Fiberglass supply

[Timm R Oday25]

Good morning .
I find myself in need of small quanities of fiberglass resin and catalyst .
Who are you preferred suppliers ?
Thanks

[Dave Scobie]

Define 'small'.  What job is needing done?

[Charles Brennan]

Timm, I always love it when you post a vague, open-ended question, asking for a closed-ended response!! 
"I find myself in need of small quantities of fiberglass resin and catalyst."

"Fiberglass resin":
Epoxy resin?
Polyester resin? 
Vinylester resin? 

Epoxy has good adhesion properties (using it to glue my SCAMP together).
Polyester was used by Laguna Yachts to build Urchin, because of its comparatively low cost and stable cures.
Vinylester is what I use to make repairs to the polyesters on Urchin since it bonds fairly well to both Polyester and to Epoxy.  So, for example, I can Epoxy the centerboard trunk cover together and then sheath it in vinylester.  Musta worked, the trunk case is about 45 years old.   (The factory-supplied trunk case fell apart in about 3 years.)

In south Florida, (Hialeah, Dania, Ft Lauderdale, etc.) an average amount of resin usually comes in 55-gallon drums to accommodate our local boat builders.  Commercial sources like Fiberglass Coatings Inc.
https://fgci.com/
have anything from a quart, to a gallon, or 2-gallon containers on their shelves.
When I buy Vinylester, I usually get no more than a quart at a time, as the shelf life once opened, shortens drastically and it's cheaper to throw it away after use (at the local hazmat facility) than try and use old Vinylester. 

Since I am currently building a boat that is basically going to be soaked in Epoxy resin (3 coats, inside and out) my minimum order is 3 gallons at a time from someplace like US Composites.
https://www.uscomposites.com/?gad_source=1

So to recap:
1) You didn't tell us WHAT the project is: (Fixing a lid on a jewel box? Building a surfboard? Building a small, but tasteful, multi-layer cedar-strip, Epoxy-infused Contessa 47 yacht?)
2) You didn't tell us how MUCH resin you need: (Milli-liters? Ounces? Gallons? 55-gallon drums?)
3) You didn't tell us the APPLICATION the resin would be for: (Gluing something back together? Multiple-lamination build-ups e.g. a surfboard?  Repairing a stove-in hole in your hull?)
4) You want information on a small amount of fiberglass resin, without telling us the intent, magnitude, or application and yet, you expect a cogent, coherent, answer!   

Like I always plead to you: THROW US A BONE, MAN!!

Inquiring minds want to know,
Charles Brennan

[Jeff G.]

Look around for a fiberglass building company (they make ambulance tops, boats, etc).  See if they will sell you bulk.  We had a friend with a company like that.  We could pick up a couple of gallons and fiberglass cloth cheap.

[Timm R Oday25]

Fair enough Charles . I was hoping to find polyester resin. I'm repairing or replacing old hatches and building battery trays . The only local suppliers are the auto parts stores that sell quart and half gallon containers of polyester .
 Storage is where I run into problems . I don't have very much of space that is heated year round .
For the most part only a very small basement . One that also has a our washer and dryer . I'm quite sure Bobbie would not like her laundry to smell like epoxy . I had several gallons stored in the garage freeze and leak .
It made quite a mess

[Charles Brennan]

Timm, That was great! Shoulda done that to begin with!
I sympathize, I learned great respect for female olfactory processing, when my wife was pregnant with my daughter.
She was convinced she knew what daylight "smelled" like; she also knew what was in the fridge, before she even opened the door.
Just another one of the many things that convince me that males and females are two entirely different species that just happen to be able to interbreed, kinda like how they make Mules.
You think polyester resin has an objectionable odor to females, try vinylester!!

My wife typically enters our house through the garage, so here is my solution:
You cannot view this attachment.
A gallon zip-lock bag is more than sufficient.
Only "gotcha"  is to remove the gloves you used for working with the resin, before placing the container in the bag, so you don't get any loose resin on the outside of the bag.
Another advantage is, that if you ever do have a resin leak, the bag will keep it contained.

Hope this helps,
Charles Brennan

[Spot]

When I want to have an in-store experience, talk to composite people, or get gel coat mixed to a color I go to Express Composites in Minneapolis, MN which is an hour's drive one way. I try to line up other errands and/or make a plan to stop at a favorite eatery or such. They are good at shipping too. The place has that 'resiny' smell for sure.

I have not really ever had a bad online ordering and receiving experience over the last 12 years. Some of the lower priced 'water clear' epoxies will need more time and temp to cure than the name-brand stuff. Since you are ordering remote, you need to be sure the item descriptions and part numbers match. Once I ordered 18oz roving and got 18oz cloth, same 'stuff' but a different weave. I just re-ordered and kept the others to use on something else.

For what you pay for 2 quarts at the chain stores will get you almost a gallon of higher grade poly resin from Express or other online vendors. That will not solve you storage issues. Buying cloth and mat is also less expensive from Express and other online stores than buying the pre-packaged and branded stuff at box stores.

Are you still in Lake Mills, WI? I am not familiar with the composites scene in Madison or Milwaukee. Are there any vendors?

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

I had several gallons stored in the garage freeze and leak .
It made quite a mess

I store my epoxy on a metal tray for just that reason.  I'm also not always fastidious about wiping down sides of containers when I'm in the middle of epoxying.

[Timm R Oday25]

Thank you one and all for the suggestions . I'm still in Lake Mills . Probably will be here until the carry me out the front door of the house .
Part of my predicament is my long work hours . Most stores are an hour from me by the time I'm done working . Most commercial businesses are closed on weekends .

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

My mom used to say about her last apartment, "They're going to take me out of here feet first!"

[Spot]

Tim, with your location and hours, probably best to do some figuring for cloth and resin and order via internet/mail.