Can Nida core be cut with regular tools, ie table saw and circular saw?

Also Fishstretcher had a very good point, work very clean with this stuff. Back in the '70s & '80s we were practically taking baths in epoxy and as a result I became sensitized to the hardner. We were using a lot of System 3 & Chem Tech back then and they didn't have many options for hardners. I can get away with using it on small repairs but anything over about 1 sq ft and I can't get near it.

I have a couple sheets in the shop and you could certainly cut it with a jig saw, skil saw or table saw. It's really light and easy to handle.
Rod

If it is pre skinned, it cuts with a saw. I think you got raw core from LBI. You can almost cut it with a utility knife. I bevel cut mine with an 18v panel saw.

Everything I read on boat building shows a VE layer between regular epoxy sailboat hulls and polyester gel coat. And that is also what Duratec sells- an intermediate vinyl ester epoxy layer.

Maybe it should be VE on everything, epoxy on epoxy and polyester on polyester?

Of course rules of thumb are made to be broken. By Murphy's hammer.

I did get the raw core. i'll try a small piece with the table saw and see how it does. I will be putting a 45 on every cut edge for glassing reasons and if the honeycomb is exposed by the cut, i'll fix with thickened epoxy for a nice finish. Thank you all.

I'll be sure the wear appropriate PPE before begining. Thank you.

That's just what I was always told. I always considered it a "general rule of thumb" that applies to general fiberglassing, basic boatyard repairs, shadetree stuff.
All thumbs are out the window when you get into more technical glassing.
You could go down the rabbit-hole real quick just browsing around at the Composites One website.
:eek:

Well, I had a couple university classes in composites 20 years ago, and can't remember much other than the math for stress analysis for multi layer uni axial layups of carbon in epoxy was hard if you do it by hand.

With respect to resins? We built a lot of VE structures at school. The lead fabricator (school employee) had developed an epoxy sensitivity.


But I don't own a boatyard. All I can do is interpret data sheets (I have done most of the ASTM tests at univeristy years ago). But that isn't the same as building boats for 20 years.

But my first scratch built monocoque fiberglass (R/C) car was at age 14 :D.
Then a 15 year hiatus or so.

But I am a weekend warrior, mostly. I only ever got paid to work on aluminum "Navy" boats, and then only briefly.


So like any advice on the interwebs- you get what you pay for.

I used all epoxy and it's solid as a rock now. Thanks for the help