Resin and hardner question????

[Waliczek]

I purchased a gallon can of epoxy Resin, and I got 1 quart of hardner with it.
The sales clerk said that is how it is supposed to be sold. No other information from this employee was forth-coming. Do I assume that this is a 4-1 mix?

Help would be appriciated.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[JEM]

that's what I'd guess. Where's you buy it from? Any label on the bottle.

 

[Waliczek]

Matt, I purchased this item from Fantastic Plastic's in KC.mo. There is no label on the cans other then the normal warning notices.
I will do a test on a small piece of wood and see if it will kick.Thanks for responding.
Tom

 

[oldsparkey]

My guess is that I should not say anything about this but I am like a fish at times , just can't keep my mouth shut. You do know that even a fish stays out of trouble if it keeps it's mouth shut.

When I get my epoxy and glass from Raka http://www.raka.com/ and call down there most of the time I get the owner "Larry" and am able to ask questions and get the correct answers.
It is nice talking to the person that owns the business and has built boats , not some sales person who is only interested in making the sale. Then to top it off when I tell him it is a Jem Watercraft boat I get a discount , same thing with a Uncle Johns Pirogue or boats. Plus you can purchase as much or as little as you want , from 4oz to a 30 gallon kit.

Don't get me wrong , his crew has made mistakes when shipping out the epoxy. One builder had the wrong speed of epoxy arrived at his house. The builder called and asked him about it , without any hesitation Larry corrected the mistake and shipped the proper epoxy to him.

Lets see , you talk to the owner , get answers to questions , receive a discount , he stands behind his merchandise ........ Now I know why I shop there.

Chuck.

 

[Waliczek]

I know, I know,
This morning I went out to the garage, and on the belief that I did have a 4 to one mix.( 1 Gallon resin-1 qt Hardner). I measured out 8 oz resin, and 2 oz hardner. mixed together in plastic pail. Respirator and gloves on, watch off, and glasses off. I began to brush the exterior seams, all seems to be going well. after about 10-15 minutes, the pail began to get very hot, I had about a third of the mix left in the pail. Bam!!, it hardened up about 1-2 minutes later. melted the bottom of the plastic pail.
Something was terribly wrong..
I went to the hardware store, bought a graduated 1 qt plastic bottle.
I put the the remainder of the hardner in the bottle..22 oz. a Qt is 32 oz.
I did not have a full qt of hardner, only 24Oz. A gal. is 128 Oz ,That fiqures as far As I can tell to about 5 to 1.
Damn, what a cluster #$@&*.

Apparently all that was put on the boat, is hard as a rock after about 3 hours. It looks goos and secure, but now I am not sure weather or not it dried to fast.

Live and learn, never again will I walk out the door without making sure I talk with someone who knows something.

Thanks for letting me vent..
Tom

 

[oldsparkey]

Tom

Life is a learning experience and as long as a a person benefits from it , that is all that counts.

All of us make mistakes , I figure if I don't make at lease three a day then I am doing something wrong. :lol: Anymore then that ... then it is time to quite and sit back and say nut's with it for the rest of the day.

As far as what you have done and it has set up , it will be OK......... As long as it is what you wanted.

Checking the National Weather they say it is 61 in your area at this time .... the hotter it would get the quicker your epoxy would set up. :twisted:

You need to get with someone who will work with you on the epoxy , that is what makes the boats work for us. The wood is the filler and good part the glass and epoxy is what gives them there strength. Just like a sandwich , the good stuff in the center and the support for it on each side. If you make the sandwich correctly then it will not fall apart in your lap while you are enjoying it.

Chuck........
PS. Sometimes trying to save a buck will cost you that loss and more , been there and did it , never got the "T" Shirt.

 

[Kayak Jack]

... All of us make mistakes , I figure if I don't make at lease three a day then I am doing something wrong...

Tom, Chuck is speaking for himself. Last mistake I made was in '52 when once, I thought I was wrong. I wasn't.

Another hint: Don't mix up such large batches of epoxy. No matter what the ratio, it will overheat. Unless you are planning to roll it on for a saturation coat, or glassing the outside of the boat, an ounce or two is a "normal batch".

Bigger batches start their own chain reactions.

 

[Waliczek]

I appriciate the information. After I posted last, I went back to the garage, re-calibrated my mixing cups, and tried a small portion of 5 to 1,
worked perfect. I just came back from checking, and it is tacking up very nicely,thank you. I set the garage furance at 65, and will check again in the morning.
God, am I having fun yet?
Tom

 

[Kayak Jack]

Tom,

The British built a beautiful two engined aircraft in WWII with plywood. And that was BEFORE glass & epoxy. You can build virtually anything with this method.

 

[stevesteve]

'Tis true what Jack says...

The Mosquito is the aircraft... a thing of beauty.

Also I have calibrated pumps on my epoxy canisters. I usually do one pump of each, two of each for a big job. Last week I tried a three-of-each batch. After a few minutes I noticed that there was either smoke somewhere or some fibres wafting in front of my glasses. Checked the glasses, no fibres of glass stuck there... checked the epoxy and it was so hot it was fuming!

Back to smaller batches.

 

[BEARS BUDDY]

For larger batches use a larger diameter container to increase the surface area. It will remain workable longer.
For more info you can read Larry's instructions at Raka.com or read the West system manual. The ratios are different depending on the formulation but the methods are similar.
Be sure to post photos of the finished product.

 

[bearridge]

For more info you can read Larry's instructions at Raka.com or read the West system manual.

Friend Gerry,

"Read the instructions?" When did ya take up the feminista agenda? Ever seen Dracula after they threw holy water on him? Men drink cold beer, stay lost, leave the seat up 'n do it wrong most of the time. Without the "hard way" we dont learn much at all. :mrgreen: :roll: :mrgreen:

regards
bearridge

There are three kinds of men: the one that learns by reading, the few that learn by observation, and the rest of 'em that have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. Will Rogers