System Three

[Tim]

Post your experiences with System Three epoxy products here.

[Figment]

I first tried System Three when building a cedarstrip canoe because of good things I'd heard/read about their "Clear Coat" formula. This turned out to be an excellent product. It cured clear as day, even in my shop's less than ideal conditions.

To me, this is the true virtue of S3 products.... They cure predictably and reliably under weather conditions that would goof up most other products. There are other products that, when cured properly, have better final structural properties, but the chances of achieving those properties are slim for an amateur working in uncontrolled conditions. I've had S3 get rained on an hour after application, and it still cured just fine.

The Clear Coat system has a VERY low viscosity, almost watery, so it's a GREAT wet-out resin. I also bought their $15 sample kit to test out their base product line. I recommend this sample kit to anyone who's trying to learn more about epoxy. My experience with their base product line has been just as good as my experience with the Clear Coat.

S3 also sells every epoxy-associated product or doodad imaginable, including fiberglass mat made with an epoxy-friendly binder. I find it very convenient to be able to order everything I need for a given project and have it all arrive in one box. In my experience they generally ship the day the order is placed. They're in Seattle, however, so shipping takes a while for east coasters.

In a pinch, Woodcraft stores carry some S3 products at a not outrageous markup.

[Tim]

I recently completed some small projects using a trial kit of System Three resin. I liked the product very much--consistent curing, easy to mix, and easy in general to use. I also like the user-friendly thoroughness of their publication, The Epoxy Book.

System Three seems, to me, to be an excellent general-purpose resin, good for both laminating and making fairing and adhesive putties. Since I am looking for a general-purpose resin to buy in quantity, I believe System Three has the nod.

Jamestown Distributors offers the full line of System Three products and resins at the same price as purchasing direct. For those of us in the northeast, though, the shipping should be less expensive and quicker than ordering direct from the company on the west coast.