i hope someone can help me out with this. I installed my finplugs on my first home-made board (epoxy + hardener + white pigment paste). But i didnt have much epoxy left, so i used everything i had left! Because i didnt want to end up with too little (duh). unfortunately… i found out that i also had to do the leashplug!, but i couldnt flip the board already, so in a desperate attempt i have put the epoxy i had left in the freezer!!!
now i just found out here on swaylocks that others have tried this too! so i dont feel stupid BUT (for the ones that have experience in re-using frozen epoxy) i have some questions left:
does freezing and unfreezing the epoxy cause any disadvantages (strengthwise?)
how do you unfreeze the epoxy? just let it sit until you can stirr it again? or can you microwave it? :
because i am a bit afraid that part of the epoxy will already harden out while the rest is still trying to unfreeze!
the whole idea is to save money by re-using the epoxy so that i dont have to buy new stuff… spending more money on other materials is therefor also out of the question. This topic is all about freezing and unfreezing epoxy.
and about the “search the archives” comment… as you can read in my post: “now i just found out here on swaylocks…” i have already tried searching the archives and i still have these quesitons left.
I have little zip lock bags that I pour excess epoxy into then freeze. My experience has been that it's usable for a few days, but it will set up eventually. No problems with strength, as a matter of fact, I usually use the excess from fin installs to install leash plugs. Just make sure you have enough, or you'll end up mixing more epoxy anyway.
Hey aqute, freezing and reusing epoxy is not a problem and I do it with leftover from pigmented batches in case I need to do a touch-up (to make sure the color matches exactly). I also save clear leftover in the freezer for unrelated projects around the house (like that axe handle). It's expensive and useful - why waste it?
Slowly heat the epoxy with a hair dryer or heat gun from underneath or float the container in hot water for a few minutes. It softens up quickly enough. If you only need to use a little, crack off a frozen piece and warm it up instead of the whole batch. You can only thaw and refreeze it twice if you're lucky before it gets too thick.
I would not recommed putting it in the microwave. Besides filling with bubbles it will get too hot too quickly in a small area and if I remember correctly, it films or gels up. Also, I can't imagine that Bisphenol-A fumes in the house are any good for you.
that was the information i was hoping to get! the tip with the hot water sounds promissing and i will give it a try! worst case scenario is that the batch will harden before i use it…so then i have to buy new stuff anyway!
Nothing much to add except you may be surprised at how quickly it unfreezes in normal air temperatures but otherwise lightly playing a hair dryer on the open surface works well as you can keep prodding it with a stick and soon you will be able to scoop out enough to paste inside the leash plug hole without heating up the bulk in your container thus keeping it uncured for a few more days in case you need it to top up. It does go off hard sooner or later in the freezer anyway. As said best to keep covered in the freezer, I flip the vinyl glove over the container.
BUT (for the ones that have experience in re-using frozen epoxy) i have some questions left: