[/i]

[krp8128]

Ham,

You over on Epic too?

I wouldn't use this, for a few reasons.

-Polyester/Vinylester RESIN does not flex very well
-Resins are not very good at bonding to the materials used in skis (wood, plastic, rubber, metal).
-Resin has a shelf life. If your dad used it a few years ago, it's probably gone bad. Look for crystals in the can,
-Resin is cured with a catalyst, very quickly. Unless you have experience working working with it, it will get away from you (cure too quick) building skis.

My father has worked for a yacht manufacturer for 25 years, I've worked there (PT around high school/college {engineering} ) for 5 or 6. I had the same idea to use resin; which I got for free. Use the right stuff, there are some good, cheap epoxies out there.

Where are you located? Right now I have more epoxy then money to buy more base material and edges, so I could sell you some fairly cheap. Shipping can be a pain though.

[hamradio]

Ok. Well, with skiboards, I am also not looking for a lot of flex, if any, really. It seems to take a fair bit of force to get boards to flex. Maybe not 'real' skiboards flex more, but 'real' skiboards, from my experience, don't really flex. I do have a pair of some free elans that are like snowblades, and they flex so much, I think I could break them in half. What I like is, everything would be smaller and easier to work on; I wouldn't be taking on as big of a project, I could throw all my stuff on the shelf under the workbench when I'm not working on it. Core profiler would be smaller, press would be smaller, use less ptex, less topsheet, less epoxy, less everything. The core seems like it would be easier to make, as well.

I'd either copy something newer, or make a little longer version (maybe same width) of the green ones in this pic-

[hamradio]

Ham,

You over on Epic too?

I wouldn't use this, for a few reasons.

-Polyester/Vinylester RESIN does not flex very well
-Resins are not very good at bonding to the materials used in skis (wood, plastic, rubber, metal).
-Resin has a shelf life. If your dad used it a few years ago, it's probably gone bad. Look for crystals in the can,
-Resin is cured with a catalyst, very quickly. Unless you have experience working working with it, it will get away from you (cure too quick) building skis.

My father has worked for a yacht manufacturer for 25 years, I've worked there (PT around high school/college {engineering} ) for 5 or 6. I had the same idea to use resin; which I got for free. Use the right stuff, there are some good, cheap epoxies out there.

Where are you located? Right now I have more epoxy then money to buy more base material and edges, so I could sell you some fairly cheap. Shipping can be a pain though.

Yes, I am over on epic. Saw your thread about skibuilding over there, I really like your skis. Not a big poster over there or anything.

I'm in mn. What is your epoxy in? Quarts?

[hamradio]

Also, does the core have to be the kind of rounded shape? These boards are just flat, with the sidewalls a little rounded.

[krp8128]

Thanks for the compliment, my vacuum pump had a bit of a malfunction on the 2nd ski, so I'm planning to build another pair next week.

Right now I've got an unopened gallon kit of West Systems, and an unopened Half? gallon of Systems Three Silvertip. For the first pair I used Mr. Fiberglass epoxy; it is definetly the cheaper way to go. I had no problems working with it, I have a funny feeling that it is the same as the West Sytems (very well respected in boat building circles).

Unfortunately, me shipping it to MN is probably no cheaper then you buying straight from a dealer. I could look into this next week though. UPS hazmat rates are high for low volume shippers.

Building a ski blade to get the process down sounds like a good idea. I took a big risk jumping right into the skis; but I've had a lot of experience working with these types of materials, its kind of my thing .

I've been enjoying a little too much tasty beer tonight to add more, but if you got any more questions PM me here or there or post and ask.

[krp8128]

Also, does the core have to be the kind of rounded shape? These boards are just flat, with the sidewalls a little rounded.

Not exaclty sure what you mean here.

From side to side, the surface of the core is flat. Tip to tail, the core is tapered to provide stiffness/flex. And, of course, the ski has sidecut to turn with.

[hamradio]

Ok. I thought that side to side, maybe the ski wasn't flat. I dunno what I was thinking, I was a little tired last night.

As for the length of the ski, does the core have to have some shape to it, if I'm doing skiboards? The orange ones in that pic are the same thickness allaround. I think the stiffer the skiboard, the better.

As for the flex properties of the polyester resin, do you guys mean that it will have a really stiff flex, or do you mean that it will break if it is flexed?

[krp8128]

I've never really seen ski boards up close. If they are the same thivkness the whole length, make yours the same way.

The polyester resin will break if it is flexed.

[RoboGeek]

On Epic here too..

I tried it - any flex causes hairline cracks and it breaks down from there. It doesn't like to bond to wood either. We have problems with wood embedded in 32 Ford and T-body in the floorpans and other places.

IMO its too brittle for any ski app

[hamradio]

ok. I realized, the skiboards are not the same thickness allaround. Thought they were. Sorry.

I'll use real epoxy.