In part one of this series of how to build a wooden dinghy Steve Goodchild takes us through choosing a design, and making a jig for his Stornoway 16. “I’m essentially a fair–weather sailor,” says retired land surveyor Steve Goodchild. “The trouble is, the weather doesn’t seem to know that.” Nevertheless he decided to combine his two passions of wood working and sailing and build ... Steve Goodchild explains how to build a wooden dinghy (Stornoway 16) More
From her garage in Bedfordshire, Sarah Conway has discovered that Entropy Resins® products are the best epoxy for coasters and all the other stunning art creations she produces. With an online following of 25K plus, Sarah’s epoxy pours with alcohol ink are shipping through Europe and to places as far off as Alaska, Australia and New ... SARAH CONWAY uses bio-based epoxy to make coasters and art flower blooms More
Learn the basic concepts of using and handling WEST SYSTEM® epoxy in this unique, hands-on, one day workshop. Friday 31st January 2020, ECF Composites, Hexham, NE46 4DQ Gain experience in using epoxy while experimenting with the entire range of fillers for bonding, gap filling, filleting and fairing while you build a toolbox. Use epoxy and ... WEST SYSTEM workshop – Hexham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (31 Jan 2020) More
James Macdonald created this beautiful guitar in Maine. Here he writes of the journey he’s been on to bring this project to life, and how he used epoxy to glue wood. In the early days of my woodworking career, beginning in 1981, I spent time as a boatbuilder at Wood Boats, a restoration yard in ... Using epoxy to glue wood – the ‘Eat a Peach’ guitar More
If you’re looking for presents for sailors, take inspiration from George Isted’s recent win (pictured with Hamish Cook). He’s giving some of this mega-bundle of epoxy goodies as gifts; sharing the epoxy magic as Christmas presents for sailors in his life. Epoxy presents for sailors include: Glass Fibre Boat Repair kits (WEST SYSTEM 105-K Glass ... Epoxy presents for sailors More
Cheetah Marine’s porotype catamaran was built in 1989 on the Isle of Wight. Founder, Sean Strevens, built her with thin marine ply and WEST SYSTEM® epoxy, the original and best marine grade epoxy. A mould was taken from Sean’s original catamaran. From that Cheetah Marine built its business. More
If you want advice on how to use colour with epoxy, read our top tips. The tints have been specifically designed for use with crystal-clear Entropy Resins® Clear Casting Epoxy, although the tints can be used with all the Entropy Resins products. Entropy Resins products are world renowned for their bio-content and sustainable attributes and ... How to use colour tints with epoxy More
This time of year is always busy with a great selection of shows and exhibitions across Europe including the flagship UK composites exhibition, which we are once again delighted to support. At all of these trade exhibitions, the Wessex Resins & Adhesives technical epoxy experts really enjoy meeting with customers and offering sound technical advice ... Come and see us at Advanced Engineering and / or METSTRADE More
The beauty of epoxy, says Jake Kavanagh, is that it makes a tough, non-shrinking connection between various angles of wood, ideal when you want to make a plug for a custom mould. Which is why he wrote this article for us on how to make a oil drip tray. Not that we don’t trust the brand-new ... Moulding an oil tray More
The finished 18th century Gajeta – or how to build a classic boat with epoxy. As you’ll know, we’ve run a series on the build of a Gajeta at the Betina Shipyard in Croatia. In this final instalment we look back at where she started and what she became. From 3D design to the final item: ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 9 More
These stunning whisky barrel surfboards were crafted with whisky barrels and made with Entropy Resins®. Although they’re destined for walls they’re true advocates for the beauty of well-used wood and crystal-clear epoxy. According to Jason Burnett (Jay Surfboards), most surfboard shapers start making their products in a shed. “I started repairing boards in a hut in my ... Using Bio-Based Epoxy to Shape Whisky Barrel Surfboards More
We’re delighted to be supporting two firefighters from St Mary’s, Southampton, in their epic quest to row across the Atlantic and raise money for charity. Billed as the premier event in ocean rowing the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is a journey of over 3,000 miles west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain ... Rowing the Atlantic for charity More
Peter Oman has worked in construction sites all his life. He’s a building engineer and is now turning his skills and passion in a new direction, creating bespoke pieces of craftsmanship, with crystal clear finishes, from his home in the small village of Kvevlax. He lives 500km from Helsinki, and has his own sawmill, kiln ... A quality finish More
While it’s clear that Entropy Resins®, the bio-based epoxy, is taking the surf, skate and snowboard shapers, makers and crafter markets by storm, what’s not so well known is its fascinating history. In this short film we learn about the development of ENTROPY RESINS including working with surfers to understand the need for flex and give; and how ... Table top talks More
In 2002 the seed was planted for John Taylor to build a boat with WEST SYSTEM® epoxy. He bought a wagon full of cedar four by two and that was it, Ocean Swift (44ft catamaran) started. John had found a mention of WEST SYSTEM epoxy in a magazine, arranged an appointment and met up with David Johnson ... Magical sailing More
Maguire Boats customers range from triple Olympic gold medallists to current America’s Cup sailors, via weekend sailors. “Whoever it is though, the product doesn’t change,” says Simon Maguire, “the quality is consistently high for every customer. I meet them as they come off the water to get direct feedback. Everything is about performance around the racecourse, ... The lightweight winner More
According to Nigel Stuart, Spirit Yachts are handed down through generations as family assets. They’re so valued it’s not often that one comes on the market for a resale. Nigel puts it down to Spirit owners being people who like to look after their assets and why wouldn’t they when they’re so beautifully crafted? And now ... Spirit of sustainability More
“We’ve had a long collaboration with Wessex Resins,” says Will Reed from the Boat Building Academy. “The products are excellent. I’ve used them for 20 years personally. The technical support offered is so important. Wessex Resins is at the end of the phone and they come in and talk to the students. “All boats built ... Building with precision and passion More
James Newman, J-TEC Composites, says his favourite part of making products is the final outcome, when he sees the face of the customer realising the part ‘does what they want it to do’. He’s been using composites from an early age, starting out with a model boat which had such a “ridiculous engine, it ended ... Using PRO-SET epoxy with composites – interview with James Newman More
Join us at SIBS (Ocean Hall, J401) on Tuesday 17th September where we’ll be ‘in conversation’ with a really interesting array of expert speakers from across the marine world. (Pictured above, top row L-R: Adam Bundle, Nigel Stuart, Simon Maguire. Below L-R: James Newman, Hamish Cook, Will Reed) Adam Bundle – Rowing the Atlantic – 11:30 ... We’re ‘in conversation’ at Southampton International Boat Show More
Our stand (Ocean Hall, J401) will be packed full of our experts offering top tips and project advice about using our epoxy products; from WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy, the original marine grade epoxy, to PRO-SET® epoxies for composite work and finally our Bio-Based ENTROPY RESINS®. Find out how we support the marine market, whether that’s with repair kits for dinghy sailors, or being involved from start to ... Join us at the Southampton International Boat Show (13-22 Sept) More
Looking for a practical way to increase your epoxy skills and knowledge? Book onto our one-day epoxy workshop, 7th November 2019. Here at Wessex Resins and Adhesives, we’re hosting a special event for those wanting to gain expert knowledge and hands-on experience of using WEST SYSTEM® epoxy to construct, repair and maintain their own boats, or ... Epoxy Workshop, 7 Nov 2019 More
The finishing touches to this project combining traditional craftsmanship with epoxy In our latest instalment of the building of a replica of an 18th century Croatian Gajeta, ‘Lipa Moja’ becomes the sum of her parts. Many hours of traditional craftsmanship – combined with the precision of CNC cutting and the adhesive power of WEST SYSTEM® epoxy – has ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 8 More
According to Luke Young, his boards are built with science and timing and that’s what makes them perfect for world-class surfers across the globe. Epoxycraft finds out which epoxy for surfboards he’s using. Luke Young has made surfboards for the world-class elite and also for beginners, intermediaries and more. He’s been building bespoke surfboards for ... Surfing The World More
Competing against the cream of engineering students, the University of Manchester is taking a bespoke single-seater to race at Silverstone. They’re using the best epoxy for automobiles. Formula Student is the world’s largest student engineering design competition with entries from around the world, including USA, Australia, India, Canada and the Far East, as well as ... Driven to win More
Penmaker and woodturner Ron Caddy specialises in combining ancient timber and modern epoxies to make exquisite – and affordable – custom pens. Ron is now making his latest creations with bio-based Entropy Resins® epoxy. At a craft show near Romsey in Hampshire Ron Caddy was drawing a lot of attention to his display of custom-made pens. Whilst the inner ... Making a 5,000-year-old pen More
Michael Cubbage designs and makes bikes with laminated bamboo and WEST SYSTEM® epoxy. Using bamboo for bikes isn’t new. The material’s been utilised since the 1800s, but historically bikes were made from canes lashed together with hemp and glue. Michael, from Tri-Sept Cycles, has a very different approach. “The bamboo I use is similar to ... The Laminated Bamboo Bike More
If you’re finding that you’ve got bubbles when pouring clear casting epoxy, here are some simple techniques to help resolve the problem. Bursting bubbles using a little heat Use a hot air gun to heat and break the surface tension to burst the bubbles. This should be done as soon as possible after pouring. Care ... How to remove epoxy bubbles More
When it comes to the art of making stringed instruments, a luthier’s first choice of material would traditionally be poplar, ash, maple, rosewood or another workable wood. Epoxy certainly wouldn’t spring to mind. However, anything but traditional, this is exactly what the craftsmen at Carpentaría Lambar used to make their unique guitar. Carpentaría Lambar, based just ... Rocking Out: Carpenter Uses Epoxy to Build a Guitar More
After several months of intense boatbuilding, the craftsmen at the Betina Shipyard in Croatia are in the final stages of the completing their experimental 7-metre traditional sailing gajeta. Now the emphasis shifts to vacuum forming the curved brightwork of the interior. The beauty of using epoxy is that it forms a powerful adhesive, one that ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 7 More
Experienced woodturner Viv Broughton uses quick setting epoxy to secure elements of his wide portfolio of pieces. He gave us a quick tour of his workshop in Hampshire to explain the role of WEST SYSTEM® G/5 Five-Minute Adhesive (quick setting epoxy). Viv Broughton has a passion for wood. He works out of a small but well-equipped ... Using WEST SYSTEM G/5 Five-Minute Adhesive for wood and metal More
What is it? WEST SYSTEM® 421 Fire Retardant Additive does what it says on the tin – it retards fire. It is a heavy, non-combustible powder that is added to a fresh mix of epoxy. Used for? An extra layer of fire protection in areas such as galleys and engine rooms, or anywhere there may be a ... Additive of the Month – 421 Fire Retardant Additive More
Wales-based boatbuilder John Jones has used his woodworking skills to renovate his beloved 1962-vintage Morris pick-up with a judicious use of WEST SYSTEM® epoxy. The Morris Minor, or ‘Moggie’, has been likened to Doctor Who’s Tardis in that it travels through time pretty well. Designed during the Second World War by the father of the ... A Morris pick-up makeover More
You might have seen ROOSO DESIGNs work with the Entropy Resins® range to make incredible furniture and art pieces for homes and businesses, like making river tables with epoxy. ROOSO are based ten minutes outside of Sidmouth in Devon, an inspirational area for these unique designs being created by husband and wife team Reuben and Solo ... Sustainable, stunning designs with Entropy Resins More
As you know, we manufacture WEST SYSTEM®, PRO-SET® and ENTROPY RESINS® under licence from the Gougeon Brothers Inc, USA. Below Grace Ombry traces the company’s heritage, from its modest beginnings as a boat shop to a company which is now helping millions of people across the world build, repair and maintain boats of all sizes ... Happy Birthday to Gougeon Brothers, Inc! More
We’re delighted to announce the launch of a new online store to facilitate ordering the unique range of bio-based epoxy: ENTROPY RESINS. The EU online store has been added to the current North American website WWW.ENTROPYRESINS.COM and will support the existing network of distributors and retailers. You will be able to buy ENTROPY RESINS from ... ENTROPY RESINS® new online store launched for European customers More
WEST SYSTEM® Colour Pigments are available in four basic colours, and enable you to colour epoxy. What are Colour Pigments? WEST SYSTEM 501-505 Colour Pigments are made from stable coloured materials incorporated in an epoxy resin base. Currently there are white (501), black (502), grey (503) and blue (505) pigments to choose from to colour ... Additive of the Month – Colour Pigments More
Back to basics Wessex Resins and Adhesives is a proud sponsor of the charity Oarsome Chance, where disadvantaged and school-excluded young adults learn how to build and repair boats and use them on the water. Instructor Nick Hart describes the making of a ‘Mouse Boat’. The Mouse Boat The Mouse Boat can be made from ... How to build a mouse boat with epoxy and Oarsome Chance More
Preparing teak strips for bonding Here’s a tip for preparing a teak plank for a small-scale project such as a cockpit table, using teak and epoxy. It could work just as well on a complete deck. Mark at Aquamarine Ltd uses it whenever he wants to bond teak to a substrate rather than physically attach ... Tips from the Professionals (teak strips) More
James Case has been a member of Wells Sailing Club since he was a child. “It’s always had the same bar,” he says, “but when the club decided to do a major refit, we decided to make a new bar with a nautical theme.” Which is where his previous expertise as a self-employed boat builder ... Raising the bar with ENTROPY RESINS Clear Casting Resin More
The transparency of ENTROPY RESINS® CCR clear casting epoxy makes it ideal for the creation of a ‘river table,’ a furniture design that mimics a stream flowing between two ‘banks’ of wood. River tables (sometimes also called water tables) have become a sought-after piece of furniture as they combine traditional timber with clear cast resin ... Make a river table with ENTROPY RESINS More
Recently we tested a range of moulds which could be used with ENTROPY RESINS® Clear Casting Epoxy. Some of the moulds were bought online, some came from household items and others came from kind donations (like re-purposing an unused Pampered Chef silicone cupcake tray!). We’re taking these, and some more substantial products like our river ... Testing the mould More
ENTROPY RESINS® is cooking up more than a few dedicated followers in Italy. You can clearly tell that ENTROPY RESINS is a surf-business epoxy given the number of manufacturers around the world who use it to laminate their boards. And, you’ll be pleased to know, we offer a completely free technical advice service to support ... Baking a Surfboard More
Products from Wessex Resins and Adhesives and expertise from the UK-based technical team have been donated to a charity attempting to revive a piece of sailing history, the 36ft sailing yacht Lively Lady. One of the UK’s most iconic sailing yachts is undergoing a major restoration with WEST SYSTEM® epoxy playing a key role in ... Supporting the restoration of Lively Lady More
“I’m from Mooresville – the home of NASCAR – in North Carolina,” says Jason Young, Global Sales Rossion Cars. “All my buddies race or build cars, so it makes sense that I stayed in the industry I grew up with.” And what a company to be working for. ROSSION builds a mere 36-48 cars a ... Rossion Cars has built a boutique business, with the help of PRO-SET epoxy More
In our latest instalment of this fascinating series, we get deep inside the build of this inshore fishing vessel. The tough and seaworthy gajeta is powered by a lanteen sail and a small inboard engine. This graphic shows the internal design, including the small forepeak cabin and was posted onto the workshop wall as inspiration. ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 6 More
When fitting out a bare hull or during a refit or renovation project you may find you need to attach some longitudinal or even vertical battens against the bare glass fibre. Read on to find out about fixing battens with epoxy. This process is particularly useful for attaching headlining or in this instance insulation to ... How to fix battens with epoxy (on a ferro hull) More
David Johnson (our sales director) recently visited Turkey to run an ENTROPY RESINS® workshop. As he and the delegates discovered there is something really satisfying about being let loose on the creative projects that you can make with ENTROPY RESINS Clear Casting Epoxy – a bio-based clear casting epoxy. Hosted by Sema Carckci of Etap ... Experimentation with ENTROPY RESINS More
Keith Moir, a lecturer in product design at City of Glasgow College, tasked his students with creating some eye-catching plant pots using ENTROPY RESINS® (given its eco-friendly, sustainable credentials), an excellent epoxy for casting. Wessex Resins and Adhesives’ Sam Oliver judging the students’ creativity at the Faculty of Creative Industries at Glasgow City College in ... Product design using epoxy for casting More
What is it? WEST SYSTEM 420 Aluminium Powder is made from high quality aluminium that has been very finely ground. It is available in a range of tub sizes. Additives can have significant effects on basic epoxy and with 420 Aluminium Powder the metal acts as an effective UV barrier. It also gives the coating a silver ... Additive of the Month – 420 Aluminium Powder More
If you have to secure a screw or bolt into an area that is almost inaccessible from underneath, then this trick, using WEST SYSTEM® epoxy will prove a brilliant solution. The beauty of epoxy is that it remains a liquid for a useful working period after it has been mixed. This means it can travel ... The Great Sponge Trick More
423 Graphite Powder What is it? WEST SYSTEM® 423 Graphite Powder has specialist applications. The material consists of a very finely ground graphite, an odourless mineral that is widely used in paints and lubricants, so is readily available and inexpensive. Used for? When mixed with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy, 423 Graphite Powder adds a natural looking grey/black colour ... Additive of the Month – March 2019 More
Part 5: All skin and ribs Designed on 3D software by a 21st century architect working to 18th century specifications, our wooden Gajeta is ready to receive her cosmetic outer skin. The skilled craftsmen at the Betina Shipyard in Croatia now build up the double-diagonal epoxy-sheathed hull with a modern primer/filler. Peel ply was laid over the ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 5 More
The British team attempting to break the water speed record in a jet-powered hydroplane are well aware of the risks, so the pilot will be able to survive a crash in a purpose-built escape capsule – made from epoxy composite, of course. The Longbow project, with WEST SYSTEM epoxy materials sponsored by Wessex Resins & ... Longbow – how to survive a disaster More
G/5 five-minute epoxy – great for race repairs, spot welding and making a detachable fibreglass locker (see below). It’s an adhesive that cures in just five minutes at room temperature. What is it? G/5 is a two-part epoxy adhesive that has been formulated to cure in just five minutes at room temperature. Used for: Any ... Additive of the Month – February 2019 More
Part 4: Putting on the skin and sheathing A gajeta is a traditional design of small open fishing boat but as they are raced competitively, an enterprising naval architect decided to make one using modern epoxy techniques. In this instalment, the computer-generated design is taking shape on its temporary jig and the base layer of ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 4 More
Building an International14 is no mean feat but naming it is even harder, according to the team building it and trying to do just that. Liam Stacpoole and Wayne Barnicoat refuse to give any clues as to what the potential name for their new PRO-SET® Epoxy produced INT14 will be. They suspect it might cause ... It’s all in the name More
Did you know we have a new high temperature system available in our PRO-SET product range? Included within it are an infusion system, laminating system (with two cure speeds) and a surface coat system. They’re all able to reach glass transition temperatures of 150°C, making them great for synthetic composite mould and tooling manufacture. Plus ... New high temperature PRO-SET Epoxy products available More
JEC World is the leading international composites show and this will be the 21st time that we’ve attended the event with our brand PRO-SET Epoxy. Plus, this year we’re taking our new bio-based epoxy system, ENTROPY RESINS. “We’re interested in talking to all industry professionals,” says Sam Oliver, area sales manager. “We get to catch up with all ... Visit Wessex Resins and Adhesives at JEC WORLD More
Back in 2015, we ran a story on fixing rudders, written by technical guru David Johnson. Here he updates us on his rudder repairs and how to make them using PRO-SET and WEST SYSTEM products. Read the original article here: https://epoxycraft.com/how-to-use-epoxy-to-fix-the-rudder-of-a-sailing-yacht/ Planning and preparation Firstly this kind of work is no small undertaking. Work-planning and choosing ... Upgrading a KELT 850 Rudder using PRO-SET Epoxy More
We’re loving our new PRODUCED with PRO-SET stickers. If you’ve built, laminated or infused with our PRO-SET epoxy range, catch one of the team and they’ll be delighted to supply you with some. We’re really proud of our brand. Our epoxy is strong and produces lightweight products with amazing results from our professional users. These ... PRO-SET stickers now available More
Infused learning Over the last few months we’ve been delighted to welcome our Turkish and Italian distributors and their customers to our PRO-SET Epoxy Seminar. Plus, we’ve had guests of Marine and Industrial visit us here in Romsey. Many of our distributors bring their customers to experience working with PRO-SET and WEST SYSTEM epoxy products. ... Worldwide learning More
From hobbyist to thriving business, Nick Adnitt’s canoes are racing ahead. Here he talks about the past five years and how the lightweight strength of PRO-SET® epoxy products has made all the difference to portage. And how he builds canoes with resin infusion. According to Nick the name of his company, Darkside Canoes, is a hangover ... How Darkside Canoes build canoes with resin infusion More
If you were to see a fire engine drive past with a flagpole strapped to the roof you would be forgiven for being confused. Although an unusual choice for a company vehicle, the decommissioned appliance from the Carlisle Fire Service is ideal for the Wooden Flagpole Company to deliver and install its traditional wooden flagpoles. ... A product of passion and tradition More
Oarsome Chance (OC) is a charity where young people who have been excluded from mainstream education learn to work with their hands. This practical training is also combined with learning about business and how raw materials can be turned into saleable items. The charity gets its name from one of the first things students learn ... Oarsome Chance – Learning about epoxy and life More
A team of British enthusiasts is building a jet-powered boat to beat the current water speed record of 317mph. WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy will be holding it all together. Tucked away in a home workshop on the Fylde Coast, Lancashire, a remarkable hydroplane is taking shape. Powered by twin Rolls Royce Viper 535 pure thrust jet ... The Longbow Jet Hydroplane project More
410 Microlight® Filler What is it? WEST SYSTEM® 410 Microlight is a filler designed to create a lightweight and easily worked fairing compound when added to a mix of epoxy. It consists of tiny thermoplastic hollow spheres, which makes it very easy to sand once the mix has hardened. Although light sand in colour when in ... Additive of the Month – January 2019 More
Part 3: Base layer planking In a boatyard in Croatia, an 8-metre Croatian Gajeta is being built with a merger of new materials (epoxy) and traditional skills. At this stage of the project, it is ready to receive its first set of planks. To avoid using nails or screws in the build, everything will be ... Building an 18th century gajeta – Part 3 More
