Thickened Epoxy Question

[montenido]

Hi all,

I am fabricating two small spacers for a stern roller installation to gain some height. Each spacer will be about 1x2" square and maybe 1" thick. I have made two so far using polyester resin with layers of fiberglas mat and fabric.

I would like to build these using epoxy, and then epoxy them to my transom. Can I make these using only epoxy with the high-density filler? Or should I once again layer glass cloth and matting?

I have "potted" plenty of holes with the thickened epoxy, so I know it is strong.

Comments? Opinions?

I have attached a pic of the roller sitting on my fiberglass spacers, and the mold is in the picture for reference.

Thanks, Bill

[bljones]

a couple of layers of 'glass oriented at right angles to each other would give you a little more structure. make a thickened epoxy sandwich in your mold:
1.layer of thickened epoxy
2.saturated cloth on nw-se diagonal
3.saturated cloth on ne-sw diagonal
4.layer of thickened epoxy

[SloopJonB]

The easiest method to add some fiber strength is to thicken the epoxy with "mill fibers" - short bits of glass fiber. I doubt that, in a piece that small, woven fabric would add enough to be worth the trouble.

[garyguss]

Man, that looks like a lot of work, I think I would have cut some spacers out of a Walmart plastic cutting board and gone on to the next thing. Could make a couple of little molds and cast them out of epoxy with milled fibers. As long as they dont get too thick and overheat.

[Frogwatch]

Use G10 (Garolite)instead. Order it from McMaster _Carr online. It is extremely strong and bonds well to epoxy. I use it for similar stuff when I build boats.

[mitiempo]

Thickened epoxy with glass fibers added should be ok. Why do you want to raise it though? The higher it is the more bending force on the bolts holding it.

I have the same stern roller and will be installing it in the future - direct to the stern deck.