Epoxy Didn't Completely Harden - Seeking Advice

Not to get off the topic, but Jesus, how are you filtering the air in your compressor?

Or just don’t use it at all.

I’m sure tho that when you start sanding, it will be all good.

Hi Chris.

Sorry to hear the heating of the board/resin didn’t solve the problem…     Like I said earlier, the heating will improve the fiberglass laminates strength if nothing eles.

The volume vs measuring by weight debate has been beaten to death.          It doesn’t really matter what method you use, as long as it’s as close as possible to the correct mix ratio.

IMHO. The  mix / ratio values based on weight are the most accurate simply because they are based on a very accurate , numeric , verifiable , quantifiable,  weighted  value of resin to hardener totalling  100%

    Mixing by volume is a more visually subjective way of measuring epoxy,    imho.

 

 Chris.      You must have got the mix wrong  for the post  heating method to have had no effect.   It’s always worth trying the heat method before you resort to plan B.

If I were you,  ( or me in this case)     I’d sand off most of the hotcoat and classify your board as a sanded finish…       No harm , No foul.     Lighter anyway!!

 

I use waterbased urathanes as my gloss coats…  I  do apply an epoxy sanding coat, but most of it is removed.

Here’s a generic video  outlining the typical epoxy  mixing options… Most epoxies follow this proceedure…

http://www.entropyresins.com/how-to-use-epoxy-resin

VH.

Just an inline water trap,it needs to be emptied once in a while.I use the husky brand from home depot it works fine.

I’ve often wondered why some people use compressed air to clean debris off a board.      I guess it’s quick  ?

Some air compressors  have oil seals, and some are oil-less.    Regardless of this,  both types produce condensation within the tank as well as the possibility of oil contamination if the compressor is oil lubrication based.

Why blow the dust, debris, condensed water and possibly oil mist  into the pores of the foam core you’re planning on sticking fiberglass to.??

I use a high quality shop vac with the  soft bristle brush connection to suck out all the impurities and debris from the core…    I don’t feel all warm and fuzzy about the idea of blasting all the crap back into the pores of the foam with an air compressor.

That’s just me though.

VH.

 

"IMHO. The  mix / ratio values based on weight are the most accurate simply because they are based on a very accurate , numeric , verifiable , quantifiable,  weighted  value of resin to hardener totalling  100%

Mixing by volume is a more visually subjective way of measuring epoxy,    imho."

I agree with this statement wholeheartedly.  For those who have had good luck with the volumetric mixing buckets (and you know who you are), more power to you.  There is more than one way to skin the cat.  Just for reference though I'd be happy to provide a digital scale if anyone wants to have a 'mix-off.'  I can weigh your first portion that you've eyeballed to the line and then we can reweigh after you've poured part 2.  I'd be very surprised if it wasn't at least a few grams off the 2:1 ratio - maybe not a big deal most of the time but to get accurate volume measurements consistently takes better eyes than I have. 

The plunger method that the OP used is prone to error for any number of reasons.  It's a good way to get resin out the jugs but it's a good idea to verify either with a scale (my 1st choice) or a calibrated mixing bucket (my 2nd choice.)

     I have since sanded off the hotcoat that had all the ripples/fisheyes in it. By browsing some other stuff on swaylocks I figured the problem was I just hadn’t cleaned the board properly, so this time I used a shop vac with a brush attachment (something I had seen recommended for getting a board prepped for airbrushing, I think), blew it off with compressed air, and, finally, took some masking tape and dragged it along the board. I have done the second, or, wait, third hotcoat, and it has come out excellently. I guess I just didn’t get all the dust off.

     As far as mixing and ratios, I am sold on measuring ratios by weight. It is undoubtedly way more accurate than eyeballing or using the pump method. It makes everything so simple and foolproof, at least as foolproof as you can get. Believe me, this fool knows nothing’s foolproof.

    Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

Chris

Last week, just before doing some ding repairs with RR Kwik Kick, I emailed GL at RR for the weight mix ratio and if one was better than the other (weight vs volume), The answer…100/45… That was it.

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.......go buy a scale...do the math...find out that it's not a big deal and report back here later.....100/45...sounds good scale guys.......(close to 100/50)

or mix by volume.......Like Resinhead...you like those PPG cups Mr Head???? Someone on Swaylocks preaching to you about mixing by volume???    I've never had a batch not cure...and you can take that to the BANK.

Fiberglass Hawaii sells two sizes of Medicine Cups.....80 ML and 30 ML...perfect for small batches like fin plugs.

......can't beat that.......and you can't beat the PPG mixing cups.......proper mix...stir slow and steady..proper temp...

wash your hands.....

Ray......

AAAAH....

 

Funny !!!!!!!

I have stuff to trade for all you epoxy guys going up to Big Sur at the end of the month......I'm mixing batches as small as 15 ml by volume.....If VanHelsing and Youngquist saw some of the stuff I do you guys would just drop dead.....Bare hands handling...air compressors blowing...no scales , no solvents....life on the edge?   ...not really...

Have fun everyone!            ...Ray...