Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

[atimm693]

Well I bought an old 1442 Ouachita V-bottom from a local scrapyard. Got the boat, a homemade trailer, and a 64 Evinrude Fisherman 5.5 for 250.00. Got the titles for all three too. The trailer is solid but needs a little work, and the 'Rude is in great mechanical shape and runs good.

Anyway I got hosed on the boat. Though I looked it over pretty good but after I got it home I noticed it had a substantial patch on the bottom. Looks like it's been run onto a stump or something and had a pretty big tear in the bottom under the rear bench. After some consideration and research, I decided to go ahead and try to patch it. The PO patched it once before (half-assed at that) and it worked for them. I pulled the rear bench and got to work.

I used .025 aluminum sheet for patches, one inside and one outside, with 5200 between them and around the edges. I used 1/2" 1/4-20 machine screws to hold everything together. It's not real pretty but I am confident that it will work fine for this boat (using on rivers, and the small lakes around here on calm days.)

The weather here has been less than ideal. It's been a roller-coaster. When I put the big patch on it was a really nice day (Monday) around 52 degrees. The past two have been 15-20 for the high, and it's supposed to be around 50 this weekend. How much will the cold affect the curing process? It has been 48 hours now and it hasn't even skinned over, just gotten a little stickier. Will it cure at all?

I am in no hurry to get it in the water. However I don't wanna wait until the end of February. Is there anything I can do to help it out? I don't have anywhere warm to put it... Would take a cord of firewood to keep the garage heated for a week. Ain't gonna happen.

Thanks.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Hair dryer?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Not gonna cure unless you can get it warm.
I keep 5200 in my freezer and after months in there the cap is still sticky when I get it out.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

100 watt light bulb in an enclosed box (with the top open) at least the size of the patch and pushed up against the hull. You will get plenty of heat to cure it.

I had a car with a starter that took in water. It froze during the winter nights and the starter would not crank in the morning. I left an exposed 100 watt incandescent bulb hanging on it overnight and it always started the next morning.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Tent the area where the patch is,stick a halegon work light in there for awhile. They make lors of heat,just be sure to keep the light far enough away from the tent.
Grub

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Not gonna cure unless you can get it warm.
I keep 5200 in my freezer and after months in there the cap is still sticky when I get it out.

Mine has been in the freezer for a year. Took it out Sun and it just like new

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

5200 needs moisture to cure, so what ever you do to heat it up, it's going to need moisture along with it. I've used a damp towel before which worked well. Just don't get the towel on the 5200 or it will be glued to the boat.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Electric heating pad?

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Several good suggestions, I'll add my 2 cents worth.... When I need to heat a relatively small area when doing fiberglass work I use one or more shop lights with incandescent bulbs (anywhere from 60 to 100 watt) as a heat source. And in my experience 5200 will cure in dry conditions, it just takes longer. You could always spray a fine mist of water on the area from time to time to add some moisture.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

And in my experience 5200 will cure in dry conditions, it just takes longer.

A lot longer...

I live in the desert (almost no humidity) and have had 5200 take weeks to cure, if I didn't create an area around the 5200 with high humidity. I've had it completely cure in 24 hours in a high humidity environment, bucket of water with the part dangling above the water.

If it needs to look good, I wouldn't mist water around the 5200. Water droplets will leave their mark if they get on 5200, little pockets where water sunk into the 5200. Been there, done that.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

I live in the desert (almost no humidity) and have had 5200 take weeks to cure,.....

Plenty of good boating in the desert?

3M quotes a cure time of 7 days for standard 5200. I'm sure most places, even in the winter, have more humidity than you do.

I just finished sealing a few fittings with 5200 on my current project, temperature in my garage has been in the 40's to low 50s with the typical dry winter air. The 5200 was actually pretty well cured in about 8 days, and I didn't do anything to warm it or attempt to speed things along.

 

[R DAVIS]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Yes, regular 5200 needs some moisture to cure properly. High humidity alone can do it, or occasional misting is even better.

Bear in mind though that regular 5200 needs AT LEAST one full week to completely cure. Even under the most ideal conditions, it will still be tacky and soft after 4 or 5 days. The Quick Cure 5200 will cure in 48 hours or so under ideal conditions, but is not as strong as the regular 5200

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Plenty of good boating in the desert?

Yup, been out fishing the last 3 weekends Too cold for swimming though :cold:

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

put a 350 watt or 500 watt halogen light under the boat. throw a tarp over it that reaches to the ground all around it.

that will add enough heat to heat everything you sealed with 5200. then as many stated, a few damp towels or misting the area

 

[atimm693]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Thank you for the input everyone.

I've made arrangements to keep the boat in a heated building for a week. Stays a constant 45-50 degrees in there. I will mist it with water to help it along, The only visible part is on the bottom so I don't really care about looks.

I would have used the light bulb idea if I couldn't put it inside. I forgot all about it, even though we use them in the well-houses for the cattle fountains.

EDIT: Soliciting is against the rules!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Getting 5200 to Cure in the Cold

Iboats.com sells parts. Other than that, soliciting parts is against forum rules