Arcturus
24.05.2021 11:01:28
Microballoons make it easier to sand or shape epoxy systems and polyester resins because it thickens and extends without adding weight, and adheres well to styrene, resin, and fiberglass. here
See full version: Glass Microballoons
Microballoons make it easier to sand or shape epoxy systems and polyester resins because it thickens and extends without adding weight, and adheres well to styrene, resin, and fiberglass. here
Yes. It makes the compound easier to sand after curing since the resin and thickening agent results in a cured substance which is very hard to sand smooth.
Low-cost, low-density microscopic sodium borosilicate hollow glass spheres can be mixed into epoxy systems and polyester resins to thicken and extend without adding weight. Creates a lightweight, sandable compound ideal for fairing.
Add these Glass Microshperes to epoxy to create a lightweight fairing compound that’s easy to sand or shape. If sagging is a concern, Silica Thickener may be added. TotalBoat fillers can be used with either epoxy or polyester resins to change the resin properties for various uses, such as bulking out the resin or making it easy to sand. Because fillers can affect the pot life of a resin, create a small trial batch first to determine how much working time you’ll have.
Microballoons are used to thicken epoxies, and to create a lightweight fairing material that can easily be shaped, sanded, and painted. Epoxy with microballoons added offers a great strength to weight ratio, ideal for shaping, filling cracks, fixing chips and dings, and resurfacing.
Once the epoxy has fully cured (the time is dependent on temperature, but it’s best to leave it undisturbed for at least 24 hours), you can sand, paint, and reinstall the wood. While phenolic microballoons make the epoxy sandable, they are plastic, so machine sanding can cause the paper to clog fairly quickly. Keep plenty on hand and use a lower speed.
Next, coat the entire base with an epoxy consolidant. Consolidants—thin or slow-curing epoxies that surround the friable wood fibers with a hardening resin—should be used in conjunction with fillers to provide good adhesion. Let the consolidant cure for several hours before moving on to the next step. here
There’s no reason to fear epoxies. Epoxy filler, in fact, can be a cost- and labor-effective way to fix voids left in woodwork by rot or insect damage. Areas that are difficult to replace, or can’t be addressed easily by complete or partial replacement of the wood, are all good candidates for epoxy repairs. Here, I used epoxy to fill voids in a porch column base deteriorated by carpenter ants, but the repair process is the same regardless of the damage.
Remove any paint and old caulk from the wood—this will allow you to see the full extent of the damage. In this case, the base had taken on an unexpected bowed shape and needed to be flattened before filling (otherwise, the filler would effectively “freeze” the base into that shape). Using a thin-kerf (3/32″ thick) circular saw blade, I cut a several slots in the base, then filled them with wedges of red cedar coated in waterproof glue. more
Once the consolidant has cured, there’s another step before filling. The voids in this piece are not simple holes—because insects made them, they’re an interconnected network of tunnels. If you poured a filler into the holes in the base, it would likely run out of the cracks and all over the work surface. To prevent this, you first need to dam the cracks with epoxy putty; you can use any of the paste-like epoxy fillers that appear on the market. Once you’ve thoroughly mixed the putty (see How To Mix Epoxy), press it into the cracks and crevices along the upper surface and the edge of the base to seal it against leaking. here
Use a dutchman patch when… more
In part two of our report on epoxy systems we see how each brand behaves in side-by-side testing and how cured samples compare. We also add some hands-on advice about mixing, spreading, sanding, and overcoating. Our initial assumption was that the ability to blend varying amounts of different density powdered fillers would add versatility. In addition, anyone doing major repairs or building boats from scratch would be able to use the same resin matrix for filling and fairing as they had used in the laminating process.
Mixing the batch is a measure of patience. Too little stirring entraps dry clumps and hinders smooth application. Some pros use a drill-driven stirrer, while those handling small batches simply pick up a favorite stirring tool and twist away. The colder the weather, the stiffer the resin and the harder the stirring. At times, well use an 80-degree water bath to keep the viscosity of the resin friendly to stirring in thickening powder. Naturally, care must be taken to keep water out of the mix and off the surface. System Threes Cold Cure takes the lead as the chill sets in the Northeast or Pacific Northwest and epoxy season wanes. We even performed some pre- and post-winter epoxy filling and fairing with the product, and marveled at its ability to shake off the chill. [links]
When the dust settled we had a photo finish on our hands. All four resin systems delivered quality results. Testers liked the MAS and System Three 2-to-1 mix ratio, but Interlux and West System pumps delivered the right resin to hardener ratios so both got high marks. The lower viscosity resin/hardener mixes from MAS, Interlux, and System Three wet out cloth as well as powder fillers a little more easily, especially in cooler weather, but West Systems lineup of fillers and hardeners seemed to cover more bases. When a question arose regarding product usage, West Systems technical experts were there to help.
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