Epoxy as a glue for the skin?

[mark Holbrook]

Hi,

I started trying to build a woody and now I decided to go all aluminum. I bought a gallon of Raka epoxy for the woody but now I want to use it to seal the edges and the entire plywood under the aluminum. I was thinking about sealing the sides, letting them dry good and then just using the epoxy around the edges to attach the aluminum (floating system).

Another thought was to seal it all and use PL construction glue around the edges. I think I will try a test of the bond before I get to this. Or since a lot of people just float the skin on the sides, maybe I should not really worry about the bond all that much and let the trim and door be the final securing method.

Paid a lot for the epoxy and looking for ways to use it all up!

Thanks,
Mark

[doug hodder]

If you want to use it....that's what I'd do. On my latest build, the Nomad, I put an 1/8" substrate on the roof, and used epoxy to completely coat the sides and top prior to any aluminum install. I figure it this way. If something does leak...at least it won't turn the wood into a sponge. I floated all the aluminum, no adhesive at all, just windows and trim to hold it all in place. I did use a lot of butyl tape however. Doug

[madjack]

If you want to use it....that's what I'd do. On my latest build, the Nomad, I put an 1/8" substrate on the roof, and used epoxy to completely coat the sides and top prior to any aluminum install. I figure it this way. If something does leak...at least it won't turn the wood into a sponge. I floated all the aluminum, no adhesive at all, just windows and trim to hold it all in place. I did use a lot of butyl tape however. Doug

AGREED....keep in mind, epoxy doesn't go bad so it can be kept and used for other projects in the future.....
madjack

[angib]

....keep in mind, epoxy doesn't go bad so it can be kept and used for other projects in the future.....

It's worth adding that while the resin doesn't go bad, but can go 'look bad' - it can get cloudy and sometimes even start to develop lumps a bit like honey. But this doesn't matter - just gently warm the resin (my favourite is to put the resin container in a bucket of hot water) and it will return to its pristine transparent state.

Oh, let it cool before using it, if that's not obvious!

[dh]

Some hardeners can turn red over time too, no cure for this, it works the same, just looks red.