...cuz I'm a fiberglass dumbass.

Finishing resin vs. laminating resin.

I've read people talk about waxed vs non-waxed catalyst, and waxed vs non-waxed resin.

On my current boat project...I've used 3 different types of resin. 

1: Cheap "Bondo" brand all purpose stuff from Home Depot Marine
2: The good stuff from Sherfab (asked for laminating resin, but the label was just a bunch of jibber jabber to me.
3:  A gallon of "boater's resin" from West Marine...cuz I ran outta the shurfab good stuff.

I have some catalyst from Shurfab and also some of the bondo brand catalyst.

So...whats the difference in all this stuff.  Seems it all stays a bit tacky for a few days...not sure if this is cuz it's fully cured after a few days or if 2 days worth of dust has settled over it making it not tacky any more. 

When laying up say, 2 layers of mat followed by a layer of cloth, which resin/hardner do I use?  Sometimes I can get it all in one shot, other times...(like when I'm upside down under the deck with a kink in my neck, one arm wrapped around the hotfoot and the place diverter handle halfway up my ass trying to get to that one corner that's unreachable) I might not get it done as fast and the resin starts to kick between layers?  What do I do in these situations?   I'm kinda thinking use the laminating resin for the first layer then finish with a waxed resin, but I'm not sure which resin is waxed or not...or if any of them are. 

I guess that's my question.  I'm not really sure if I understand enough to ask the right question. 

Finishing resin is typically used as a final coat and laminating resin, well that is used for wetting out matte or cloth for structural repairs.

If you are going to use finishing resin you will need to determine whether it is a sandable variety (with wax) or without and then it can simply be buffed. People like to use surfboard resin because it fries nice and clear...not cloudy and brown like that Bondo crap...  be prepared to spend some money on finishing resin as it is not cheap

Use Polyester as well, Epoxy is simply to expensive to be using on a boat

FWIW you can always add the wax to laminating resin in a pinch....

You can also save money by using epoxy...depends on the size of the job or jobs, but the shelf life of epoxy is ten times that of poly and the potlife is about five to ten times greater as well...It is also a lot easier on your health because of the minimal off gassing of VOC's.

I have been using vinyl, poly and epoxy resins for 20+ years and they all have pros and cons....

GT

As far as the wax..is that parrifin?? I had some major fish eye issues when I used that. Is the poly vinyl green, and the polyester amber??