QLD
314 posts
As you know Q-Cells aren't structural they just provide a void to reduce the weight of the resin. Dont think strength would be a problem
I think that flour would be ineffective because it probably does not have the air gap inside that q-cells/microbaloons have so it might not save as much weight as q-cells.
Might be worth mixing up a batch of q-cell bog and flour bog and testing the weight and sandability
9106 posts
Middiu the best product is a very fine silica powder very light weight you can mix it with the resin
to a hair gel texture with no slump. Normally flour is used to increase the yeald / vol .
4 posts
Thanks guys,
so it's not the perfect solution but could do the job. I'll try it on a small ding maybe and I will let you know.
Cheers
QLD
17 posts
Just saw this thread and thought I would chip in.....
Many years ago I had a job as a boat builder, my job was a laminator and we built boats from polyester resin, and some parts from epoxy. The guy that owned the yard had access to bucketfuls of talcum powder (his family ran a cosmetics/ soap factory). We used the talc in place of Qcell/ microballoons as a filler and bonder mixed into the resin, in fact the decks of the boats were bonded to the the hulls in this way (I recall doing this with the poly boats but not the epoxy products). We never had an issue with it, and we regularly saw 20 year old boats with no bonding issues either.
I have made a few surfboards and have used the talc trick to bond in fin plugs and leash plugs in poly, and to fill up holes. You don't need the air gap that microballons provide (though this would make it lighter, but only slightly). FYI talc is hydrated magnesium silicate, and depending on your usage, you only need it as a thickener for your filler, not for strength (it's not as 'white' as qcell either). The resin is the 'glue', and if you need extra strength chuck some chopped strand glass in there.
FYI fibreglass dust off the sanding room floor does the same thing thickening the filler too.......
My advice, use talc (not wheat), and mix a small batch up first to test it, the consistency you want it is like toothpaste or cake mix, so it gloops off the mixing stick (not runny at all), don't make it too thick though as you lose bonding power as the mix gets drier.......
8266 posts
When I first met Dave Smith of Katana surfboards 24 years ago he was mixing the fibreglass dust from other products to patch fibreglass moulds for swimming pool sand filters we were making for his uncle. This was basically in place of Q cells. Results they were strong but a bitch to sand...This is the first I've heard of using wheat flour as a substitute but don't doubt it would assist in patching a hole in a surfboard. Just imagine that if used without a colour it might discolour the patch job, possibly yellow or something...but someone else might have a better idea, just my 2c worth. Will havta read what others have said when I have a bit more time coz it does sound interesting...even if I still have a heap of Q cells left over sitting in the garage.
Something pretty much relative...I'm pretty sure the solarez type products are thickened with chopped up firebeglass cloth.
4 posts
Oh thank you very much guys, now that someone with more experience than me certified this is bull**** I will try for sure..... and using talc not wheat :)
Thanks!
WA
544 posts
^^^^^ the gluten free option...
471 posts
We used flour back in the 60s,switched to talc in the 70s.Car bog is a talc silicate of some sort.
QLD
2434 posts
Is Q cell toxic?
I have been fixing up a mini mal and have been using a bit of it lately.
