West system resin

[fishgitr]

Who has used it? How did you like it compared to marinepoxy or system 3?

I have a west marine business Account and I get it for $400 for a 5.5 gallon kit and I can get it locally so no shipping.

[fallguy1000]

I like it a lot because the pumps make it super easy and less mess. The times are a little slower for fast and a little faster for slow than Silvertip, but workable.

[fishgitr]

Have you seen any issues with the pumps being out of calibration?

[fallguy1000]

Have you seen any issues with the pumps being out of calibration?

I only had a short pump one time out of many many gallons used.

[fishgitr]

Thanks!

[BarraMan]

I used it for my build. I like it - very reliable and consistent. Can’t compare it with anything else cause it’s all I have used.

[fishgitr]

Ok I trust your two opinions. I guess I will use it. I think that is a pretty good price. And it's 15 minutes up the road.

[bklake]

I've used small amounts of it in the past. I don't dislike it but don't like it either. I had to measure it with graduated cups. I don't care for the smell of it and it tends to blush to the extent that you better wash it between cured coats or else. It is a really old formulation and more modern formulations are very difficult to get to blush. The physical properties are about the same as all the others but it tends to be thicker and more viscous. Marine Epoxy, MAS, Silver Tip are just a little easier to use for wetting out glass. A while back, I got in trouble on another forum for speaking ill of West epoxy. They warned me that my opinion or any negative comments about West were not welcome there. I can drive a finish nail with a waffle faced framing hammer quite nicely but I have a more suitable hammer for finish nails so I use what works better.

I would not hesitate to use it if it is all that was available but more suitable epoxy is available so I use that. Try some on some smaller pieces before you go all in. Fully cured, it will still be compatible with other epoxy. As long as you scrub it first. You might like it, might not.

[BarraMan]

Hmmm, opinions obviously differ!
I used gallons of West System epoxy for my build, nothing else, although I have used other brands in the past.
I used mostly slow hardener, occasionally very slow and rarely fast hardener - never saw blush with any of them.
I mostly worked in 25-30oC temps (77-86oF).
I used hard foam rollers to wet out mostly 12oz, occasionally 6oz biax cloth.
I did check the pumps when I started out - found them to be spot on.
My epoxy to cloth ratio was also on target.
I quickly became very confident working with West System epoxy.
8 yrs on my boat is as sound as the day I finished it!
If I was to build again I would go straight to West System.
I guess it’s a case of liking what we have had a good experience with.

[bklake]

I'll soften my stance. I would use West for anything. I prefer other epoxies more but West is fine.

No matter what epoxy you use, there is a learning curve. How quickly does Slow cure? How thick is it and how does it saturate? How much can be in the pot and no go off way too fast? MAS is really bad about this. If there is more than an inch in the mixing cup, it goes off fast and hot. Marine Epoxy seemed to be more tolerant of this.

I read that West blushes easily. On the small parts I used it on, it seemed a little oily to me so I scrubbed it before moving on and had no adhesion problems.

I've used a lot of their fillers and additives. Mostly because it was easily available and available locally The fillers are expensive in small amounts but I could have it same day.