Bulk Epoxy -Bote Cote

I bought a bulk order of BOTE COTE yesterday, through a local agent I found. BC in an Australian made epoxy and apparently has no solvents and is low allergy. Brushes can be clean out in water and the mix ratio is 2:1. It's quite a bit cheaper than WEST Sysytem. One interesting difference is a product used to thin out the first coat of epoxy. apparently it allows the epoxy to penetrate deeper and act as a moisture barrier and timber preservative. 

I look forward to splashing some about. Today though we're having record rains with houses in the next town being washed away ... so no boat work. 

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While out making my purchases yesterday I came across a waterfront village I'd never seen or even heard of before. Unbelievable, it was like going back in time. Great expanses of land close by the water dotted with slow moving boatbuilding projects. I found two Wharram cats a Pahi 26 and one about 35-40' ? Both in poor condition stripped down and being rebuilt. I suspect that the Pahi won't actually make it given that her owners have "no idea" and only visit infrequently. I dropped in to chat with a local pro boatbuilder who filled me in and he also suggested another brand of epoxy, cheaper still* and "very good" made by Acme Chemicals. (*$200 for 20 litres). Going by the finish of the motor launch he was building, he knows his scarf from his splice. 

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NEW EPOXY (BOTE COTE - Made in Australia)

I've just started using my new epoxy to glue cleats and floor pieces to the bulkheads and so far it feels pretty good. There is little smell, seems to penetrate well and it feels creamier than WEST System. I can only describe it that way, it feels silkier, proof when you're glueing and the pieces want to slide sideways as you're clamping. I'm less worried about dry joints too, cos this stuff spreads well. 

I'll test the strength in the morning I guess, but so far it looks good.

PPS: As of today, 25/4/2015, I'm giving BOTE COTE a big tick of approval. The pot life is fantastic (even with the standard rare hardener), judging from the lack of smell the claim that it's 'low toxic' seems about right too, when you're done working (without gloves) you don't even need to wash your hands, if so soap and water will do, and it's sticks well too. A few days ago while testing out ring nails (I used a few to hold the cleats in place), I coated the nails in epoxy, but because I was only tacking and didn't want the joint to squeeze dry, I only rammed the nails part way home. When I came to nail them all the way next day, they were very difficult to budge. Other joint have shown no sign of weakness, and the manufacturer's claim that it's 'flexible' when set, seems right too because when I bend the plastic spatula to remove old dried epoxy, the blade bends a terrible lot before it breaks the bond. I haven't sanded it get, but from the result so far, I'm not expecting and problems. 

CLEATING

Well this is a really fiddley part of the build, lots of little pieces to go on each bulkhead and you can only do one side of a bulkhead at a time. I just need to get this done before scarfing up the side panels before a dry fit. 

GETTING BACK TO WORK

 AND it feels great to have the school holidays over and be back at work on Quixotic.