Trying to do this and the resin even after 20 hours is still too runny to stick well. It’s about 70 degrees here and I’m just not getting anywhere. It’s an ultra deep pour epoxy. Mixed it correctly. Hair dryer? Can’t get to figure 4.
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Resin won’t harden quickly
- Thread starter Alan Weinberg
- Start date
From their website.
What is the curing time of epoxy?
- Epoxy will be dry to the touch within 12 to 14 hours.
- Epoxy can be used as a regular surface after 72 hours.
- Full curing (meaning 100% hardness) can take up to six to eight months. This extended period is generally due to cooler room temps after the initial 72 hour period. However, the surface is still usable during that time. This is mostly a technicality.
How important is it to maintain 75°F during the project?
It is extremely critical that the product be used in room conditions at or above 75°F.When the room temperature is below 75°F, the heat from the curing epoxy remains trapped inside, resulting in a completely cloudy surface. Use space heaters if necessary to sustain the temperature during the 72 hour curing stage.
Caution: This is not a recommendation, it is a requirement. There is no room for variance.
Some thermostats may not be 100% accurate, so it is best to set the temperature to a few degrees warmer to ensure the minimum 75°F is met.
If you're working in a large area that is hard to keep above 75°F, you can build a small tent enclosure out of painters plastic, pvc, and duct tape. You can then place a small space heater inside to ensure the temperature remains at or above 75°F.
Ok. So maybe for what I want to do I bought the wrong resin. Is there one that gets thick quickly that can be applied to a bowl on the lathe—that won’t run off before setting up? I need a thick one—like the guy in my first picture evidently used. Too bad the article is over a decade old or I’d contact him.
I’m no epoxy expert. I suggest you call the manufacturer’s customer service. A friend who does use a lot of resin in his turnings makes a form to hold his piece and then pours the resin.
Put it in direct sunlight. Often the UV light will kick the catalyst faster.
did that first—only open M-F till 5 Eastern time.
Alumilite sets quickly but it's still very wet while workable. Is there a parts list for the project? I'm interested in what kind of epoxy they used. Like Mike's friend I use forms to mold my resin. If you had a large enough plastic bowl you could use it as a mold (check out the dollar store). If you use a mold be sure to elevate the wooden bowl a little so it doesn't sink to the bottom of the mold.
Nope.
When I built boats I used either MAS Epoxy or West System. They both (and others) make laminating formulations which is very different from bar top or deep pour epoxy. In each case you add thickeners, I.e. cotton fibers, wood “flour”, colloidal silica, etc., to make either fillets or adhesives. Cure time is controlled by which of several hardeners you use, based upon temperature and desired open time.
I used a "lot" of epoxy when I made fly rods and failure to cure was an occasional problem. In my experience, it came from mixing incorrectly or too cool an ambient temp. The difference between my 65 degree basement and a warming box set to about 75 degrees was 24 hours, even when I did everything right. Temp can be critical. Be aware than most common epoxy is mixed by volume, but some more specialized epoxy is mixed by weight.
I think it distills to this. Since I turn outside—lathe banished to outside the garage—I will need to wait to use resin/epoxy until it warms up here in S California.
Thanks all.
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We are lucky here temps are above average and below average most of the winter. We cycle between a cold front that drops temps into highs in the 60s for a day or two then it warms up to the 80s until the next cold front. We rarely work in the shop when it’s below 75. 70 this morning was 39 at wake up last week.
You might look into a mini green house and a thermometer. Incandescent light might get it warm enough. Water filled milk jugs painted black can solar heat it through the night. Many epoxies will cure at 70.
PVC water pipe and plastic can make an inexpensive green house.
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My rod drying box has to be long enough for a whole fly rod, but as Al says, you could easily use some sort of container and a 60 watt incandescent light bulb. A cardboard box might even work.
This is the way with pourable resins...
Before the current epoxy wave (tsunami?) came to the modern woodworking world, many folks were using construction epoxies which are MUCH thicker, don't run all over the place and cure FAST. Stuff like DevCon 2-Ton. It comes in parallel caulking tubes and requires a powerful gun, and strong hands, to squeeze out the product.
I’ll look into that while I wait for warmer weather. But ouch—$530 for a gallon. Thanks.
Take a look at W.E.S.T Marine G-flex 655. While there is a considerable learning curve and it's not for everybody, it has advantages
- Minimum temperature for full cure is 40F
- Can be applied to damp wood - if needed, they have instructions for you to repair the bottom of your boat "in the water"
- It's ugly - I use black System-3 pigment
- It's expensive - $140 for two quart cans
- Should be mixed with a jeweler scale
- You have to "turn" it - too tough for sanding
- If you decide to try, we can talk then
Once you screw up a few times, you won't go back. Anyone taking the plunge is welcome to send a message with phone number - happy to talk you through it
- Minimum temperature for full cure is 40F
- Can be applied to damp wood - if needed, they have instructions for you to repair the bottom of your boat "in the water"
- It's ugly - I use black System-3 pigment
- It's expensive - $140 for two quart cans
- Should be mixed with a jeweler scale
- You have to "turn" it - too tough for sanding
- If you decide to try, we can talk then
Once you screw up a few times, you won't go back. Anyone taking the plunge is welcome to send a message with phone number - happy to talk you through it
very kind of you and will likely take you up on it in spring. Right now if more woodturning supplies or tools show up, my wife has promised to put me on the lathe and spindle turn me.
I've sanded steel, so this stuff is harder than steel?
Alan, the current issue of Woodturner's magazine has an article about segment turning. In the article the author talks about using epoxy and gives some suggestions on types, coloring and how to thicken it (I didn't know you could do that). If you're a member you might want to check it out, he talks about it on page 35: https://www.woodturner.org/Woodturn...r/2023/38-6/Two-Layer-Segmented-Turnings.aspx
I had no idea—wood dust or chalk—fascinating and probably exactly what I need to do. Thanks.
No but it might as well be - GFlex, and most any epoxy, is significantly harder that the wood it's applied to. When fairing epoxy, if the surrounding material is softer, the surrounding material (wood) is damaged
I use lots of epoxy in the turning process - in the finishing process, where mechanical strength is not an issue, I use TimberMate which is water-based and a cake-walk to sand. When impregnated with finish, it looks great.
Regarding epoxy thickeners: While most anything works, you might try colloidal silica. It's light and, although white, it takes on the dyes used to color epoxy.
As per the above, when cutting off thickened and dyed epoxy, the last thing you want is little specs where the thickener didn't take the dye.
Colloidal silica is available from WEST, System3, Aero Marine and others - it can be mixed with any epoxy formulation.
Also, for what it's worth, my efforts to color any filler, including epoxy, to match the wood has been dismal - it always is enough off to call attention. Better to use black, the color of shadows.
As per the above, when cutting off thickened and dyed epoxy, the last thing you want is little specs where the thickener didn't take the dye.
Colloidal silica is available from WEST, System3, Aero Marine and others - it can be mixed with any epoxy formulation.
Also, for what it's worth, my efforts to color any filler, including epoxy, to match the wood has been dismal - it always is enough off to call attention. Better to use black, the color of shadows.