Total Boat Epoxy?

[Carroll Courtney]

Good afternoon guys, while back Tom help me with selecting a penetrating epoxy Total Boat. Since this is first time I ever use epoxy I like to stay with that brand. To my next question, I like to use Total Boat epoxy to glue two windows sashes side by side. My intent is to put maybe 5/8 spline into where the rope would normally be. Glue the two sashes together using epoxy. I went to Total Boat website which mainly use for clear coat, but didn’t see anything about gluing. So looking for suggestions on what epoxy that with work for this and make that seam waterproof and seamless. I would ask Tom directly but then only I would benefit from his answer. Thanks for your opinion, thoughts

[Jim Becker]

Total Boat (Jamestown Distributors) focuses on coatings, rather than adhesives. I suggest you pick up a structural epoxy like System Three T-88 or similar for adhesive purposes. That's what I use for that while I've adopted Total Boat for coating and casting purposes.

[Carroll Courtney]

Wow, I was clueless so thanks Jim for clarifying what I should be looking for. System 3 it is��

[Jim Becker]

Yea, some companies have a more general resin focus and some have a specific market. Total Boat, as you can imagine from the name, came from their strong presence in the boat finishing world, including resins for fiberglass work and finishing as well as other coatings, many which have application beyond the marine world. They have subsequently taken advantage of their expertise in resins to also go after the "pouring" resin market. I like the company and the products...especially when they are on sale, of course. LOL

[Michael Burnside]

I've used Totalboat high performance epoxy with medium and long hardeners with great success. I've also used S3 T-88 and honestly, at least with furniture building, I can't tell a difference other than the ratio of the mix

That said, epoxy and direct UV exposure are not great combinations, so consider how the seam will be exposed/constructed.

[Tom M King]

Totalboat is just Jamestown Distributors own brand name. They sold all the others for several decades, and still do, before adding their own product line. I'm sure it's fine. I've used their finishing products, and wouldn't have any qualms about using anything else they produce, but have mainly stuck with my old standard that I've used since the '80's-West Systems. West and I are old friends. Jamestown can't be beaten when talking to anyone there on the phone about any of their products.

I'm pretty sure I bought my first West Systems from Jamestown Distributors back then, and have quite a number of times since then.

I've used a lot of epoxy in old houses that I've worked on, but have slacked off due to some failures from heat. For instance, I won't use it on the South or Southwest sides of houses, or even East side if it's in a corner next to a chimney. I've never had any failure on a North facing side of a house even some 40 years old. It gives up after years of such warm exposures, even under white paint.

edited to add: I used to use a lot of epoxy fixing old window sills. I've stopped doing that entirely now, and cast new ones with molds to look like old wood in place out of concrete. They had better wood 200 years ago than we have today and none of it lasted much over 200 years as a sill. Longevity is even worse with today's great paints because it's like putting the wood in a plastic bag. The paint lasts, but water will get underneath and not come out, so the wood suffers no matter what type of wood. I coat the concrete with epoxy after it's completely cured, and then paint on top of the epoxy. So far, those are lasting great.

[William Hodge]

Carrol,
Can you put up a photo of the two sashes to be glued side by side? This is new to me.
If it's stile to stile with a spline in between, Titebond II will work. If it's insulated glass, never mind.