Which epoxy/resin to seal belly band on Trillium?

[Gumpit]

Does anyone have a source or link for what they used to seal the belly band on their Trillium. Thanks Randy

[Eddie Longest]

Randy
Check out West System Six10 Thickened Epoxy Adhesive Sealant. I'm not quite sure what you are trying to glue since I mostly work on Scamps. I needed to glue some blocks to a fiberglass panel and this was recommended by a clerk at West Marine. The link is a video from Jamestown Dist. Check it out see if it will work for you.
Eddie
West System Six10 Thickened Epoxy Adhesive

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/six10-demo/

[Gumpit]

I saw that. I am trying to fill the space that will be left behind when I remove the belly band on my 1978 Trillium 4500. From the pictures it looks like it will be a 1/2" gap that wraps around the entire camper. I think I will need something that I can get in bulk. I may need to use short haired fiberglass filler like another member used. Unless someone has a better suggestion. I am open to ideas at this point. I am hoping to remove the band this weekend and see what is hiding. I will post pics when I do. Randy

[Eddie Longest]

Wal Mart sells a polyester fiberglass body filler in quart containers that contains fiberglass fibers and it is not too expensive. I have used it as a non-stuctural filler and it did the job for me. If you want to use epoxy then West System with their additives is another option. The West System does provide a lot of good information on their products.
Eddie

[Richard Hayes]

Originally Posted by Gumpit

Does anyone have a source or link for what they used to seal the belly band on their Trillium. Thanks Randy

I haven't worked on FG trailers, so take the following with a large grain of salt, but I have done a lot of work with epoxy over the years on various boats. Epoxy is a very versatile material, and can be used with various powdered fillers that let you thicken it to whatever consistency you require.

For kayak building, we use fumed silica for any application where hardness, strength and low sag is needed. When using thickened epoxy as a fairing agent, microballoon filler is preferred, as it much easier to sand. In boat use, epoxy used for gap filling is usually thickened to the consistency of peanut butter - another way to gauge it is the point where it no longer readily drips off the stir stick.

Three suggestions - first, make sure your measurements of the resin and hardener are accurate - unlike polyester resins, where very small amounts of hardener act as a catalyst, epoxy formulations require very precise matching of the volumes of the two components. Secondly, make sure you stir the heck out of it - when you are sure it's mixed, give it another few minutes of stirring. And finally, since the chemical reaction is exothermic (gives off heat), place some plastic over a piece of board and spread the mixed, thickened epoxy out on that so the heat generated can escape, rather than accelerate the reaction. Watching a three-quarter full can of mixed epoxy start to smoke and boil is no fun at all!

P.S. - re brands - West is as good as it gets, and they offer users of their a lot of valuable info. Other brands can cost less, and in my experience, work equally well.