Brief:

Since I've gotten many great tips for rocket construction from this site, I thought I'd give somethin' back. Arrr! I wanted t' review a finishin' epoxy t' suggest t' other rocketeers for reinforcin' body tubes with fiberglass, instead I have some negative comments on this stuff and would suggest everyone stay away from it. T' product is NHP "Clear-n-Simple Epoxy Finishin' Resin".

First, matey, me bucko, a disclaimer about me experiences with fiberglassing: I'm nay by any means an expert. When I be into R/C sailplanes, matey, ya bilge rat, I used t' fiberglass t' wings. They came out light and strong but any expert lookin' at them closely would see that it was a "homemade" job. After bein' into rockets for several years, I started gettin' into larger, more powerful rockets and havin' fiberglass reinforced body tubes became necessary. Blimey! I have fiberglassed all o' me 4" rockets and some o' me 2" and 3" rockets that were designed for high altitudes. Avast, me proud beauty! I've used regular 30 minute epoxy on t' smaller ones with OK results. Aye aye! Avast! I've used 2 hour epoxy on t' larger ones with better results and used another brand o' finishin' epoxy on several 4" rockets and several 8" body tubes (which will become rockets shortly) with probably t' best results yet.

Construction:

When I saw this product listed on a website I be purchasin' some other rocket supplies from, it seemed like an excellent choice. Arrr! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Let me quote some o' t' advertisin' copy:

"Use Clear-n-Simple for applyin' fiberglass cloth"

"thin consistency for easy application"

"workin' time: 20-30 minutes and sets in 3 hours (curin' times listed were determined at room temp o' 72 degrees F in a 4 ounce mass). Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Blimey! At temps below 72 degrees t' curin' time is considerably longer."

I ordered several 8oz. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! packages and when they arrived, I setup for glassin' a short section o' 8" diameter body tube; put everythin' in me 68 degree workshop, set t' BT on a horizontal stand, cut t' cloth, put on me gloves, and mix up 4 ounces o' t' epoxy. Arrr! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! As I'm stirrin' it up, arrr, it looks kind o' thick, shiver me timbers, about t' consistency o' honey, but maybe it will thin out as I work it. Ahoy! Blimey! Nope. Ahoy! Blimey! It goes on thick, me hearties, with all t' difficulties that follow: nay wettin' out t' cloth well, ya bilge rat, puddlin' in some places and still dry in others. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Tryin' t' spread it out just creates wrinkles and bunchin' o' t' cloth. Begad! Blimey! I try scrapin' with an old credit card that I use for just such situations but that doesn't help and within about 10 minutes after mixin' it up, me hearties, me hearties, it starts t' get t' t' "gluey" stage.

"Oh *^%&$# ", I think, "I've still got about a third o' t' body tube t' do". I grab some alcohol and try mixin' it in t' now jelly-like mixture, me bucko, me hearties, but I can see that this isn't goin' t' work. So I throw that batch out and smartly mix up about an ounce o' new mixture, shiver me timbers, but this time I mix in t' alcohol right away--hopin' t' get it t' a thinner consistency from t' start. Avast! Again it pretty much stays at t' consistency o' honey but I'm able t' do t' rest o' t' BT with it before it starts gettin' t' t' jelly stage.

Finishing:

I tear off me gloves and check t' temp o' t' workshop; still at 68 degrees. I re-read t' instructions: equal parts o' resin and hardener, me bucko, just like I used. Begad! Maybe those bottles were from a bad batch?

So I get a 4" coupler that needs t' be fiberglassed, open up t' other package o' Clean-n-Simple, mix up a 2 oz batch, me hearties, ya bilge rat, and it's t' same story: thick consistency and gets jelly-like within about 10 minutes..

Summary:

As far as I know thar's no way t' fix this stuff, arrr, me bucko, like if I heat up t' components t' thin out t' mixture, it sets up even faster.

So me recommendation is stay away from this product. Begad! If you've already bought some, shiver me timbers, just use it for small repairs where t' short workin' time won't be a problem.

I'm goin' t' write a letter t' t' company explainin' me experiences and if I hear anythin' back I'll let you know.

Overall Rating: 1 out o' 5