Fiberglass resin not hardening? My experience might help!

[jellis359]

Im definitely a novice pep-er but ive recently had a problem with my resin not hardening on my project. After much searching around the web ive found multiple tricks when used in order can help save your piece.

Hit your piece with a heat gun see if you can get your resin to really bubble and smoke.

Spray on some hardener with a cologne or perfume bottle. Just a small amount.

Hit it lightly with heat gun again and let it sit for an hour or 2.

Still tacky? Put it in a curing oven. Any heat resistant container lined with tinfoil and blow hot air with either your heat gun or hairdryer for about an hour. This will help get everything that has enough hardener to set. Alternative is to use a heat lamp. Sit for about an hour and have some coffee.

Tacky spots still. Wipe and dab the entire surface with tissue paper to adhere to and cover the spots.

Now mix more resin and test it first on scrap before applying to piece.

If any one of these steps works don't feel the need to continue the whole process. If still it doesnt work. Then the only way I know to get it off is to wipe the surface with acetone and pray.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

 

[Killtime]

I would not recommend the heat gun option if you can help it, at least not to heat it up till it bubbles and smokes. That is a lot of toxic gas depending on products.

The rest are pretty spot on. I can also recommend getting a rag and using acetone to wipe away any resin that does not cure. Be careful however as it will break down the resin if you use too much. Dries fast and will allow a fresh application.

It's also a good idea to do small batches with 25% more catalyst if you keep having trouble with drying times or tacky results that don't set.

 

[Professor Steve]

Tacky spots, dust with talcum powder. ( That's how the pros do it)

 

[sharamordinae]

If its tacky just mix up more resin add more hardner to the resin then you did with the last and put that on the tacky spots.

Also if its 80 degree and below it can take two days for resin to cure.

Go work on another peice and come back in a few days to that one.

Has never had a issue with the tacky problem because I just put more resin over the area.

 

[ower]

That's good to know about the below 80 degrees. I'm about to do a helmet this weekend and we're hovering around 50 Either that, or I wait until Summer.

 

[PukkaLemons]

That's good to know about the below 80 degrees. I'm about to do a helmet this weekend and we're hovering around 50 Either that, or I wait until Summer.

I live in the UK, we rarely get nice weather or warm weather i just resin and wait, or hit it with a hairdryer or heat gun just on and off to warm and it may warp your pep.

 

[The Ronin]

That's good to know about the below 80 degrees. I'm about to do a helmet this weekend and we're hovering around 50 Either that, or I wait until Summer.

Put your resin can in a tub of hot water. Keep adding hot water to the tub to keep it warm. When the whole can is just shy of uncomfortable to the touch, run outside and resin your stuff. I've had resin SMOKING in a <50*F garage in the winter with that technique, because I mixed the hardener a little on the hot side, too.

 

[ower]

Put your resin can in a tub of hot water. Keep adding hot water to the tub to keep it warm. When the whole can is just shy of uncomfortable to the touch, run outside and resin your stuff. I've had resin SMOKING in a <50*F garage in the winter with that technique, because I mixed the hardener a little on the hot side, too.

No clue why this didn't occur to me since I do the same thing when I paint :thumbsup I'll give that a shot.

 

[mdb]

Yeah, you don't want the smoke! Toxins aside your cure will be unpredictable and potentially ruined.

Just don't!

Seriously, I fly fast and loose with my own safety at times but this is no even for me!

When resin goes too far off you wind up with it warping too. Ever tried mixing in a container that is too small and had it go off and rise like a glassy souffle? Yeah, similar issue.

Doesn't matter if it's epoxy or not, uneven heat is bad.

Do not do.

But do get your workspace up to workable temp, turn the heat off (no matter what there is a potential for ignition) do your stuff, leave. The space should stay warm enough to reduce condensation on your work before curing.

I would also recommend a dehumidifier.

 

[The Ronin]

Yeah, you don't want the smoke! Toxins aside your cure will be unpredictable and potentially ruined.

Just don't!

Seriously, I fly fast and loose with my own safety at times but this is no even for me!

When resin goes too far off you wind up with it warping too. Ever tried mixing in a container that is too small and had it go off and rise like a glassy souffle? Yeah, similar issue.

Doesn't matter if it's epoxy or not, uneven heat is bad.

Do not do.

But do get your workspace up to workable temp, turn the heat off (no matter what there is a potential for ignition) do your stuff, leave. The space should stay warm enough to reduce condensation on your work before curing.

I would also recommend a dehumidifier.

Yeah, that one incident was quickly thrown out. I mixed another batch with the regular dose of hardener right after and it was perfect. Also, I'm rarely in my garage without a respirator.