G10 or homemade?

[mrybas]

I was thinking about buying G10 epoxy board to use for backing plates of deck hardware. Seeing as how expensive it is (2'x3' is $100), would it be cost effective to alternate 6oz cloth/18oz roving and make my own epoxy board? It would be pretty much the same as G10 board, right?

[scottyt]

you can make your own, it just takes time. and no need to mix glass type or sizes.

here is a nice little trick.

mix the epoxy up, get a bunch of glass wet, lay it up, put it in a trash bag tape a shop vac hose in the bag as you close it up. turn the vac on then press and smooth the glass thru the bag, then let cure. the bag should peel right off, then trim to shape and size. the vac will help you get a nice solid low resin layup

[mrybas]

Thanks ScottyT....GHETTO-FABULOUS vacum bagging.

[sailingdog]

Layup the backing board yourself. The advantage of doing this is you can make the board's the thickness you need. Lighter, smaller gear doesn't require a 1/2" backer board... where as a windlass or deck cleat might.

For small, really highly loaded items, you can even taper the backing board so that the heaviest section is right in the middle to help prevent fatigue and a hard stress line against the deck.

If you want to buy fiberglass cloth cheap for use in backing boards... defender sells boxes of surplus fiberglass cloth in various sizes. I got a 20 lb. box of assorted weights and sizes for $50 or so.

I would use a glass or plastic sheet as the surface, since, you probably want one side to be as flat as possible.