Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Well - lots of differences. I can find spar for $35/gallon and mineral spirits for $10, an I'll use both regularly for a number of other projects. It may be I have a half gallon of spar - enough to soak all the ply. And I'm trying for $1000 total so $40 is more significant. Plus I have all the tools I need and it seems not to easy to clean tools - brushes and rollers - for epoxy. And the health hazards of or conversely the personal protection necessary for epoxy seem greater than those for spar varnish. All that and if clear coat, you likely need spar or some uv inhibitor on top of the epoxy.

I just suggested it isn't fear of epoxy that stops many people from using it.

rruff wrote:

tony.latham wrote:Raka's Six-Quart kit is $100

US Composites is even cheaper. If you buy 6.6 gal you can get it down to $44/gal + shipping. http://www.shopmaninc.com/epoxy.html

I just bookmarked that.

Tony

QueticoBill wrote:Well - lots of differences. I can find spar for $35/gallon and mineral spirits for $10, an I'll use both regularly for a number of other projects. It may be I have a half gallon of spar - enough to soak all the ply. And I'm trying for $1000 total so $40 is more significant. Plus I have all the tools I need and it seems not to easy to clean tools - brushes and rollers - for epoxy. And the health hazards of or conversely the personal protection necessary for epoxy seem greater than those for spar varnish. All that and if clear coat, you likely need spar or some uv inhibitor on top of the epoxy.

I just suggested it isn't fear of epoxy that stops many people from using it.

Bill:

I've been using epoxies for forty years and protect myself with nitrile gloves.

I'm glad you and everyone else on this forum builds as an individual and each follow their own compass. This would be a dull place to chat about our trailers if they were all the same.

I look forward to seeing your build finished and photos of it's maiden voyage.

Tony

tony.latham wrote: I just bookmarked that.

I'm toying with the idea of a hand laid FG outer skin kinda like KCStudly is doing on his. I want a beefier layer of FG than he is using though (his is 2x 6oz cloth). A layer of 1708 and a layer of 10oz cloth looks pretty good, and weight and cost is nearly identical to 3mm Okoume marine ply + 6oz cloth.

tony.latham wrote: I just bookmarked that.

Stumbled on another company. Unbeatable single gallon price of $58 (2 gal is $100) and free shipping. http://www.ebay.com/itm/CLEAR-EPOXY-RES ... Sw2gxYsJeK

Finally settled on E Bond epoxy in Ft Lauderdale. No website, you have to call. Resin is $26/gal, 1289 (slow) hardener is $30/gal, 2-1 ratio. Shipping is ~$12/gal so <$40/gal shipped. I've made a couple samples and it seems to work fine. It's thinner than the other cheap epoxies I've used which is good for wet out.

Just read through this thread and my first question was asked but not answered- what's your wait time between coats? or do you just keep rolling it on non-stop? Seems that with 4 different mixture ratios you would have different coats. So do you keep rolling on the 75/25 miture till it wont soak up any more and then wait for that to flash off before doing the 50/50 and so on? And if coating 1/8th plywood do you do both sides at the same time or do one side and let it dry, then do the other side so all the solvents can evaporate?
Second- for paint adhesion it looks like no one is sanding it, but is the satin, semi gloss or gloss urethane best for paint to adhere to later?
Third- flooring urethane was mentioned. All the floor urethane I have seen is interior, is that what was used?
Thanks

I keep applying it until it either won't take anymore or until I arbitrarily call it good. I sometimes put a coat of uncut poly on the next day to really seal it.

tony.latham wrote:I keep applying it until it either won't take anymore or until I arbitrarily call it good. I sometimes put a coat of uncut poly on the next day to really seal it.

Ok, so you just roll on the 75% mineral spirits, 25% urethane untill its soaked, then one coat undiluted the next day?
Or do you start with a different mixture?

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dancam wrote:

tony.latham wrote:I keep applying it until it either won't take anymore or until I arbitrarily call it good. I sometimes put a coat of uncut poly on the next day to really seal it.

Ok, so you just roll on the 75% mineral spirits, 25% urethane untill its soaked, then one coat undiluted the next day?
Or do you start with a different mixture?

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Yes. No different mix to start.


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then one coat undiluted the next day?

That's what I do. But I'm not Doctor Mix. That's only on high use surfaces like the counter.

Tony

So i made a huge mistake on my tongue box. Had everything test fitted great, took it apart, spread the glue on, my wife handed me the piece back and we glued it on upsidedown.... i dont think i can take it apart to redo without wrecking the whole thing. No idea how we didnt notice. This piece is rotary mohogany because its wider than 5ft and i didnt want to do it in 2 pieces with baltic birch. So far my experience with the rotart mohogany is that the rough back layer is not attached to the core as well, splits, splinters and delaminates way easier than the good side.
So my question is will 'the mix' fix that? I know it wont make it smoother, but will it prevent the splintering and delamination? This top should see no rocks hitting it from the wheels.
Here are 2 photos of it and the urethane i bought. It was $45/gal instead of $75 for the name brand stuff. Anyone used it before?

tony.latham wrote:

then one coat undiluted the next day?

That's what I do. But I'm not Doctor Mix. That's only on high use surfaces like the counter.

Tony

Thanks!

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That's one sweet looking box. But it sure don't look boxy.

I'll be interested in seeing it on your camper.

Tony

tony.latham wrote:That's one sweet looking box. But it sure don't look boxy.

I'll be interested in seeing it on your camper.

Tony

Thanks
I cant wait to see it on there either. Tonight or to.orrow i will bring it home and test fit it.


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tony.latham wrote:That's one sweet looking box. But it sure don't look boxy.

I'll be interested in seeing it on your camper.

Tony

Well its on :/ photos are here: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=66816

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