External Strainers

[Capt. DQ]

What is the going price on the Groco APHS2000 bronze external strainer.
Does $120 sounded about right for (1)?

Thanks,
DQ

[CaptPatrick]

Doug,

The APHS2000 is full bore list at $120.00... Open an account with Lewis Marine Group and their wholesale price is about $84.00. By the time you cover shipping you'll be just below $100.

Call Bret Anderson - 954.684.7608, he's my rep at Lewis.

Br,

Patrick

[Capt. DQ]

Capt. Patrick,

The Lewis Marine Group is the sister company to Byfields Supply here in P'cola, and the Bret gave me the same pricing as them. The new list price is $173, like everything else, prices have shot thru the roof. So $115-$120 is what there quoting.

Thanks,
DQ

[CaptPatrick]

Doug,

Yeah, bronze & stainless, it figures... All of my materials and supplies are so out of hand I almost want to change professions again or retire completely. A gallon of premium polyester layup resin only cost $17 a brief few years ago. Now it's costing me over $50.00 a gallon. Starting to know how Bertram felt in '73.

Br,

Patrick

[ianupton]

Capt Patrick,

Speaking of resins (epoxy / Poly / Vinyl / etc) what are the brands to avoid or the brands to buy?

Are distributer brands 'bad'?

Ever heard of 'Oceana' in Annapolis, MD? They are an account based boat material/products source.

Thanks,

Ian.

[CaptPatrick]

Ian,

Often dealer generics are as good as the big brand names, especially where epoxies are concerned. There are only a couple of epoxy resin manufacturers in the US so usually there's no difference between brand x, y, z, or the dealer's generic.

Sometimes however, a few low end dealers might diddle around with the epoxy resin by thinning, thereby reducing the solids ratio. There isn't much messing around with polyester or vinylester resins, but a dealer might be offering a resin from a low end distributor.

The only way to tell what's really being offered is to ask for a MSDS sheet on the product. The MSDS will disclose the manufacturer's name. Contact the manufacturer and ask about the solids content & viscosity of the specific resin. You can check the viscosity with a viscosity cup to verify that the resin has been unaltered. Be sure to ask the manufacturer what temperature they use to check their resin & try to check your resin at the same temperature.

If a company has been around for a long time, has a good reputation, and satisfied customers, then a lot of testing can be side stepped... Oceania is listed as one of MAS Epoxy's suppliers & MAS is a very well respected name in the marine epoxy world.

As far as brands to stay away from: Any resin that's sold on the automotive market or through home improvement centers or hardware stores. Bondo & Evercoat are specific trade names to stay away from.

A brand that I feel is a bit over rated and certainly the most expensive is West Systems. I rarely use their epoxies...

The two best names in ester based resins are Ashland & Reinhold. The best gelcoat comes from Cook Paint Co.

Br,

Patrick