Posted by Mark Bronkalla on May 21, 2003 at 11:39:01:
In Reply to: Re: Is it a must to use Fibreglass cloth contd. posted by JimM on May 21, 2003 at 05:46:33:
I think that the added benefit of cloth in abrasion resistence, dnet resistence and providing a stable survace that will not split or crack are major benefits. Our boat has been used (and abused) and there are number of times when the glass kep the surface intact where epoxy only would have split or cracked off.
The micro-cracking and checking is especially an issue with fir plywood. The glass keeps the surface layer together.
With 4 oz cloth, there is really not that much added weight or thickness.
The downside of glassis in the applicaion, it will be less forgiving of letting a batchof poxy sit too long or of over-working (and foaming) the resin. It makes the epoxy applicaion definitely a 2 person process (one to mix and one to apply).