Clear resin

J

jeremyb

Is the west system epoxy resin clear?

I have a jr dragster body to do. It is all carbon fiber...the body-wing-seat- whole nine yards. He is after keeping the cf look. I've already put the body through 2 clear sessions at 4 coats of clear each. Body was FULL of tiny pinholes that i have just gotten to fill in with clear.

If i would have known they were there i wouldn't have chose to just clear it. I've cleared many other cf pieces like hoods and spoilers and such, and the quality was good and never had problems. Apparently this body on this dragster was just poorly made. I have more pieces to do the same way and am thinking a few layers of epoxy resin is going to be the best way, assuming it comes in clear.

I was sick after the first few coats of clear, but am getting satisfied with the body. definately dont want to go through this with the other pieces.
 
dont know if i have ever seen a clear epoxy resin. most have a pail yellow tone. which gets darker the more it is exposed.
 
This isn't West Systems epoxy but it's clear and goes on pretty thick. I've used it on wood and it's held up well (inside one of my cars). I think Shine mentioned using it.
20100917_Resin_0306.jpg
 
west system has a clear hardner now called 207 and it is pretty close to clear and it has uv stability

I use it quite often at work refinishing boats

msg me if you have any more questions about it

Jeff
 
yes the west systems expoxy is pretty clear. 105. ive got an up comming guitar project im guna be putting on.
 
i see i see. So it is the hardener which turns the resin clear when mixed and cured. I will do a test piece on the other parts i have to do first with clear, they look like they are of better quality than the body.

thanks for the info guys!
 
yes, the resin is perfectly clear and the hardener give it a slight amber color. fresh hardener is light amber but as it ages it gets darker. its not that your body is of low quality. there is show carbon which is what you see on cars, etc and what you are used to clearing. this has a clear gelcoat or epoxy laid in the mold first. this stuff is just made to look good, then there is race carbon. race carbon is made for one thing....to be light weight so the extra resin is left out and the carbon is laid right in the mold. you have pinholes because you are clearing right over raw carbon. take the west system and squeegee it into the body to fill the holes first then clearcoat it. any amber color isn't going to be noticed in a pinhole on a dark grey surface. i would not worry about it.
 
i see what you are saying. as far as i know, raw carbon is pretty much a flat/low gloss sheen right? everything i have is glossy, even the body. leads me to believe there was a gelcoat or epoxy in the mold first? theres one piece i have for the seat that is completely flat and looks like raw carbon fiber, and i can see the tiny pinholes in it. The rest looks fine.... had to break out the magnifying glass.

maybe they just didn't use enough resin in the mold of the body first? just enough to keep the carbon fiber down in it. I know the customer waited months to have this thing done, as the company that did it was behind. they do alot of other drag bodies and the "pros" have eaten them up with work...coulda been a rush job?
 
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I've done stuff like that where 3 coats of clear gets slammed on, then all the pinholes and crap get touched up by hand with some leftover clear. Once that is dry a wetsand and 3 more coats make it all pretty. I have found it too hard to bury all the stuff strictly by spraying, the surface tension of the material is too high.
 
the carbon can only come out of the mould as good as the product was wet out etc pinholes in carbon is very commom.

you can use normal west hardner but it will yellow and it will break down faster that you can imagine!!!! even cleared i have seen it get yellow and brittle.

Like i said use the 207 hardner its uv stable ( i have worked with west for 20 plus years and been to the course etc also caught them in some small lies buts thats another story lol) but clear it afterwards!!!!! also before you sand it scotchbrite it with warm soapy water to remove the blush or you could have peeling!!!

Jeff
 
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