Using VE resin and want to seal all sides of the wood including edges. Will using just VE resin seal the wood by itself or must I use CSM with it??

Resin by It's self is very brittle. A few harsh thumps and it will fracture. Fiberglass without fiber your left with glass so to speak.

What are u using the wood for. I've sone that with my seat bases that house my subs also but I did use a layer or two of 1/2 ounce chopped mat. I have used just resin to seal wood though on other projects but I guess it all depends on how much moisture water the wood your doing will see.

I'm rebuilding my transom and other structure in the below thread
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...ml#post4278094

Tried to get input from my process and nothing came back so I'm trying to get some input

I coated every piece of wood 100% with resin, then wet out my mat. That way it ensured my wood was totally covered.

AOh ok, at least I'm not alone in this insane boating project world. I Reviewed other post. Good job. With my project in fiberglass in paint you can see what I have been up against. I went at it pretty much with a vision and have stuck pretty close with original plan. Still a bit overwhelmed at times but hey.

I use a lot of 1/2 or 3/4 ounce mat that I had bought online in a good size roll. 12" x 500'. I cover everything I do in it. Even in areas well above an out of the way of any water. Great Lakes skipper has some pretty good deals on various sizes etc of fiberglass. I am using a lot of 1708 and 1808 as well.

After reading it my self it does seem like I'm rambling a bit. I was hoping I could just coat the pieces under the deck with resin to keep water away. Had another on another forum say I have to use CSM with the resin to do it. If I use CSM with the pieces in the pic below (port side) I'll have to do some more grinding after to get them to mate up correctly

If your trying to avoid using csm i guess you could mix acetone with the resin, you would want to mix it to the point of almost water. The acetone will fill the wood pores or penetrate the wood pores completely and carry the resin with it. That will defineatly water proof the wood and have quite a bit more strength that just glass....glass does not penetrate wood to well by itself.

I just noticed your using VE that i do not know about....but poly works well @ about 15%

Thanks I'll look into it

Do not thin the resin with acetone! If you are thinning the VE then styrene would be the solvent, but any extra solvent just weakens the resin. Thinned resin will not waterproof plywood by itself. There are really no shortcuts when you are trying to protect wood reinforcements. I would suggest that you use multiple layers of CSM and maybe even a layer of 1708. You already have too much time and money invested to try and short cut the process. The best way to coat the wood would be epoxy, but VE is a good second as long as you do not use it as an adhesive which it is not designed for.