This has been discussed before but i was wondering if anyone noticed any negative effects from nuking the resin. Now the the temp is getting colder, i find myself having to nuke the resin to get it warm enough. To me there has to be some negative side effects (weeker strength, bad bond, etc.) Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or knew for sure what happens during the nuking process. Going to invest in a 55 gallon drum that i was going to build a box around with a low watt heater to constantly keep it warm.
All I know is, it is very hard to read how warm resin is.
It is almost impossible to gauge temp. unless using a thermometer.
Look into heat mats. Or heating pads.
Can be bought for certain temps.
The great thing is resin pumps pull from the bottom where it’s warm.
Drum warmers work, but are sketchy to leave on.
I like the idea of an insulated warming box for drum.
Thanks Barry, i picked up a digital infared thermometer off amazon for $20 which seems to do the job. I usually bring the resin to 75 degrees or so, which sometime can mean putting 2 quarts in the microwave for up to 1 min. This could be just my superstition, but it seems to me that the resin after microwaving is somehow differnt, doesn’t flow out as easily.
Maybe the heat is causing the styrene to evaporate?
Well in food, Microwaves tweak mollecules I would asume something of the same nature would happen with a microwave.
Ive seen guys in the PNW use the mats.
That’s a myth. Microwaves do not change the molecular structure of anything that’s heated in one.
As far as warming resin, there’s the old method of placing a batch in a container and then in a warm water bath. A bit time consuming, but it works.
microwaves are designed to make water molecules resonate and thus heat up.
Unless your resin is water based I’d suggest it might not be a good idea to heat it with a microwave. it may heat the styrene up more quickly causing it to eveporate and could even explode. Not very safe IMO.
I’d go a heat band like you use for home brew beer around your resin drum or a heat bath as mentioned already.
We used a drum heater for a few years but man you can NUKE IT if you accidentally leave it plugged in. We have switched over to an oil filled radiator heater about 10 years ago. Heats up 2 buckets in about 15 minutes while we are prepping the board.
Austin
I set the can on top of the warm hood of my truck parked in the sun when I get home from surf’n. Rinse out the wetsuit. Eat. Maybe get a beer going. Laminate. Mike