10 myths about epoxy resins – cold weather – water
We sailed halfway in our race to discover and shatter 10 myths about epoxy. they say epoxy will not dry in the cold or under water but that is not the case says our epoxy guru David Johnson.
Myth 5: Epoxy won’t dry in cold weather
I understand where people get such an idea from, but at the end of the day and it’s also a myth. Our WEST SYSTEM® 105 epoxy with 205 fast hardener® will actually dry even at temperatures of only 5 ° C but this is far from the optimal temperature for working with epoxy.
Just imagine that epoxy is a bit like honey. If you put it in the fridge it becomes viscous and it is difficult to spread on bread. In the case of epoxy, you may not be able to soak the glass cloth well enough or it may be more difficult to achieve the desired consistency when mixed with epoxy fillers. There is also a risk of too thick coating, creating a barely noticeable exothermic reaction that can quickly reduce viscosity and increase the risk of leakage.
So, what can you do to work successfully with epoxy in colder weather? The first thing you can try is to heat the epoxy (remember the example with honey). You can also make a covered area and use a small hair dryer to increase the temperature where you work. This way it will be much easier to work with epoxy and you will get the best possible results.
And the perfect temperature to work with epoxy? The ideal temperature would be between 15 and 20 ° C!
Myth 6: Epoxy doesn’t stick under water
It’s definitely a myth. A couple of years ago, we heard from a customer that he tried to get rid of epoxy by throwing it in the toilet and flushing it. It all ended so that he eventually tore that toilet bowl with a woodpecker.
When it comes to emergency hull repairs and the like, we would definitely not recommend using epoxy under water. However, WEST SYSTEM products can save you time in an emergency. We have personally had success with the application of G / flex 655 products to the fiberglass plate and with the execution of temporary emergency repairs below the water surface.
For this reason, we think more of our customers should have G / flex 655 epoxy and fiberglass fabric on board as a basic piece of equipment on board. It’s one of the things you hope you’ll never need but it can be essentially the same as a couple of torches one day as an emergency.
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