It’s pretty cold over here and I am finding that I can glass boards fine in 45 degrees with a good amount of MEKP, though I will start using UV catalyst. My only problem is the consistency of the resin at this temp, very thick, very slow to soak the glass. Which sometimes gives me trouble getting out the bubbles and means i am moving resin far longer than i should just wetting out. I have thinned with styrene before but I have read it can effect the strength of the glass job so stopped. Has anyone got any ideas? Other than the old “put it in the microwave trick” which judging my luck recently will take the roof off my workshop! or leave me with smoking buckets at best. TM
Where are you from. I’m located in the Seacoast area of NH. What I’ve been doing is getting a hard cooler or recycling bin(with no holes) and filling it up with scorching water. Then I take my bucket of resin and lay it in the tub of water for about 15-20 minutes. It gets nice and warm and is easier to work with. If you are doing this outside, I’d recommend putting your surfboard inside for sometime so the board isn’t as cold and the resin doesn’t immediately start tacking when it comes in contact with the surfboard. This happened with me and my last board…millions of tiny bubbles that I was unable to get out due to fast tacking. It’s alright though because the board is very, very strong.
bring both resin and board inside the house the night before. then give the resin a hot water bath prior to mixing it all up. should be fine.
Roll on summer! Yeah I think I will keep the resin else where in the warm.
I could do with a nice heated workshop…for these long British winters!
Thanks for the advise!
TM
We used to use an old electric blanket wrapped around the container.Kept it nice and cozy warm.Just keep the setting low and use when needed…not all the time.Don’t tell Mom.
Thank’s Cleanlines.
You know…I might just take a barrel to bed with me. I’ll ask my wife!
Great idea about the blanket! I will give it a whirl!
TM
My old lady looks like a barrel she,/…/.,/…;;;;;;;;;;Ouch damn!she’s here!#$@@@#__)(****/.
I’ll bet a heat pad ( like we old codgers use for aches and pains) would work quite well, especially inside a styrofoam cooler. For that matter, a trouble light ( 115 volt, 75-100 watts or the equivalent) puts out about the same heat and if ya put one in said cooler ( keeping it off the naked foam, of course, with a block of wood or something) it’d keep things nice and warm.
Used to be us rural kids would buy fertile chicken eggs, keep 'em warm until they hatched in an insulated box. Heat source was a few plain old light fixtures and standard bulbs.
hope that’s of use
doc…
Helpful question, I’ve had the same problems with glassing in the UK in the summer. Will try some of the suggestions this time.
Jase (MMM)