Wow -

There is a lot going on here.

If you read all the MSDS (I have had to do so), Epoxy is less toxic
than polyester, and as it does not outgas in curing (notice - no new
epoxy smell?). The exposure sensitivity can and does happen with almost
anything.

I have seem a number of hulls that were glassed after some service time.
bond failures are common.

If you use a thin polyester resin on new-clean wood, you have a chance.
The builders that went that way also did not caulk the seams. I know
of few that a few working boats and a couple of Tahoe Chriscraft that
are still in great shape. But, there is a secondary problem with
replacing a broken strake or frame.

When you consider that the life of a typical wood hull was twenty years,
you begin to realize that a lot has change in th life of people in my world.

Matt Colie - Lifelong Waterman, Licensed Mariner and Pathological Sailor
www.southpointechandler.com



Brian Whatcott wrote:
On Sun, 04 Jan 2004 01:51:11 GMT, "Brian D"
wrote:

//// As far as toxic substances go,
maybe that fellow who made the remark should read a few MSDS's. I have a
feeling he's going on rumor more than fact on that one.

Brian


Sadly, many people have developed extreme sensitivity to epoxy resins
after less than proplonged exposure while building projects.
They have to swear off the stuff, thereafter,

Brian W

matt colie wrote in message ...
Wow -

There is a lot going on here.

If you read all the MSDS (I have had to do so), Epoxy is less toxic
than polyester, and as it does not outgas in curing (notice - no new
epoxy smell?). The exposure sensitivity can and does happen with almost
anything.

When I was 20 I began rebuilding an airplane using epoxy glues.
After a year of part-time work on the project, and getting the stuff
on my skin, I had to abandon the epoxy and go to urea-formaldehyde. My
eyelids would swell up just in the presence of epoxy curing, and my
immune system got all screwed up and I became allergic to a range of
things like milk, many pollens and dust. 30 years later I still suffer
the effects and have to be really careful around any epoxies.
On the other hand, I have worked extensively with polyester
resins and had no trouble at all.
On the subject of polyester vs. epoxy, I have found that
polyester won't cure if applied over an old epoxied surface. Stays
gummy. Had to scrape it off and remove all the old epoxy, then
re-glass it.

Dan