Thread: Thinner epoxy?

West System epoxy is thin enough to pour.

If you're working with a thick / very viscous epoxy, try 20-30 seconds in a microwave oven (depending on the amount - only 10 seconds if it's just a couple of tablespoons full) . This also helps get rid of bubbles and makes it easier to work into holes & cracks if you're using it for knots, splits, holes etc. I just work it in with a spatula, overfill, and sand level next day.

Richard

Another good trick is to heat the bit you are trying to glue/fill as well as the epoxy. If it's small, stick it in the microwave too. If it's big, hairdryer for a few minutes to get it warm to the touch and the heat soaked right in there. Stick on the warm epoxy and it should be very thin and will stay thin long enough to go where you need it to.

Also makes it go off much faster too.

Araldite make a casting epoxy, I used it some years ago, its very good.

You have to get it from specialist suppliers and it comes in large quantities.

The pouting epoxies such as envirotex or similar might be the go.

It is worth understanding that the viscosity of epoxies generaly is very much effected by heat. It don't take much heat to make em go runny or much cold to make em slugish. As anyone who has used pouring epoxies a bit will testify.

cheers

I just realised my spelling mistake in the first line, I think I'll leave it there for the amusment of all. Bazare vision.

Something to be aware of re Envirotex. It's main purpose is as a sealer coat over surfaces. I've used it in holes & large splits etc. When "pooled" up like that, it takes days to go really hard. (It's as soft as a rubber ball on the day after you pour it into a hole) As opposed to other epoxies I've worked with. Do a google search on West System Epoxy Resin. It's very good.

Richard

Thanks heaps for all the replies. Can you get 5 minute Araldite to go "runny" by using the microwave method? I'd rather not experiment, well I would but um you know. Or should I start with the longer to set stuff?

Does heating the epoxy have any effect on its strength?

Uh, no. Bad idea. Make the 5 minute epoxy hot, and it becomes a rival for superglue in how fast it goes off. I did the heat it up trick, and it went off too quick for the things I was sticking to bond properly. I was trying to get it into some endgrain, and it didn't work very well simply because it set too quickly. I had to re-do them with much slower stuff, after pulling them all apart and cleaning up the surfaces again.

Use the slowest setting stuff you can find, it will at least be workable long enough for it to get into whatever you need to get it into. At least 30 minutes, but the longer the better.

Heating it while it's going off shouldn't affect how well it sets, as long as you don't actually cook it I would think. After it has set, heating it up will make it let go. Good to know if you foul up somewhere along the line.

One other thing to be concerned about with epoxies is the fumes. Fumes don't appear to be all that unpleasant, however they are far more damaging to the brain than lots of other stuff that appears more nocious in the short term.
Good ventilation is an absolute must.
It was such a issue in telecom that in the early eighties they abandoned mixing cable jointing epoxies in open containers in favour of split bag/ mix in bag arrangements which greatly reduced exposure to the fumes.
Remember these guys were mostly working in the great outdoors.

Also remember with all two pack products heat is a product and an influence in the curing process. If I wanted to warm the product I would do so prior to despensing and mixing & probably in a water bath.
Take care not to allow any water, ANY to get into the epoxy.

Also many two pack products behave differently depending on how big the mass is. some are enginerered for thin films and some for bug lumps.


take care chaps