By No wife but I have WEST from Richmond VA on 11/5/2009

I have used this to restore a 1968 Travel Trailer, built a catamaran in the early 1980's with it, repaired sheet metal, repaired furniture joints(rocking chairs, dining room table chairs), window sills, and virtually anything I need to stick together....forever.
I even used up some on a plywood floor on a Landscapers trailer we didn't even bother to coat it with paint. Two years later and no telling how many mowers, boots, gasoline cans, left in the rain, etc. the wood is still solid and maybe next year we will replace it.
Give me a roller and WEST and the world is all right!
Read or view the "how to do" that James Town and WEST have to offer on line all the answers are there!
This is the very best stuff to use. The clear hardener is clear, the fast and slow hardeners are right on with pot life and silica is the best it forms a super tough joint that ... well don't even think you can pull it apart.The wood will break first.

Epoxy with slow hardener can be used alone to protect plywood (wheelhouse etc.), but can also be mixed with thickeners from West System to make fillets and bonding. I used 17 oz. biaxial with mat on my lobster boat rebuild and it worked well to wet out the fiberglass, and create super strong bonds and fiberglass.

By Oldolivers from Asheville, NC on 10/10/2009

West Systems is great for all custom woodworking applications. I use it primarily on mortise & tenon jointery and filling/enhancing defects in "character wood". It has been a staple in my shop for about 30 years.

African Sipo counter top

Tags: Using Product

African Sipo Counter top installed

By Schools Out from Skaneateles, NY on 9/30/2009

We used the West system and Balsa core to replace the deck of a Marine Trader 34. The core was soaked and VERY soft. Now we can jump up and down on them. They are strong and dry.

By Phytos from Superior, WI. on 9/3/2009

When using other products I had to clean a lot of the amine blush off but with this product I didnt even notice any blush at all. For this reason I was able to get my project done much faster.

By Yakrider from Jackson, TN on 9/3/2009

I bought this to repair some delaminated areas on my RV. I wound up using it for wet layup and to adhere in a lot of other places. The how videos here are great. With the different additives you can create a range of different properties for the epoxy. Wonderful stuff.

By [@] from Altadena, CA on 8/5/2009

Very easy to use. Looks great on texalium and Carbon Fiber or simply fiberglass. The metered pumps work great. This is a very easy to use resin with vacuum bagging. Highly recommended.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By Joe from South Bend,IN on 6/7/2009

This was the first time I had ever used an epoxy. Thought it was amazing. Used it with 6oz. fiber glass cloth to glass the hull of 18ft. cedar strip boat. Levels out great. If your a rookie like me get the slow hardener, this was the only down fall I got the 205 hardener which was way to fast for me.

By Randymarathon from Marathon, Florida Keys on 5/21/2009

I built a hard enclosure for the aft deck of my 41' motor yacht complete with sides, door frames, doors and aft wall. Completely glued and sealed all wood with two coats of West System epoxy and painted it with Awlgrip. Everyone thinks it was built that way at the factory.

Aft deck enclosure with doors

Tags: Made with Product

By Jack Sprat from Asheville,NC on 4/10/2009

I've been using the West Epoxy System for over 30 years and it has been a most versatile and excellent product. I started using this epoxy when I was doing boatbuilding and repair in the New England area. I later changed over to the historic preservation arena and have specialized in window and door restoration.The West system with it's different hardeners and fillers has given me the tools to make many various fixes that otherwise would not have been able to be done and has contributed to many historic windows and doors being saved. The West Epoxy System is a very flexable system that allows me to accomplish my work.

By biggestsam from Lakewood, WA on 3/25/2009

i soak it into paracord to make it hard and durable
and use it to bond various materials to metal

This stuff is magic. A must for restoring old wood canoes

I'm a professional woodworker and have continuously used epoxy for a wide variety of projects. Once in awhile I try other products, but invariably come running back to West System.

By pilot from colorado on 2/14/2009

I have been looking for exceptional strong bond of composite carbons, to repair youth floor hockey sticks.I have found many ways of stable repair and perminent repairs.105 epoxy is great !

This is an amazing product which worked wonders when I was mounting the trolling motor on my boat. I had to attach a large metal lever to the back of the boat to hold the motor. This epoxy was used to seal and secure the screws that hold the lever in place. I thickened the epoxy to provide adhesion and had a great result. The trolling motor has been used a lot and the epoxy has secured the lever as well as sustained through water and weather. I was initially worried that the adhesive I would use would not be strong enough to support the weight of the trolling motor but am extremely impressed by its resilience. Fabulous product with many uses!

By WalterWHD from Shalimar, FL on 12/22/2008

Very versatile, high strength, gap filling.
Acts as a lubricant for close fitting joints.
Is my primary glue, I have been using it for over 10 years.

Ipe's oily nature is not conducive to strong glue joints, especially when movement stress occurs. We found its lapachol residue sent us searching for a quality adhesive. 20 years of bending wood and a weeks worth of testing every glue we could find online. The combination of the 207 hardner and 105 resin, made the inpossible possible. Laminating this wood called for a business bankruptcy. The deck is a 11'2" radius, with hundreds of glue joints. This deck is on the ocean, holding up to elements. West System once again proved this is a quality product.

P.S.- we use this product through out our freestanding spiral staircases. This is the strongest adhesive we can find

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

Used west system epoxy on a complete stringer and transom replacement,my first,with some guidance from experienced users we were laminating,filleting and glassing without too much trouble.I really like the way 105 is used for everythings base.The only drawback I can think of would be the sticky clean up.

By Dan from Media, PA on 8/13/2008

I am currently using West Systems epoxy building a skiff, but I always keep some around because it is so versatile as an adhesive, sealant, gap filler, etc. etc. It has a long shelf-life. With 105 resin, fast and slow hardeners, and a couple of fillers (e.g. coloidal silica and Microlight), it can be used across a wide range of temperatures and for many, many applications. Tech support from West has been personal and very helpful. Epoxyworks publication has many tips and applications you may not have thought about. For example, per Epoxyworks, I used some to reattach sagging plaster in my house.

One drawback: West is somewhat pricey. I've also used System 3, with which I have also been very pleased. System 3 is very slightly cheaper. West is more readily available, e.g. at local marine supppliers.

I am very careful about mix ratios and completely mixing, so I've never had any problems with incomplete cures.

By Repairguy Wannabe from Boston, MA on 7/23/2008

I've used West System epoxy for repairing cracked teak toe rails, for re-glassing bulkheads, and other general repairs. The DVD that explains its use is very helpful, with good visual and verbal explanations for various uses.

Proper mixture of resin and hardener are critical. The optional pumps make measuring exact, and IMHO are essential. Mixing as instructed will ensure a solid, nearly bulletproof repair.

Clean up is best done before the spilled mixture has time to kick/set up. Acetone usually cleans up the mess.

I found that using the 205 fast hardener permits proper curing down to 40 degrees F. A little extra heat from a heat gun or light bulb helps.

An excellent product!

I have used West System for years on dryrot on my boat. Dig out the rot. I use a spoon to messure 5 to one and add filler. It drys in an hour and I only need one coat of paint over it. Sometime if not completely dry I paint anyway and the paint and resin dry together. If a large hole I use water base wood filler and when it drys I sand it and then put a coat of West over the filler.

By Drift Montana from Bozeman, MT on 7/18/2008

I have to agree with radiodude's review. West Sys appears to be very sensitive to getting the proper mix ratio (5:1). The pumps help, but if you don't get it just right, or if some epoxy does not get mixed in well with the hardener, you will get partial cures. Also, the amine blush can be pretty bad compared to other epoxy I've used. Finally, I had some incompatibility with Interlux Schooner varnish (this has been loosely documented as an occasional issue in the past) over the West epoxy. I still keep it around for laminating and small jobs that will not be overcoated directly, but personally will not use it for glassing, or flow coats.-[@]

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

The packaging system and pumps make it easy to use in the correct proportions, and it needs to be in the correct proportions, it is not forgiving of mistaken mixes.
It is possible to get bad results if the ambient temp drops during cure, or humidity gets very high during cure. In the humidity case, the result was a milky appearance and partial cure. In these cases, you need to remove it and start over. I have also had some instances of partial cure, where the "final" result is rubbery.
I have found that this epoxy is good for general repairs, especially with coarse cloths and mat, it laminates well to polyester and vinylester when making hull repairs. The powder fillers are dusty and messy but work well for 'fill' repairs and make it easy to sand smooth and flush.
This epoxy does not seem to work at all on Teak or Oak wood. It is too viscous and does not penetrate the grain. This results in just a skin coat of epoxy on the wood's surface, which later peels off the oak or teak, like old, blistered latex paint.
It worked ok on mahogany and pine/fir.
Do not use it in thick coats or try to 'pot' anything, even something tiny, the exotherm will make it smoking hot and you will have a rubbery mess that is hard to clean up.
It seems to accept mix-in color pigments fairly well.

There is not anything one can say against WSystem; saves lots of maintenance used properly.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By El Creno from VA on 3/24/2008

Great product. Buy the pumps, it makes life that much easier.

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By Peter from Addison, VT on 3/9/2008

I use West 105 Epoxy with the clear 207 hardener for coating cedar strip canoes with fiberglass. The glass wets out easily, adhesion to wood is great, and the clarity with slight amber color enhances the wood's beauty. Sanding irregularities is hard work, like any resin, so it's worth taking the time to get a good finish to minimise this. The epoxy also makes a wonderfully strong glue if thickened a little to prevent running out of joints.

My first canoe

Tags: Made with Product

[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]

By Bob from Boothbay Harbor, ME on 2/13/2008

What can i say, i love this stuff. As easy to use as any two part glue. The pumps make everything one to one. Here in NE, the 205 cures quicker in the lower temps so my parts are sandable the next day.