Total Boat Epoxy

[Mike Betke]

I was looking to pick up some more West Systems and I came across this Epoxy. The majority of the reviews say it works the same as West Systems. Has anybody ever used it? They also have some other nice looking epoxy products. Here is a link to the site.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=64343&familyName=TotalBoat+5%3A1+Epoxy+Kits

 

[P THOMAS]

Yes I have been using that brand for a few years, Cheaper than West and the gallon kits are chepaer than the seperate items, and can be bought with or without the pumps.

Works just like West and i think it has less pinholes too, humidity blushing is better too..

 

[BobLondress]

Ive been using the Total boat 2-1 mix penetrating epoxy. It is very easy to work with, it is a thin epoxy. Its a little slow, pot life around 1 hour, set up in thin coats dry to the touch in 24 hrs. But it does a nice job for sealing the wood

 

[Mike Byer]

Yes I've used it, looks to be Mas epoxy with their low blush hardener repackaged for Jamestown Dist.

 

[Ron Jefferson]

Check out www.raka.com I've used this stuff for the last few years. With the 2:1 mix ratio you get more epoxy for your money. Used it for both building and sealing wood boats. Works great for me.

 

[Mike Betke]

I ordered some. We will see how it goes.

Thanks for the feedback. I like that it comes with new pumps relatively cheap.

I doubt it is mas, mas is a 2 to 1 mix ratio. I liked mas when I used it but had issues with the resin shelf life.

 

[lohring]

It's been a long time since I molded any boats, but I'd like to put in a plug for West Systems. I raced sailboats with the Gougeon brothers in the late 1960s and have a first edition of their book "The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction" signed by Mead Gougeon. If you read the book you realize the amount of practical experience they had in the development of their epoxy resin systems for boat building. Their methods revolutionized wood boat building. In addition the brothers designed and/or built lots of successful boats including a very successful molded epoxy catamaran. Another of their side projects was very large wind turbine blades. They built some wood-epoxy blades that outlasted the aerospace industry designed blades for an early wind turbine in Hawaii.

The side businesses have been sold off, the epoxy business has been sold to their employees, Mead and Joe have retired, and Jan Gougeon has died. The company still publishes their magazine, Epoxyworks. Their web site is a wealth of information. The price of the West resin system includes a lot more than cans of product.

Lohring Miller

 

[raptor347]

I'm a big fan of the Resin Research pro series. The physical properties are the best I've found, on par with the German made MGS 285 series but at a 1/4 the cost.

My .02

 

[Bob Blazer]

I ordered some. We will see how it goes.

Thanks for the feedback. I like that it comes with new pumps relatively cheap.

I doubt it is mas, mas is a 2 to 1 mix ratio. I liked mas when I used it but had issues with the resin shelf life.

Mike as far as the resin shelf life, place it in a pan of water, put it on the stove and heat it to 130 degrees. It will return to its original self. I did't believe it until I tried it. I no longer throw any out.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

West's is the same way, heat it and use it, no need to discard. Throwing away resin, regardless of manufacturer, gets expensive real quick

 

[Terry Keeley]

It's been a long time since I molded any boats, but I'd like to put in a plug for West Systems. I raced sailboats with the Gougeon brothers in the late 1960s and have a first edition of their book "The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction" signed by Mead Gougeon. If you read the book you realize the amount of practical experience they had in the development of their epoxy resin systems for boat building. Their methods revolutionized wood boat building. In addition the brothers designed and/or built lots of successful boats including a very successful molded epoxy catamaran. Another of their side projects was very large wind turbine blades. They built some wood-epoxy blades that outlasted the aerospace industry designed blades for an early wind turbine in Hawaii.

The side businesses have been sold off, the epoxy business has been sold to their employees, Mead and Joe have retired, and Jan Gougeon has died. The company still publishes their magazine, Epoxyworks. Their web site is a wealth of information. The price of the West resin system includes a lot more than cans of product.

Lohring Miller

+1!

Been using their products for 30 years, can't change now.

Screwed up mixing a batch once and was freeking out (discovered it after I used it). Called their tech line, got right though to a tech and he was able to determine it'd be OK, it'd just take longer to cure.