Anybody have any experience with Abatron products? Specifically WoodEpox. I am repairing termite damages to a door jamb in a 1936 stone chapel, and rather than repalce all the wood I want to restore it if possible. Due to remodeling and additions, it is now an inside door, so weather is not a factor.
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Replies
I have used the two part rot cure stuff for some rotted window sills as well as some other things. Worked great. You need to have the ability to use it pretty thick as thin applications take for ever to dry. Bore a couple of small holes so it can fill up. Then you use the wood filler on the stuff made solid by the epoxy. I need to order some more for another project come to think of it.
Are you talking about LiquidWood?Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Both, I got them as a package deal some time ago and it is almost out. I used the liquid wood to make the base rotted wood usable again and the other stuff to build up what was missing. I also know some people that have used the concrete products they sell and they have been happy with them.
You can also mix the two products to give you different consistancies pretty good stuff but it takes a good day to fully cure compared to bondo which takes minutes.
ANDYSZ2I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
i've used abatron for concrete repair..
for wood i'd stick to West System.. if you need source try Jamestown Distributors.. they ship worldwide ( marine construction specialty)
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I've used it. Worked well. Did a bunch of windowsills, and they are holding up great years later.
You need both the LiquidWood and the WoodEpox to get a good repair. The thin stuff soaks in and consolidates the wood, and the thick stuff binds to the (still wet) thin stuff and fills the voids.
The main advantage over West Systems is that you do not have to mix in your own filler to make your own WoodEpox equiv. West Systems with micro-balloon filler is similar. Unthickened West Systems is similar to Abatron LiquidWood. If you get into a lot of epoxy work, the West Systems stuff is more customizable for specific applications, ambient conditions, and materials. It's also readily available at pretty much any local marine store, which can be convenient.
With all epoxy wood repair, the main thing is getting the wood very very dry, or it will fail. Wet wood will not absorb the epoxy. Even when basically dry, you can usually get the material around the repair dryer still using a heat gun. Drilling many small holes into the sound material will further encourage absorbtion.
Don't waste epoxy filling large voids. Screw some bits of dry wood in the void to take up space. This also makes it less likely to sag.
I could go on, and on with the tips. Epoxy is just wonderful stuff.
Edited 5/26/2004 3:58 pm ET by csnow
I reworked 50 windows and doors on my 30 year old house last year. The all wood BeautyLine Andersens had suffered rot in several different sashes and sills.
Abatron epoxy liquid and filler saved me a pile of $$ in replacement sashes or in some cases the cost of new window units.
Best trick I learned was to use wax paper against the "to be" finished surfaces and putty knifed into position. Let set.....peel away....sand a little as needed...prime and paint!
Great stuff..................Iron Helix
Re: WoodEpox
This really is great stuff. It is easy to work -- I took equal amounts and kneaded it while wearing latex gloves. It spreads well, sands easily, and holds paint.
As others have suggested, you should definitely use the Liquid Wood that usually comes as part of the package. This hardens the rotted wood and gives the putty a better surface to adhere to.
It works best when the temp is high (over 70), but you can speed the curing process by using a heat gun (at a moderate setting).
BEWARE OF THE AUTO BODY FILLERS: Believe it or not, many brands are not waterproof, and it is way more difficult to work and then sand. The Abatron people claim their product is formulated to move with the adjacent wood through expansion/contraction cycles -- and I would have to say this is true. The auto body stuff I've used does begin to break away from the surrounding wood after a few years -- whereas the WoodEpox does not, even after 8-10 years.
Shelf life is about the only downside to WoodEpox. In my experience, if you don't use it within a year, it just won't dry properly -- even with a heat gun.
Edited 5/29/2004 1:07 am ET by nikkiwood
Gone through a couple of kits and a dozen refills - does window sills very well. Tried a 1-part wood stabilizer last year (got it at a box store {Rona-Lansing} and can't remember it's name; but, it too did a great job on window sills), so I'm not sure if I'll go back to all that mixing. I use the marine stuff for deck/dock repairs.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario