Fiberglass - wood adhesive

[MVA]

In the "How It's Made" ETI video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi6_KR_n_As

at about 5:50, a greenish bonding material is used to adhere wood furring strips to the fiberglass shell. Does anyone know what this material is and how to order it?

Thanks

[HABBERDABBER]

They may use a dyed polyester resin....same resin as the rest of the fiberglass shell. Dyed so they can see where it has been applied and where the wood needs to go. I see they "tab" the wood in place, using small pieces of fiberglass to secure the wood to the body, as it will carry cabinet loads and needs to be reinforced. Logical that they use the same resin as the body for chemical compatibility and bonding.
.

Other than guessing, why not contact Escape and ask them and "get the skinny"?


If you want to bond something, permanently, more or less, 3M 5200 marine sealant and bonding material will do a good job, although it may not be a true structural adhesive. It's super tough, durable stuff. If you someday want to remove your work, 3M 4200 is an alternative.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by MVA

In the "How It's Made" ETI video:

at about 5:50, a greenish bonding material is used to adhere wood furring strips to the fiberglass shell. Does anyone know what this material is and how to order it?

Thanks

I bet its construction adhesive .

[HABBERDABBER]

I'll take your bet. How much and for what? Will you give me odds on the bet? You seem so sure.....enough....to bet.



It probably exists, most everything does, but I've not seen green construction adhesive, as I know it, it would not be a material to use with "tabbing" with strips of fiberglass cloth. With tabbing, as shown in the video, you saturate the fiberglass strip. Whether epoxy or polyester resin, they are very liquid, wet out fiberglass cloth, are 2 part thermoplastic resins and chemically compatible with the raw fiberglass interior. Construction adhesive is stiff like peanut butter, and doesn't wet out like a liquid.


I'll take your bet, and I'll bet the farm on it.



Construction adhesive would work for bonding and be very strong....a 1 part adhesive, like 3M 4200 or 5200, and taking many hours or days to cure. The polyester and epoxy "set-up" and cure in some minutes, and we are talking mass production of trailers.


Maybe there's new classes of construction adhesives, and I'm dead wrong. I don't get around much anymore, given the Covid thang.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

I'll take your bet. How much and for what? Will you give me odds on the bet? You seem so sure.....enough....to bet.



It probably exists, most everything does, but I've not seen green construction adhesive, as I know it, it would not be a material to use with "tabbing" with strips of fiberglass cloth. With tabbing, as shown in the video, you saturate the fiberglass strip. Whether epoxy or polyester resin, they are very liquid, wet out fiberglass cloth, are 2 part thermoplastic resins and chemically compatible with the raw fiberglass interior. Construction adhesive is stiff like peanut butter, and doesn't wet out like a liquid.


I'll take your bet, and I'll bet the farm on it.



Construction adhesive would work for bonding and be very strong....a 1 part adhesive, like 3M 4200 or 5200, and taking many hours or days to cure. The polyester and epoxy "set-up" and cure in some minutes, and we are talking mass production of trailers.


Maybe there's new classes of construction adhesives, and I'm dead wrong. I don't get around much anymore, given the Covid thang.

I'll take your bet and raise you the neighbors farm(Iowa Daves!) lol I think its probably something like Locktite PL construction adhesive.
The reason I don't think its 4200/or 5200 is cost, not cure time. They both set up solid in a few hrs but take a week to fully "Cure"... try pulling something apart after a minute with with either. Hardly necessary in these applications.
Polyester doesn't adhere well to wood unless "hot coated" and I wouldn't know how you would do that with a cartridge based product. Neither of the 3m products are poly or epoxy....

[rubicon327]

Not sure what your plans are but I can say from experience that Gorilla Glue bonds wood to the fiberglass very well.
https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Origi...96752492&psc=1

[HABBERDABBER]

The original post was a query about the green "stuff" used by Escape. Only they can tell us....for certain.
Many adhesives would work well going onto a fiberglass substrate. Gorilla, 3M, good old construction adhesive, all manner and brands of them.
And 'tis true...polyester resin doesn't bond well to wood. Epoxy does. W.E.S.T Systems epoxy (the name is an abbreviation of "wood epoxy saturation technique") does bond well to both fiberglass and wood.


So...my question is.....why is the word abbreviation such a long word? 12 letters long? Come on! There must be a shorter substitution. Maybe the folks at Escape Trailers know this one too.

[Iowa Dave]

I don’t know much about green adhesive but I do know green beer, green grass, green sunfish for bait and always need a little more of what my dad called “Long Green”. Didn’t stop at the farm today although we were about 4 miles to the north. Did stop at the Czech National Cemetery near Vining to pay respect to my grandparents, great aunts and uncles and ancestors born in the 1800’s.

Was in the home town of Denise Long, Whitten, Iowa, one of the greatest 6 on 6 girls basketball players ever from the late 1960s. They have a park in Whitten named for Denise. Read up on her, a fine American lady. Nearby is Daisy Long county park, very nice for a
County park. Part of the Iowa River water trail.

All in all, a good road trip with Rita and Jake. Back home, chicken on the grill, summer squash and tomatoes out of the garden. Tomorrow, I’ll try to post a picture of the prettiest bell peppers I’ve ever grown.
Iowa Dave

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by sofmerc

I'll take your bet and raise you the neighbors farm(Iowa Daves!) lol I think its probably something like Locktite PL construction adhesive.

Move quick Dave, get that food chowed down, those pics taken....'cause some fella is betting the farm, your farm, apparently, on this issue.

Your days of living in a van, down by the river, may be returning soon.

[Iowa Dave]

Never lived in a van but ate my share of govamint cheese. And we liked it. In true form, we own more than one piece of property so it’s not critical. Also more than one way in and out of what we own. Never box yourself in. Saw a Hen of the Woods today but did not pick it. Pretty early. Was on a Northern Red Oak stump.
Iowa Dave

[sofmerc]

I think Jim Bennet could give his thoughts on this. I understand he is a reno contractor.. Until we get the official ETI word..
After all , Iowa Daves farm is on the line...

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

They may use a dyed polyester resin....same resin as the rest of the fiberglass shell. Dyed so they can see where it has been applied and where the wood needs to go. I see they "tab" the wood in place, using small pieces of fiberglass to secure the wood to the body, as it will carry cabinet loads and needs to be reinforced. Logical that they use the same resin as the body for chemical compatibility and bonding.
.

Other than guessing, why not contact Escape and ask them and "get the skinny"?


If you want to bond something, permanently, more or less, 3M 5200 marine sealant and bonding material will do a good job, although it may not be a true structural adhesive. It's super tough, durable stuff. If you someday want to remove your work, 3M 4200 is an alternative.

I agree it is fiberglass resin. Why would you use construction adhesive when you are already working w/fiberglass...doesn't make sense. On the boats I worked on at a boatyard many years ago all the wood strips for attaching things were glassed in place. You can also use similar products like WEST or Sika as well. 3M 5200 is great stuff but works best bonding smooth surfaces ...It is even recommended to attach the headboard on sails(that metal triangle at the top). But I still would use fiberglass and some sort of resin to bond to a raw hull. Don't worry about the farm Dave!

While I am sure Jim will have a valuable opinion on this remember this is original construction not renovation...often different materials are called for.

[sofmerc]

I just got off the phone with Harrison. He said it was non fiberglass product. It is a general construction adhesive,he doesn't know the exact product...

[MVA]

Dustin got back to me and sent me a link. The adhesive is a Bondo material: https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Bondo...-272/202077784

FYI - We have tried to use construction adhesive in the past and it does not bond to the inside of the fiberglass.

Thanks all.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by MVA

Dustin got back to me and sent me a link. The adhesive is a Bondo material: https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Bondo...-272/202077784

FYI - We have tried to use construction adhesive in the past and it does not bond to the inside of the fiberglass.

Thanks all.

Looks like I lost the farm...and Harrison lied to me

[HABBERDABBER]

His farm was the wager. I have Bernie, my attorney, looking into the matter.

[Iowa Dave]

That’s ok, we’ve had it for well over 100 years and your attorney Rudy Giuliani probably ain’t good enough to take it from us. Contact our law firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe for any legal action.
Iowa Dave

[HABBERDABBER]

Bernie, my attorney, has an branch office in McGregor Iowa, owns several buildings in town and rents space to your 3 muscatel boozing & a guzzling hacks. Better lawyer up better than those slackers. They'll be tossed out on the street in quick order, if needed.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Bernie, my attorney, has an branch office in McGregor Iowa, owns several buildings in town and rents space to your 3 muscatel boozing & a guzzling hacks. Better lawyer up better than those slackers. They'll be tossed out on the street in quick order, if needed.

y'all can at least buy him a beer on the way out

[HABBERDABBER]

Where’s my beer? And my farm? Show me the $$$$$!
I’ll sig Bernie on you too.