Technical Resources

Our  Epoxy Paste Pigments are pure, dry, colored, pigments dispersed in in an epoxy resin blend.  They are pourable, easily measured, and contain no solvents, and may be blended with one another to produce additional colors.  Since they are dispersed in an epoxy resin blend, they react into the system and do not change its cured properties.  The proper way to use these pigments is to add them to the resin (Part A) side and then add the hardener(Part B)  at the correct ratio for the epoxy system being used.

Over the last thirty years, chemical product manufacturers have had to meet tremendous challenges. Two of these with huge impact are regulatory requirements and, less prominent, but with greater long-term effects, changing customer attitudes. System Three Resins, a manufacturer of polymer products in the marine industry for over twenty-five of those thirty years, has met those challenges. And one area where we feel we've done better than most is marine coatings.

A common technical question goes something like this: "Will XYZ paint work over your epoxy?" Or perhaps the corollary question "Will your epoxy work over ABC stain?" Our answer, which is almost always the same, often shocks the inquirer: "We don't know, you'll have to test it yourself. Here's how to do it...".

A high Tg resin may be cured in two ways: It can be cured initially at elevated temperatures or it can be partially cured (becomes solid) at room temperature and then heated (post-cured). The two routes get one to the same place if sufficient time is allowed for both. The first route can be tricky because the epoxy reaction is exothermic and may excessively spike the temperature. Most boats are laid up at room temperature - hand lay up, vacuum bagged or infused - and post cured later simply because this route is considerably easier...

Occasionally one needs to bring fiberglass cloth around a sharp edge. This could occur on the trailing edge of a rudder, for example. Those who have tried this know that it is almost impossible to do. The fiberglass is just too "springy" and lifts from the edge creating air pockets. These eventually tear or fill with water. In either case the wooden substrate gets wet and the reason for having the fiberglass there in the first place is lost. While it is possible to keep pushing the fiberglass back down until the tackiness of the resin finally holds it in place there are far better ways to do this.