Epoxy and cold temperatures

[Noklin]

We try to go sailing on new years day, if possible. The water temperature on the Tennessee river is normally about 40 - 45 F during the winter. I know that epoxy has a transition temperature on the high end where it will soften and could allow highly loaded parts to move, but how does it respond to low temperatures? Does it become brittle as some plastic will do? There is always a chance of hitting something floating in the river. An open joint at these water temperatures would not be a lot of fun.

[Greg Luckett]

Good question. The waters here are often in the low 40s while still boating and I have not had a problem with it. This sounds like a good question for PAR, maybe.

[Charlie Jones]

Dunno about cold water, but I might point out that the Gougeon Brothers got started in the epoxy business by building iceboats. They'd been doing that for years and wanted a lighter, stronger method, so they researched epoxy. WEST System is the result.

I doubt you'll have any problems.

[Greg Luckett]

I suspect cold must have some negative effect since it does on most materials, causing an increase in brittleness. Years ago while in Iceland we would routinely break SnapON and Craftsman wrenchs and door handles etc due to the extreme cold. We learned to warm up tools before using and to be gentle with the vehicle door handles.

I may try an experiment in one of the test chambers at work. It can have the humidity and temperture set to a specific amount. Test pieces could then be treated to low temperatures and tested using force meters. I just need to find time to do it. We use West Systems at work so the materials are all there and I might actually be able to justify the effort .

[Charlie Jones]

Greg- when the devil were you in Kef?? I was ships company, Keflavik, in the electronics shop and then first radioman on the C54 flying R&R to Germany, May 1962- May 1963.

[Greg Luckett]

Greg- when the devil were you in Kef?? I was ships company' date=' Keflavik, in the electronics shop and then first radioman on the C54 flying R&R to Germany, May 1962- May 1963.[/quote']

August 74 to 76, assigned to Public Works, NavStaKef, and the IGDF (Icelandic Ground Defense Force) while in the Seabees. I spent a lot of time in the field there to protect the radar and sonar sites. It was really a "cold" war time . Now I know why you hate snow.

That ET shop was in one of the hangers if I recall correctly. We used to go there to repair things and open the safes when they could not get the combinations to work. Seabees have all sorts of skills .

[Charlie Jones]

Lordy yes And yeah- I know about the cold war- this was during the Cuban Missile Crisis and I had family in Florida. Tensions were a TAD high on the DEW line at that time.

Yeah- the ET shop was in the big three story hanger. Once got our plane (the C 54- 4 engine transport) caught outside in a white out- we had to dig the damned plane out afterwards- Just the top of the tail sticking out!!!

Flew in once to the northern radar station- made one of the hairiest take offs I've EVER made from that (so-called) runway in an OLD DC-3. we had ice on the wings and an untried engine- we were the check out crew. BARELY made it airborne before we ran out of dirt and came over a drop off right at the lands edge. That particular spot is only about 6 or 7 miles south of the arctic circle ya know.

And yeah- that's why I hate snow

[Greg Luckett]

I think that was probably the H1 or H2 site, Charlie. H3 was on the east coast. That place would have polar bears wander in during the winter, riding the ice pack.

There was an earthquake at the H3 site which caused us to fly in large rolls of 4 inch polyethylene pipe, then cut it into 10 ft. sections to fit into the smaller DC3s. That was fun . The only good thing was that we all pitched in. The base CO, a four striper, held the pipe while I sawed.

That 3 story hanger nearly got me killed about a month after getting to Kef. The heat went out so I climbed the only ladder up the outside of the building, then walked an ice covered cat walk to the maintenance door. The darn safety hand wire had not been maintained, the wind was blowing about 50 knots, and I ended up hanging on the edge of the hanger 3 stories up on a rusted cable. I managed to crawl back up on the roof and into the door. After that I made them use a highlift truck to get me down. Scared the shxx out of me.

Iceland. land of fire and ice was fun most of the time. I still hear from friends I made there. Nearly married one of those gals too.

Greg.

[Noklin]

I asked my original question to the System 3 tech support people. They indicated that there was no problem with the epoxy being affected by temperatures as low as zero (F). They stated this, but referenced no data or testing to support their answer.

[Greg Luckett]

I posed this question at class on Saturday. The instructor pointed out that West Systems was originally developed for making racing type ice sailing craft. Guess that epoxy should be good at those temperatures. I wonder about the Alaskan cold?

[Charlie Jones]

Greg Look back at my first post in this thread.

[Greg Luckett]

Greg Look back at my first post in this thread.

Umm....yeah....ok..... :oops:

I knew I had seen that somewhere else too..

Thanks for reminding me .