Thread: Estimating weight of epoxy (cured)

The weight between Boatcote or West System wet or dry is going to be minimal as its a chemical reaction for it to harden off so there is no loss of product as it dries..........not like single pack paint etc where you lose the thinner etc for it to dry

Originally Posted by Arron

Does anyone know how much one litre of Bote-cote epoxy weighs ONCE IT HAS CURED. Say we're talking about one litre of part A, 500 ml of fast hardener, and no fillers.

I need to know this for planning how to keep the weight of any boat I make lighter (need to be able to lift them onto the car roof singlehanded).

cheers
Arron

Hi Arron,
I expect the weight to be very close to the sum of weights of the initial components. You just need to obtain their net weight on kitchen scales. Most of the mass of the components is incorporated into the polymer, you might get a trivial amount of weight loss but insignificant, not much evaporates off, just enough to smell it.

Cheers

Michael

The weight loss is absolutely negligible with quality epoxy systems. Solvents used with paints and polyester resins are counterproductive with epoxy (and the other resins and paints too).

So quality epoxies have no solvents ... "high solids" is the technical term.

Best wishes
MIK

Yep, makes sense, thanks.

Arron

Actually, its a bit less than you start with, there's always a bit left in the pot, some under your fingernails, a bit on your electric drill, some more in your trousers - where you wipe your hands and if you are unlucky, a bit in your hair too.

Originally Posted by Arron

Does anyone know how much one litre of Bote-cote epoxy weighs ONCE IT HAS CURED. Say we're talking about one litre of part A, 500 ml of fast hardener, and no fillers.

I need to know this for planning how to keep the weight of any boat I make lighter (need to be able to lift them onto the car roof singlehanded).

cheers
Arron

You're going about this all wrong mate. There's no point in trying to save weight by skimping on the stuff that holds it all together. If you think the boat is going to be too heavy, change the structure, not skimp on the important stuff.

That doesn't mean you just slather the epoxy on - you don't, you use it carefully, applying only what you need to do the job BUT, that is very different to trying to save weight by cutting back on epoxy.

Follow the plans as far as fillet size, etc goes, build carefully so you aren't adding weight by using more than is needed and accept the weight for what it is. If it's going to be too heavy, change the design to one more suitable or investigate lighter timbers such as gaboon ply and paulonia softwood.

Richard

Sterling advice Richard. Weight saving is a consistent approach rather than something that happens at one point ... from planning and onwards.

MIK

Just in case you're still curious the MSDS gives the specific gravity as 1.12 so 1 litre will be 1.12kg.