Regarding "different systems": an epoxy resin (e.g. West 105) that has three different hardeners is ONE system. West 650 is a different system, with a curative specifically for it. US Composites thin epoxy is one system (3 hardeners), and their thick epoxy is a different system; doesn't use the same hardeners. Bob Smith is pretty much one system whether 5 min, 15 min, 2-hour.
Ignore quick repairs with 5-min stuff. Ignore anything you tried once for part of a construction and didn't use again.
Seems a lot of users make recommendations based on use of just one or two systems. It'd be interesting to see how many people have actually tried several systems to examine differences.
FWIW here's my experience, all of which have been used to build at least a couple rockets, make or laminate several tubes, do honey-do tasks around the house, or for a particular repeated use such as potting nozzles, casting small parts, coatings. Some are no longer available.
West 105
Fibre Glast (long ago; don't recall the resin but I suspect it was just relabeled West 105)
System 3 basic
Mr. Fiberglass laminating
US Composites laminating
US Composites thick
Bob Smith
3rd party no-name clear casting/coating epoxy
DER331 resin with miscellaneous curatives
EPON815C resin with miscellaneous curatives (DETA, diethylenetriamine, cures it fast.)
Devcon (off-the-shelf 1:1 mix)
PC-7 paste system
Hysol thixotropic resin (dunno the number, came from Firefox)
Ignore quick repairs with 5-min stuff. Ignore anything you tried once for part of a construction and didn't use again.
Seems a lot of users make recommendations based on use of just one or two systems. It'd be interesting to see how many people have actually tried several systems to examine differences.
FWIW here's my experience, all of which have been used to build at least a couple rockets, make or laminate several tubes, do honey-do tasks around the house, or for a particular repeated use such as potting nozzles, casting small parts, coatings. Some are no longer available.
West 105
Fibre Glast (long ago; don't recall the resin but I suspect it was just relabeled West 105)
System 3 basic
Mr. Fiberglass laminating
US Composites laminating
US Composites thick
Bob Smith
3rd party no-name clear casting/coating epoxy
DER331 resin with miscellaneous curatives
EPON815C resin with miscellaneous curatives (DETA, diethylenetriamine, cures it fast.)
Devcon (off-the-shelf 1:1 mix)
PC-7 paste system
Hysol thixotropic resin (dunno the number, came from Firefox)