Fiberglass Stays Tacky

I dont know what the deal is. There is several factors in this situation and I would like for someone to clean up my thoughts and what is truely the problem. Its about 33F here and I have a ton of body work and so on and so forth to get done. Basicly a lot of clean up. So I have some Matting to do. well I am sure to mix a strong batch (I use more hardener than usual hoping to cure it faster)and it seems to stay tacky. To the touch it seems dry but when you start to sand in your sandpaper becomes clogged and its a big mess. WHAT THE HELL TO DO! I can only get my shop to about 45-50Degrees max. So is it because it isnt hot enough to cure or did I put to much hardner...??

TOO MUCH HARDENER WILL ALSO CAUSE YOUR PROBLEM - MIX THE 2 COMPONENTS AS PERFECT AS YOU CAN AND YOU WILL GET GOOD RESULTS - THE TEMPERATURE IS ALSO A HUGE FACTOR - MOST OF THE STUFF IS RATED FOR AROUND 70 DEGREES - GOOD LUCK

Hardener and product have a given ratio for a reason.the extra hardener has noothing to react to wich is why it seems to be tacky

If you want it to harden a little faster, add some body filler cream hardener, but your main problem is the temp. Use a heat gun, and heat up your work, and it should cure fine...or better yet, go rent a heater!

Dave

I would add the exact amount if I new what the mixing ratio for this product is. Yet it doesnt say it at all. should it be 50 % of resin and 50% of tubed hardner? just would like to know for the next time I start this. It really pisses me off because its like a guessing game when I use this stuff

It shouldn't be anywhere NEAR 50/50!
It should only take a few drops of hardener per cup of resin, unless you're using something I've never used, which is possible...

They usually give you two very small tubes of hardener for a gallon of resin, and that's just about the right amount. Sometimes, I buy a third, just to be safe.

Dave

you can usually use a little more hardner then you normally would to get the resin to kick faster but the thing is you will need to put a spot light or a hrat lamp near your work to help the resin kick. 60* is about the coldest i will glass in and even then it takes forever for it to set up.


Also you only use a few drops of resin typically unless your using some crazy epoxy resin and it has a 50/50 mix but for the most common poly resin that you get at autozone you only need a few drops for every cup of resin in most cases.

Edited: 2/13/2006 7:29:28 AM by thunderbird

Edited: 2/13/2006 7:27:20 AM by thunderbird

did you buy laminating resin acidently?

what about the age? Been sitting long? There seems to be a shelf life from what i have found. bought new and I didn't have that problem.

pollyester resin does have a shelf life but when it goes bad it starts to gel then harden.
if you mixed 50/50 you've got a long wait,might try brushing some properly mixed resin over it.I mix mine 5cc (tea spoon)to a qt.I use lopersol (DDM9)M.E.K.P.for my hardner.
pollyester resin creates it's own heat to set up all you have to do is wait for it to happen. 50 deg. is perfect temp, if your shop is too hot your resin will kick off before your ready.
good luck

Okay, So guys I've looked at all my possible causes and seem to be heading the right direction just need a little more correction. On the shelf life, I do keep the product out in the cold (it's hit 20 Degrees F) So that might have been the problem. Also, I meant to say 50% of can to 50% tube is what the mixing directions say.

Now i have taky work all over many projects... what do you all recomend I do? I could lay some duraglass over everything and hope for the best but what do you all think is the best...