Thread: UV with Epoxy and Bote-Cote Used as a Glue vs Epox-E-Glue

Q1
The epoxy doesn't break down with UV, it's the timber underneath that breaks down due to UV passing through clear epoxy. How long have you got? Good question. In theory damage will begin immediately if exposed to direct sunlight. But then I met a fella who had clear epoxy covered his sailing dinghy with no varnish and was in his 6th season with no apparent damage. I guess in practice if you wanted to do a few outings without paint you could, but paint is going to add a lot to the whole protection package so is best put on sooner rather than later.
Q2
For decades we only had epoxy to which varying fillers were added in different quantities to achieve whatever purpose. So yes, filler is added to turn it into a glue. Bote Cote's own instruction book is best followed for this. Every type of glueing task can be achieved with this.
Then along came Epox-E-Glue. It is an amazing product and I would suggest that you will use it whenever you can. Easy to mix and no need to add fillers. And being thixotropic it stays where you put it. So a thick fillet stays exactly as applied - NO SAG. It really is a game changer. It has limitations but just follow the directions. My main concern is to prime with raw epoxy on end grain or when I want to be sure of best adhesion.
I still use epoxy for wetting out, pouring into holes or defects, small glueing jobs or anytime I want the epoxy to flow. Epox-E-Glue is used for most glueing jobs, all fillets, gap filling, reshaping.

Hi Tonto. These really are questions best asked of Boatcraft Pacific. I find them easy to approach and if you email them you’ll get a response in 24 hrs. I personally have been wondering this too as I have a 22’ boat under construction in my shed and the deck/cabin has been dynelled/ 2 further fill coats then left while I do remaining work. It’s in the shed so no direct UV contact but it has me wondering. Doesn’t seem to be affected under the dust!! So I leave the dust on as a form of protection!!
You can get a UV resistant hardener. I think they recommend that under varnish if you’re gonna epoxy first.
I’ve used the Epox-E-Glue stuff too , very good - you don’t have to be exact with the proportions and yes it stays put. Haven’t used it for fillets but I reckon it’d make a very smooth fillet unlike the epoxy/powder fillets . Mostly used for gluing/laminating. I’ve stuck with The Bote Cote epoxy so I don’t have so many different containers of goo around. But now after a few years of building I’d use both because of their different characteristics. Bote Cote for coating and EpoxE for fillets and gluing. Oh BTW it’s a lot easier to measure small quantities of EpoxE rather than the pumps of Bote Cote which the smallest is 2 pumps resin to 1 hardener, yes I know there are ways to go smaller but you have to be not as lazy as me.

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

Q1
The epoxy doesn't break down with UV, it's the timber underneath that breaks down due to UV passing through clear epoxy.

Okay, thanks so that's what happens. I gather the epoxy can start to yellow after a couple of months in direct sunlight.

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

Q1
....My main concern is to prime with raw epoxy on end grain or when I want to be sure of best adhesion.
I still use epoxy for wetting out, pouring into holes or defects, small glueing jobs or anytime I want the epoxy to flow. Epox-E-Glue is used for most glueing jobs, all fillets, gap filling, reshaping.

Q3. When you prime end grain with resin epoxy and wet out, do you wait for the epoxy to cure before then using the Epox-E-Glue?

Q4. When you said "Epox-E-Glue is used for most glueing jobs, all fillets, gap filling, reshaping" that sounds like a whole lot less messy than mixing Bote-Cote with fillers. What is cured Epox-E-Glue like to sand though?

I have ordered some Bote-Cote sample kits but I think I will order some Epox-E-Glue too for some experiments and practice.

Originally Posted by AndrewPatrol

....I’ve used the Epox-Y-Glue stuff too , very good - you don’t have to be exact with the proportions and yes it stays put. Haven’t used it for fillets but I reckon it’d make a very smooth fillet unlike the epoxy/powder fillets .

Thank you for the info. I do like the idea of using Epox-E-Glue for fillets.

Okay, thanks so that's what happens. I gather the epoxy can start to yellow after a couple of months in direct sunlight

Yes it does. It will yellow without sunlight too but much slower. Bote Cote make a non yellowing hardener which is best used if clear finishing.

Q3. When you prime end grain with resin epoxy and wet out, do you wait for the epoxy to cure before then using the Epox-E-Glue?

No. Wet on wet is best to maintain a chemical bond. So wet, sticky, soft, just not cured. If it cures you will have to rough it up with abrasive paper to achieve a physical bond.

Q4. When you said "Epox-E-Glue is used for most glueing jobs, all fillets, gap filling, reshaping" that sounds like a whole lot less messy than mixing Bote-Cote with fillers. What is cured Epox-E-Glue like to sand though?

Quite the opposite. Epoxy E Glue is like mixing 2 parts of thick honey (depending on temperature). I just mix it on a piece of scrap ply with a 50mm scraper - quick, simple and already the right consistency. Epoxy with filler is mixed in a tub of some sort and you keep adding filler until the desired consistency is reached. Slower and be careful not to breathe too much filler powder. Getting it to not flow or sag requires just the right mix - tricky at times. Sanding Epoxy E Glue is similar to sanding epoxy with the glueing/filleting filler.

I have ordered some Bote-Cote sample kits but I think I will order some Epox-E-Glue too for some experiments and practice.

Good idea. The difference will be very apparent!

Cheers, Mark

Ask them for the Bote Cote booklet too. Last time I read it (years ago) it didn’t have any Epox-E —Glue info but maybe a new edition. Also there is the epoxy bible put out by Geougeon brothers. Google west system , here’s a photo of it . Contains reams of info that equally applies to most epoxy systems

6899D7EB-59A2-454C-8789-7AC62D8F998F.jpeg It’s now a free download. But worth buying for 40 or 50 $