My next batch & some epoxy probs..
 

I just finished my second batch of swimmers. Boy did I make some mistakes, but I learned a lot about the systems 3 clearcoat I am using.

#1. If when you are applying the epoxy it will not flow the way it should, don't put it on heavier thinking this will make it flow. It won't, all it will do is get drippy and you will have a big mess. You can thin it with a little water and then it will flow the way it should.

#2. IF you have drip marks and the plugs have started to dry, leave them alone and once they are dry and hard you can try to sand off the drip marks and then just hit them with a second clearcoat...

I ended up making such a mess of these I had to take 1/2 of them apart, sand em down and repaint...

Anyways, here's what they look like now :)

wheres the picture :smash:

they look nice:)

They look pretty good, but correct me if i am wrong here, but you cant really thin epoxy with water. I think acetone would work better.

Eben, the systems 3 clearcoat I am using is water based and it says on the can you can thin it with water.

no kidding.. i didnt know epoxy could be waterbased.. I learned something today :D

I read thru the systems three stuff a little morem and it's not epoxy, it is a two part poly...

I think you bought the wrong stuff:(
That is not epoxy, it is a clearcoat paint that is meant to be applied on top of their paint as a topcoat like a clearcoat on a car. I built a small boat with epoxy and plywood, then coated it with 2 part epoxy primer, then paint. I didn't use the clearcoat. I have some and tried it on a big batch of plugs but even though they looked great, the finish peeled off like a bannana:( but atleast I painted those with spray paint and that stayed on the plug.

Try the clearcoat epoxy next time.

They look good though

Yup, the more I read the more I thought, this must be the wrong stuff...:smash:

Sounds like you got the wrong stuff. Clear Coat by system three is a 2 part epoxy resin. Definately not water soluble.

The clearcoat epoxy is 2 part with a 1 to 1 ratio I believe(their other epoxies for building is 2 to 1 ratio)

Jamestown Distributors carries it.
also you can get it direct from system three

I posted this on the other site but figured I'd add it here too:

If you write or call West Systems they will send you out a brochure that has more information about their products than you will want to read. Ive got it in front of me and heres what they say about thinning their EPOXY:

"West Systems epoxy can be thinned with solvents for greater penetration, but not without the same compromise in strength and moisture resistance. Acetone, Toluene or MEK have been used to thin West Systems epoxy.

"If you choose to thin West Systems epoxy, keep in mind that strength and moisture protection of the epoxy are lost in proportion to the amount of solvent added."

"Theye is a better solution to get good penetration without losing strength or moisture resistance. We recommend moderate heating of the repair area and the epoxy with a heat gun or heat lamp. The epoxy will have a lower viscosity when it is warmed and contacts the warmed wood."

"Although the working life of the epoxy will be considerable shortened, slower hardeners (206,207,209) will have longer working times than the 205 hardener.


Excerpts taken from the West Systems User Manual & Product Guide. Hope this helps people using West Systems epoxy. It seems that it will flow easier but cure faster when heated, so the slower hardeners can be added to counteract the addition of heat.

Great lookin plugs even though the clear coat got skrewed up. I love the balck scaled one SWEET!!.

I may have given out the wrong info. I see you said it was System 3, I assume system 3 is NOT a West System product because I cant find a poly product on their website.

Ive used a 2 part waterbased poly from Compliant Spray Systems in my business. The 2nd part of their mix was a "crosslinking catalyst" which is formulated to provide additional hardness. It could be used alone, without the cross-linker or with. Usually the final finish coat was the only coat to get the cross-linker.

Sorry for the confusion

yep, the System Three 2 part topcoat clear paint has the same crosslink additive