canoe building, fiberglassing resin help!

[Peter_t]

hi everyone, im building a plywood canoe and have got all the materials but have just realised i have bought polyester instead of epoxy resin

can it be used in the same way as epoxy? like with fiberglass fabric tape, woodflour glue and fillet?
i know they used to use polyester so it must be posable but are the same methods used?


please say yes...

thanks
pete

 

[veryWildbill]

Hi Pete, use it exactly as you would epoxy resin. Some say it's not as strong as a good epoxy, and they'r probably right. I wouldnt use it for a sizable boat but for a canoe I would have no qualms at all, it would be more than up to the job.

Bill

 

[Teepee]

Polyester resin is fine. Its not quite as strong as epoxy, but is much easier to sand down. It is still stronger than wood, dont worry.

 

[Leonidas]

Polyester is good enough for this bad boy Link here

Doubt they would have used it had it been anything but up to the task.
Epoxy is good but increases the price dramatically, polyester is more than good enough for a canoe

Tom

 

[Willderness]

Photo document your progress! We'd love to see it. I've always wanted to build a canoe

 

[John Fenna]

I used Poly for mine - after about 15 years use I sold the canoe as the ply had started to rot (the buyer knew this ) - the glassing was still great!
The canoe had been used for guiding - some times on a daily basis - on salt water and on white-water up to grade 3 and I only sprung a tape join once - when I almost wiped out on Mill Falls on the Usk.....

 

[Peter_t]

thanks guys! i was really worrying last night, i meen epoxy is expensive but polyester aint cheep either!

Photo document your progress! We'd love to see it. I've always wanted to build a canoe

yes i am planning to i have just been marking and cutting the plywood so far but i will be working on it more today




pete