why wont the resin dry?

[joe1956]

Hi guys help I have coated the bottom of my deck with west marine poly resin.but it on 3/4 not treated plywood one coat last week it was a little sticky in places.so I went over it again today 12 hr ago now it's hard where it's thick but not where it's thin.What did I do wrong? Mixed by directions 11 cc per quart it is hot here in tx but what's going on?Need to but in in and do the top but if it never gets hard not much of a deck.I guess you never fall out the boat.lol thank for any help

 

[Coors]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

Not stirred well enough-sides and bottom of container not scraped while mixing.

Or ratio wrong.

And the un-cured stuff needs to be removed. MEK, etc.

 

[salty87]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

never thought i'd say it but the metric system is easier, lots. us composites, and i'm sure others, sell measuring squirters like sta-bil containers. all the measuring cups i saw had metric too. 1-2% depending on conditions...i stayed closer to the 1% mark...also in tx.

also, you can't really go over a bad layer with a good layer. it won't mix good, you'll have bad spots.

 

[joe1956]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

I didn't stirrer the sides and bottom of can.Bummer better go get some mek. Will it take it all off have a lot to do. thanks live and learn

 

[Coors]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

yeah, to mix it well, a flat paint stirring stick is needed, and when you feel fore-arm muscles that you didn't know you had, then it is mixed.
Kinda like watching your grandma mixing batter for a cake, before grandpa bought her a new fangled electric mixer.

 

[Robj]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

it was a little sticky in places.

If you are using laminating resin it will remain somewhat sticky or tacky after is has cured. Sticky yes, but not liquid as if no catalyst was added or improperly mixed. Not sure which is true in your case.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

never thought i'd say it but the metric system is easier, lots. us composites, and i'm sure others, sell measuring squirters like sta-bil containers. all the measuring cups i saw had metric too. 1-2% depending on conditions...i stayed closer to the 1% mark...also in tx.

also, you can't really go over a bad layer with a good layer. it won't mix good, you'll have bad spots.

NoNoNoNoNo... I live in Canada and hate the metric system! And we're stuck with it... sigh... Stupid kilometers... metres... centimeters... millilitres... bleck!

 

[Marcq]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

NoNoNoNoNo... I live in Canada and hate the metric system! And we're stuck with it... sigh... Stupid kilometers... metres... centimeters... millilitres... bleck!

Yeah, metric system sucks big time

Marc..

 

[wca_tim]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

it may be a pia for many, but I'm here to tell you we use it almost exclusively in my profession, because ratios of ingredients, unit conversions, etc... are infinately easier and much mofr intuitive once you get used to it! want 1.5% catalyst? ad 1.5 ml to a 100 ml container, then fill to the top... or 15 to a 1 l container... or 150 to a 10 l container... etc...

 

[Robj]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

Metric system is easier, and I know both. 1 litre = 1,000 cc's and you want 1% catalyst, you add 10 cc's easy.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[joe1956]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

thank you coors and all of you.think instead of stripping it all ill go get some more wood and start over.80 bucks for wood and I have a pattern now.think it will cost less and less work don't you ill never get all that off. thank you all.And ill mix till I look like the hulk this time.

 

[Smokin'Mo]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

Value village sells used kitchen mixers (hand held). I paid $5.99, best tool purchase so far. No uncured resin...ever, also great for mixing up peanut butter, heck, buy 2!!.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

One thing to possibly consider before giving up is that polyester-based resins rely on free radical polymerization of styrene for curing. The "hardner" is typically an organic peroxide such as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide or one of a handful of others. Styrene also autopolymerizes at higher temperatures (polymerizes, as in cures, without the added peroxide) or will easily polymerize with even traces of peroxide remaining at elevated temps. In addition, higher temperatures will drive out oxygen (wich is a powerful inhibitor for free radical polymerization)...

I've been succesful warming the piece up with a radiant heater for a while in sitiuations such as yours. not practical for large pieces, etc... the sun might be plenty if you can let the pieces sit out of the wind and "bake" for a while. Worth a shot anyhow...

Also note that peroxides react / degrade over time and especially at even a little higher temperature approximately twice as fast for every 18 degrees F higher the temp is. that means that a tube of hardner that has been sitting on a hot loading dock that reaches over 100 degrees (F) may have a lot lower peroxide concentration then one that has been stored below the recommended 70 F. In other words, sometimes you can mix until your arm falls off and would still be a lot les reactive...

just a though... Hope this is helpful.

Back to the smell of resin and glass I go...

 

[joe1956]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

I did this on then bottom side Can I leave it this way. Will it seal out the moisture.Ill do it better on the top.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

You may have said this earlier, but did you use waxed or unwaxed resin? Unwaxed resin will leave a sticky surface and the thinner the area is, the stickier it can be, this doesn't mean you did anything wrong. I wouldn't rely on just a couple of coats of resin to water proof plywood, it will crack and let water through in a very short period of time. You should add at least one layer of glass for it to hold up.

 

[salty87]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

One thing to possibly consider before giving up is that polyester-based resins rely on free radical polymerization of styrene for curing. The "hardner" is typically an organic peroxide such as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide or one of a handful of others. Styrene also autopolymerizes at higher temperatures (polymerizes, as in cures, without the added peroxide) or will easily polymerize with even traces of peroxide remaining at elevated temps. In addition, higher temperatures will drive out oxygen (wich is a powerful inhibitor for free radical polymerization)...

I've been succesful warming the piece up with a radiant heater for a while in sitiuations such as yours. not practical for large pieces, etc... the sun might be plenty if you can let the pieces sit out of the wind and "bake" for a while. Worth a shot anyhow...

Also note that peroxides react / degrade over time and especially at even a little higher temperature approximately twice as fast for every 18 degrees F higher the temp is. that means that a tube of hardner that has been sitting on a hot loading dock that reaches over 100 degrees (F) may have a lot lower peroxide concentration then one that has been stored below the recommended 70 F. In other words, sometimes you can mix until your arm falls off and would still be a lot les reactive...

just a though... Hope this is helpful.

Back to the smell of resin and glass I go...

wow, that was a mouthful

 

[zach103]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

i just started mine and it seems to work really well. looks nice.. but when i get the to the bottom of the can it starts to get jelly in a way.. like hair gel.. why does it do that? am i doing something wrong? i followed the directions

 

[wca_tim]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

it's setting up faster than you're using it. you can mix half as much at a time or work faster... or use a little less hardner...

 

[zach103]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

i was thinkin bout using less harderner but i didnt wanna try it before asking you guys.. didnt know if it would mess up the mixture

 

[ondarvr]

Re: why wont the resin dry?

Using less catalyst is OK as long as long you're still in the recommended range, using too little will reduce the strength of the laminate. If in doubt, mix less resin at a time.