stringers to floor? - The Hull Truth

nclee · 07-11-2003, 09:10 PM

I am trying to avoid a bunch of screws and epoxy when connecting the new stringers in my flatbottom to the new floor and thought about using 5200...pros and cons...ideas???

fishing's fun...catching's contagious

seabird23 · 07-11-2003, 10:23 PM

There is a product that is called mathacralade (sp?). I have been looking to purchase this and can't find it anywhere. It literally melts the laminate of the two surfaces and bonds them together. I too thought of using 5200, but I would need about 15 tubes for my 23' boat.

Also, if anyone know the proper spelling of this product, it would probably make it much easier to find it in a search.

Phil T · 07-12-2003, 02:58 AM

Seabird, try "Glue Products" in WPB, I'm fairly certain they carry what you need. You will also need to apply a bonding putty on top of the stringers

DiamondDave · 07-13-2003, 12:20 PM

seabird23, The product is a methacrylate adhesive. There are several on the market by different manufactures. The most common is Plexus. 3m also makes one called Scotch Weld.
Another is weld-on. They give an excellent secondary bonding. But they are expensive. If you have over a 1/2" gap I dont recommend them either. They create too mush heat in a mass larger than that and become too brittle.

The most common method is to use a resin based polyester "bonding putty".
Whichever You use, make sure the areas to be bonded are completly prepped "roughed up" before using.

dry doc · 07-14-2003, 09:29 AM

i believe the best adhesive is WEST SYSTEM epoxy
...follow their very clear and comprehensive
manual....the 5200 would also work well...the
methacrylate is both trickier to mix and sets
up brittle...it was used in joint replacements
a lot in the 70`s and 80`s....it weakened , ie
contracted and/or continued curing to brittle
and many failures at 8-10 years were seen...dan

fixin2 · 07-14-2003, 11:34 PM

I would recommend epoxy mixed with cab-o-sil and milled fibers. It would be as strong if not stronger than the Plexus and cheaper as well.

fixin2 · 07-14-2003, 11:43 PM

Oh, hey, I forgot to introduce myself. I do most of my boating/fishing in the East central Fl. area in the Indian River Lagoon. I have a Phantom 16 flats boat which I built and fish out of. I used to build surfboards and sailboards a while back as well. Looking to move up to a 22' cuddy cabin boat soon to fish offshore more. Way too many manatee zones to navigate down here. Like I said, I'm new to this forum, looks like a lotta useful info.

Mark T.