Inlace

[cwearing]

What is the approximate shelf life after purchase of unopened inlace?😕

 

[Bill Boehme]

What is the approximate shelf life after purchase of unopened inlace?😕

A week or less for unopened cans. Several years for cans that have been partially used if stored in a refrigerator. Less than six months if stored in a hot garage or shop in the summer.

Why a week or less for unopened cans, you ask? I generally open it and use it within a few days of getting it -- therefore, for me that is the end of the shelf life of an unopened can. Now if you want to know about the storage life of partially used Inlace, I have a lot more experience with that, but even then, I use it up before it becomes unusable. I think that the longest that I have had a partial can of Inlace resin is around three years. The last bit of Inlace was getting a bit stiff by that time.

Are you having problems with Inlace getting hard before using it? If so, how are you storing it? Also consider that the supplier may have had the Inlace in stock for a week or for two years.

My experience is that it doesn't make any difference if the Inlace has been opened or not. The important thing is how well you clean the rim and lid and close it without using a hammer to beat up the lid. I just use hand pressure to close the can.

 

[cwearing]

Thanks much for the sage advise

 

[Gary Chapman]

inlace usage

Thanks much for the sage advise

The problem with inlace is getting the right amount of hardener. I use most of it in small openings or cracks or groves and knowing how many drops to a sponefull gets tricky. Too much hardener and it stays sticky-not enough and it stays sticky-finding just the right amount so it hardens or it just clogs up your sandpaper and smears around no matter how long you wait on it to dry.
I love it for accents but can be frustrating. Gary

 

[Richard Coers]

I don't have much experience with it, but isn't it polyester resin? Longer shelf life for the resin than the catalyst.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I don't have much experience with it, but isn't it polyester resin? Longer shelf life for the resin than the catalyst.

Here is the MSDS. It tells you everything that you want to know and more:
http://www.inlacebook.com/pdf/msds/inlace-msds-clear-resin.pdf

 

[Charlie M]

Well here is my experience with inlace shelf life: Present supply purchased and opened fall of 2012. I use only small amounts at a time for filling mesquite cracks and grub holes. It is stored in a closed cabinet in the house. Temperature range is about 66 degrees F to 78 degrees F.

Charlie

 

[Bill Boehme]

The problem with inlace is getting the right amount of hardener. I use most of it in small openings or cracks or groves and knowing how many drops to a sponefull gets tricky. Too much hardener and it stays sticky-not enough and it stays sticky-finding just the right amount so it hardens or it just clogs up your sandpaper and smears around no matter how long you wait on it to dry.
I love it for accents but can be frustrating. Gary

I have found that the little paper one ounce measuring cups are a terrible way to measure the Inlace because one ounce is slightly MORE than level full. As a result I use 1 ml and 3 ml syringes to measure the resin. This works out very nicely because there is almost exactly 30 ml per ounce and the instructions say to use 25 to 30 drops of the MEKP hardener to one ounce. This means that you can use one drop per milliliter when mixing small quantities. Sometimes I use four drops per 5 ml on small amounts.

Some syringes are made of a clear hard plastic that isn't affected much by three resin and other syringes are made of a softer slightly milky clear plastic that is rapidly softened by the resin. Those can still be used if you work really really "hair on fire" fast.

Here is some useful information that goes beyond what is found the instruction sheet found in the package: http://www.inlacebook.com/pdf/inlace-instructions-lrg-print.pdf

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have found that the little paper one ounce measuring cups are a terrible way to measure the Inlace because one ounce is slightly MORE than level full. As a result I use 1 ml and 3 ml syringes to measure the resin. This works out very nicely because there is almost exactly 30 ml per ounce and the instructions say to use 25 to 30 drops of the MEKP hardener to one ounce. This means that you can use one drop per milliliter when mixing small quantities. Sometimes I use four drops per 5 ml on small amounts.

Some syringes are made of a clear hard plastic that isn't affected much by three resin and other syringes are made of a softer slightly milky clear plastic that is rapidly softened by the resin. Those can still be used if you work really really "hair on fire" fast.

Here is some useful information that goes beyond what is found the instruction sheet found in the package: http://www.inlacebook.com/pdf/inlace-instructions-lrg-print.pdf

Bill do you have to modify the syringe mouth? I see the inlace as slightly thick out of the can, even though it will run like molasses when held at an angle. Also am I correct that the effect of less hardener means it takes longer to cure?

 

[Bill Boehme]

Bill do you have to modify the syringe mouth? I see the inlace as slightly thick out of the can, even though it will run like molasses when held at an angle. Also am I correct that the effect of less hardener means it takes longer to cure?

Unless it is old, it should be about like 30W straight mineral oil (which is between pure cane molasses and 10W-30 multi weight oil). 🙄 the opening size seems just about right although slightly smaller would help keep the Inlace from running out. After four or five refills, the plunger starts to drag significantly and I know that the syringe won't withstand another refill. This is why working as fast as possible is important -- the useful life of the syringe is mainly determined by time more than number of refills. This could be why the instructions say to not mix Inlace in a plastic container.

Interestingly enough, more hardener can slow down curing and too much will prevent it from ever curing. The exact amount of hardener is a reasonably wide range which is good when we have to guesstimate. Even if there is a stochiometric ratio that is just right, our methods of measuring tiny batches would prevent us from precisely hitting it.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Unless it is old, it should be about like 30W straight mineral oil (which is between pure cane molasses and 10W-30 multi weight oil). 🙄 the opening size seems just about right although slightly smaller would help keep the Inlace from running out. After four or five refills, the plunger starts to drag significantly and I know that the syringe won't withstand another refill. This is why working as fast as possible is important -- the useful life of the syringe is mainly determined by time more than number of refills. This could be why the instructions say to not mix Inlace in a plastic container.

Interestingly enough, more hardener can slow down curing and too much will prevent it from ever curing. The exact amount of hardener is a reasonably wide range which is good when we have to guesstimate. Even if there is a stochiometric ratio that is just right, our methods of measuring tiny batches would prevent us from precisely hitting it.

I have not done much Inlace lately, but have recently found a cheap (free) measuring device. As a Pharmacist I get all sorts. The measure cup for medication works great. Ask you Pharmacist to save some for you as we usually toss them because we give out syringes.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have not done much Inlace lately, but have recently found a cheap (free) measuring device. As a Pharmacist I get all sorts. The measure cup for medication works great. Ask you Pharmacist to save some for you as we usually toss them because we give out syringes.

Can you tell me a bit more about it so that I won't sound too dumb when talking to the pharmacist?

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Can you tell me a bit more about it so that I won't sound too dumb when talking to the pharmacist?

It is a medication cup or measuring device. Usually marked in 5 ml increments up to 30. We use a lot of Citrizine (antihistamine) in 4 oz bottles and each one has a med cup which usually goes in trash. These are also used in some hospitals to give med to patients and are on some OTC cold medication such as Nyquil.
Once more this is plastic and I am not sure how they will hold up to inlace, but work well with several finishes.

 

[hockenbery]

It is a medication cup or measuring device. Usually marked in 5 ml increments up to 30. We use a lot of Citrizine (antihistamine) in 4 oz bottles and each one has a med cup which usually goes in trash. These are also used in some hospitals to give med to patients and are on some OTC cold medication such as Nyquil. Once more this is plastic and I am not sure how they will hold up to inlace, but work well with several finishes.

Gerald,
Sounds like the little cups we have. Diameter a bit larger than a quarter about the same height.
I have used them for mixing small amounts of epoxy since the last century.
I also used them for mixing inlace. I haven't used inlace since 2003 or so.
We rescued a small box from the science department trash a long time ago.
I just got a couple hundred more included with some airbrush paints to mix colors in.

 

[Gary Chapman]

Gerald,
Sounds like the little cups we have. Diameter a bit larger than a quarter about the same height.
I have used them for mixing small amounts of epoxy since the last century.
I also used them for mixing inlace. I haven't used inlace since 2003 or so.
We rescued a small box from the science department trash a long time ago.
I just got a couple hundred more included with some airbrush paints to mix colors in.

Another good container is the small applesauce containers you get. My wife buys them for small deserts after supper. Applesauce always goes bad if you buy the big jars. Gary

 

[Bill Boehme]

I like the syringes because it is easy to keep things neat and clean. No Runs ... No Drips ... No Errors! 🙄

It seems like calibrated pharmacy cups might have the same neatness issue as the ketchup cups that come with Inlace kits, viz. getting the resin from the can into the mixing container