Almost done with my first time using UV resin for glassing, just put in finboxes this afternoon. Was told by the guy at the surfshop that I could use UV resin for finboxes, because, as he put it, “once some of it goes off, it will set the rest off”.
Well, when i was done, I still had a little left in my cup, and the cup was left in the sun for a few hours. Went to clean up a few minutes ago and noticed that half the resin had kicked–the part exposed to UV light because the sun was reaching it. So I started worrying that, in fact, just because SOME of it sets doesn’t mean it will kick the rest off. a quick search here says never to use UV resin for boxes. On my board, it seems set, but I’m worried that I still have wet resin way under the boxes that will never set. What should I do? Will it all kick eventually, or is that resin just wet forever? Should I rip out the boxes and start over?
Any thoughts will be helpful. I should have known that some teenage kid who seemed like it was his first day in a surf shop might not know what he was talking about…
Just a random, last ditch effort style thought: inject catalyst with a needle, if you can get a needle. Just inject it every cm or something. No idea if that’d work or if it’s been tried before.
I use UV lam resin for everthing except glossing on PU/PE board construction. The catch is you got to know when to use catalyst. Remember to use catalyst for anything that the UV rays can’t get to like fin boxes, under rice paper laminates, leash plugs, Q-cell mixes, opaque pigments and night work, etc. Good lesson learned and we all have similar experences. That is how we learn.
Futures has the little drain holes around the flange, I’d protect cover the bottom, taping around the boxes leaving only the boxes exposed. Leave it in direct overhead sun for an hour or so. IMO good chance you’ll be fine
Heck, you could drill a small pilot hole in the bottom of the box see if resin oozes out or if you hit cured resin … stick a toothpick into it see if its wet. Then use the hole to inject some cat?
Much like UncleD, I use 100% UV, but I also add catalyst 100% of the time. When whatever resin application I’m doing is done, I finish it off in the sun for quick cure and to stop the smell. Leave my drip tray in the sun afterward as well. Catalyst I hope keeps me from getting too lazy or sloppy laminating but mostly keeps splatter & spills from staying wet inside my shed.
Another option, as Acqua suggested, get it in the sun deck side up.
Rather than lam the deck, just tape it off with paper or something to stop the blank yellowing. Leave the tail patch area exposed for max UV penetration, yeah it it will yellow, but you can always put a linen/carbon/ whatever you like inlay/patch over it. you will probably be sticking a deck grip on it anyway.
To check if the resin has kicked you could always drill small inspection holes down to the boxes from the deck (hold it up to the light to locate the boxes) Its an easy fix to make Foam plugs to fill the holes. Saves damaging the boxes.
So, finally decided to just cut some thin slits in the deck side and see if the resin was cured or still wet, and it was fully cured! didn’t really expect that, but it all worked out. guess enough UV got through the sides and the foam to cure it. Just got to patch up the deck and it’ll be all good. Thanks everyone!