: That would be great if it didn't smell, I might even be able to talk my
: parents into letting me fiberglass in the basement. Is that normal for
: epoxy not to smell? I have only done small fiberglass repair on sailboats,
: using a small container bought a hardware store, probably bondo, and it
: smells horribele... maybe polyester? But will epoxy based systems not
: really smell that bad?

Epoxy odors are generally must more tolerable than those from polyester resins. Different brands do smell different. Open the bottles or cans and take a cautious whiff. Then mix a few drps and smell the combination.

If the aroma is too strong, don't upset the family. It is simple and fairly cheap to make a tent for your boat from a simple sheet of plastic and some modified hangers. Some ordinary incandescent lamps placed a couple of feet under the boat will do a very nice job of heating the work space and the boat itself. The tent traps the heat as it rises from the lamps. If you are into math, you get about 5000 BTUs for 1500 watts of electric lights, regardless of whether you use five 300-watt lamps, or ten 150-watt lamps. For quicker heating, use a hairdryer for 15 to 20 minutes to heat up the inside of the tent. Put a cheap thermometer inside and you'll be amazed at how warm you can get the boat before you start.

Work in the sun and the surface of the boat will be warmer than the air temperature. Again, keeping the boat under the plastic will trap the heat.

Warm the boat, apply the glass and resin, cover the boat and keep it warm until the resin hardens. Final curing of the resin normally takes a week or two in warm weather. In cooler temperatures it can take several weeks, so don;t be surprised if your boat is actually a lot tougher in the spring.

Here is a picture of a simple setup for a tent to cover over the entire boat. Hang this from an overhead rope. You can get a 10 x 20 foot roll of 3 mil polyethylene plastic at most Wal-Marts for under $5, and the hangers are made from scraps, or just extra strips duct-taped to regular clothes hangers. Don't use the family's best table lamps to hold your lights. Use incandescent or halogen bulbs--flourescents don't put off enough heat unless you use a lot.

Set up the tent before working on the boat so you can see how it goes, then take it down. You may need an extra pair of hands to help you set up the tent after the resin is applied. Don;t worry if the plastic should come in contact witht he wet epoxy. It won't stick, and you'll be doing enough sanding to remove any minor marks that may be created.

hope this helps

PGJ