MAS Epoxy vs. West System

I subscribe to another boating website that's offering a special on MAS FLAG epoxy system products. Is this the same stuff as West epoxies? The price seems a lot cheaper if they're comparable materials.

Greetings,
I've used both. End results seem to be similar plus the MAS doesn't develop the amine blush which has to be removed with soap and water prior to re coating. West IS good but not worth the extra $$ in my opinion.

Fords and Chevys.
I drive a Ford and use West because my dad drove Fords and I started with West years ago.
You can catch either on sale from time to time and either will work. I wouldn't mix hardeners and resins of the different brands.

Thanks for the input. I understand not mixing one with the other, but the current deal I am looking at is for 1/2 gal resin + quart hardener + new pumps, glass cloth, etc for $90 vs. about $60 for just the half the quantity of resin/hardener at WM or Jamestown

US Composites is even cheaper...supposedly almost all the common names like MAS, WEST, US Composites are all manufactured by one of several petro-chemical companies to meet their specs....

I've been pricing as best as I can because I just ordered 2 -5 gallon kits (with hardener it works out to over 6 gal). I may have to order another before I'm done glassing my bottom and decks (plus swim platform)

Whether an epoxy developes the amine blush is somewhat dependent on which hardener is used with it from what I have read/experienced.

Like US Composites...the same epoxy supposedly doesn't with their slow hardener...but does with their med/fast hardeners.

My son-in-law chemist recommended the West system when I told him it was a 5-1 ratio, rather than 2-1 or 1-1 of others. He lost me on the explanation, but I trust his judgment. One thing I learned from my aviation training is to use a "peel-ply" layer on top of the resin. In most cases, peal-ply was just 2oz dacron fabric. It will absorb the excess epoxy, easily peal off when set up, and doesn't leave the blush to remove before finishing. The shiny blush will be on the peal-ply that you discard. Makes a slightly rough surface that can be painted right away.

I've used both and prefer MAS. No blush, doesn't cook in the pot as fast as WEST. Can be thinned with denatured alcohol when chasing away moisture and is cheaper.

My order for the MAS is in. If anyone's interested, the Active Captain folks that have a discount program with Defender.com. My order was $40 off list, partly sale price, partly the AC discount.

Finally getting into repair of soft deck over the aft cabin. Hasn't been a priority until now since there's no foot traffic back there, but water intrusion into a mast shroud fitting finally set off the alarms that there's work to be done.

While we're on the subject, I'm doing a re-skin job on my pilothouse roof. I'm using prefab fiberglass 4 X 8 sheets and some foam to repair. Trouble is that my Admiral can't stand the polyester resin odor which lasts forever. I know if I use epoxy resin, I won't be able to use poly on any roof repair later.....no sweat. But how bad is the odor with epoxy resin. Thanks in advance for your response.

THe epoxies I've used have a mild sort of sweetish odour. However the fumes require the use of a respirator or they may well make you sick. The fumes are not to be taken lightly. I've made myself sick, very sick, twice even in a well ventilated area, because I was working right over top of it.

Wear good gloves, not those crappy latex ones but good rubber.

Keep a fan at your back if you can to blow the fumes away from you. Hopefully most of the work will be outside but be very carefull.

Healhustler, I gave up on polyester for making repairs a long time ago. It's really a crap shoot if it will adhere long term. Where did you buy the prefab fiberglass panels? When are you going to leave your island paradise and visit me on the main land?

The 4 X 8 2.5mm panels will come from Merrit if they don't have some kind of wholesale-only requirement. I figured I'd call you on the rest of the stuff, once I decide on the resin and foam.

When done with every epoxy repair be sure to scrub the surface with good soap to remove the amines that most folks are allergic to.

The reason most polly stinks for so long is some laminators fail to use wax in the last mix to cure/harden the surface.

Laminating resin is built to harden , but the surface wont immediatly cure , to allow the next layers to be added with no sanding.

Rather than wax , I prefer to simply paint the surface , after a week or so .

FF

It's raining and I was looking through some of my pictures.