Glue question

[Tom Lathrop]

This is a cooling box I use to keep epoxy from kicking off too soon.  It can be made to fit almost any size plastic cup that you use.  I never had any epoxy to go off in the box, even in the hottest summer day.  I am sure it would happen with a large batch if set in the sun on a hot day and ignored for a long time but, who would do that.

I don't use the box very often but sometimes it comes in very handy.

[Charlie Jones]

I've done much the same thing, with roller pans. Pour the epoxy into a metal roller pan and set that into another one full of crushed ice. When epoxy coating and having to do it outside, in Florida, in August, you learn to keep the epoxy cool, work small batches and work FAST!!!

Same applies here on the Texas coast. I've glassed boat hulls when the shop temps were right at 100 degrees. I always use slow hardener, small batches and change containers after every other batch.

[BuildDre]

Wow!

Never thought of doing that when working with bondo on cars.

Thanks..

[PAR]

If you're working indoors, you can control the environment reasonably effectively. 206 may be a little slow at normal room temperatures (70 - 72 degrees). At 75 degrees (it's a little warm for a well sealed house) 206's useful pot life is about 25 minutes, compared to about 10 to 15 for 205.

If you're working in an environment where wide swings of temperature will occur, then 205 is the stuff you want. It will work from 40 to around 90 degrees. At 40 degrees it pretty thick stuff and hard to work. At 90 it damn near kicks off in the pot before you have a chance to apply any. It's ideal temperature range is 65 to 70. Closer to 70 is preferred as its viscosity is better.

206 has a much narrower temperature range, say from 60 to 90 degrees, with an ideal range in the mid to high 70's.

207 is similar to 206 in working temperatures (slightly slower) but is designed for clear finishes.

209 is the super slow stuff, which will barely cure at 70 degrees, but will still provide about 20 minutes at 95 degrees.

Be sure to ventilate the area well, because you don't want to live with this stuff lingering around the duct work of your heating system. It's not as bad as some epoxies, but it still isn't something you want to subject your family to, particularly young ones.

The trick with epoxy is setup and prep. Do dry runs and practice where everything will need to be during the "epoxy run". Have clamps and tools at the ready, the jig setup, cloth trimmed and rolled up, etc. The easiest way to screw up an epoxy run is to have to look for a tool, trim some fabric or wrestle with a piece, as the goo is trying to kick off in the pot. Have all these issues sorted out before you drop hardener into resin.

[Greg Luckett]

I was hoping someone would take the time to look up the exact details for the hardners....I was too lazy ;D