Combat Addict

I recently bought a 9 oz package of Tower Hobbies Epoxy. I got the 6 min and 30 min stuff. I noticed that the resin part had gelled up. It now is very hard to get out and use. Is there any way of avoiding this? Where do you all store your epoxy? Is there a cure?
Thanks

4*60

My Feedback: (41)

That's pretty poor. I have had epoxy on the shelf, in the open, capped for over 18 months and it is fine.
You got old resin, unless it was uncapped.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Call Tower and send it back.

I too have had relatively generic epoxy last for better than a year after it's been opened. Without any storage procedures, just capped.
Dennis-

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

Could you have somehow contaminated the resin with a small amount of hardener? Maybe swapped caps by accident?

My experience is that epoxy is good for many, many years, even if opened.

RSprinkel

My Feedback: (3)

I myself have some Tower Hobbies epoxy that has gotten alittle stiff too. However, mine is alittle less then 1 year old. Have it capped and in a cool place. I noticed it was getting stiff about 5 months ago and here recently when building my other plane I noticed it was alot stiffer then before. Maybe something wrong with Tower epoxy. Gonna try another brand I guess.

Steve Guinn

There is a (best if used by) date on the bottom of Tower epoxy.

Per_N

Hi
If you expoxy went hard, just put it in the microwave a couple of seconds and it's looks like new.

Combat Addict

Okay to answer some questions...

Extremely unlikely, I was very careful about that. Unless fumes in my room could have gotten into it, which I still doubt.

It says Febuary 20, 03 on the 6 minute and September 24, 2003 on the 30 minute stuff. Here is probably the problem. Thanks for pointing that out Steve Guinin.

From what you all said, I gather that Tower Epoxy doesn't have a very long shelf life.

Are there any other ways? I think my mom would kill me for 87 time if I microwaved it.

Steve Guinn

Never tried the microwave, but, if it works, seems to me that submerging it in a pan of hot water would do the trick.

Of course you could wait until your mom was away. :devious:

obolel

A little heat will solve the problem. Heat some water and put the tube in it, or place the tube in a hot ( not very hot ) place for some time. I did it this way.

scole

My Feedback: (5)

Its called crystalizing and it happens every so often, just put it in a plastic bag and submerge it until it becomes soft. Then it will stay that way for quite some time.

Combat Addict

Thanks guys, I will have to try the hot water trick.

cdracer

Unless you are talking solid stiff, placing it in hot (not boiling) H2O works all the time for me. Epoxy works best in 70+ degree weather, and for me I live in 50-60 degree weather, hence thick epoxy and think hardner = everyday for me. I like to place them in one of those 7-11 cups with really warm water while I prep my items to bond. By the time I am ready, both resin and hardener viscosity becomes thinner and usable.

Also use 30 minute or longer when you can because I hate it when the 5 minute stuff let's go.

My .02 $ and then some

cdracer
rainy Seattle

redxfred

My Feedback: (3)

Glue-People,
CDRacer is absolutely correct! Today I brought 6 - 4.5 oz bottles of Tower Hobbies 30 minute resin back from the dead by heating in a big bowl of hot water. My tap water wasn't hot enough, so I added some boiling water from a tea kettle and let it set for about 10 minutes. Voila! It turned back to "Like-New" consistency and stayed that way even after it cooled back to room temperature. I'll be more careful in the future with any bottles that are partially used though, because the heat expansion forced a little resin out from around the lid, causing a slight mess. The factory sealed bottles did not leak... but I wouldn't microwave them, as someone suggested, because the seal is metallic. Blow one of those babies up in your darlin's oven and that'll be it for you, resin breath!
Adhesively yours, Fred

tommy s

My Feedback: (55)

My brother is a golf pro and uses a lot of epoxy for repairing clubs etc. He buys
bulk quantities of a very good epoxy and the bottles say to make it last longer store
it in a refrigerator. Don't know if it helps or not but it sure doesn't hurt. I've been keeping
mine in the refrigerator for a few years now.

tommy s

CafeenMan

I've had epoxy sit on the shelf for years with no problems. The only crystalization I've ever noticed is the stuff that collects around the outside of the snout on the bottle. I've never had to throw out epoxy that went bad.

Also, I'm in florida and my shop is not climate controlled. Right now my shop is 50 and in the summer it is extremely hot. Still no problems with my epoxy except that it cures really fast in the summer.

Try a different brand next time. No epoxy should go bad in just over a year.

Kenny R

Here is a trick I use for the smaller bottles of epoxy. You can heat them with your heat gun in just a few seconds, you can make the epoxy as thin as water, almost. It does seem to "setoff" quicker when its heated.

voyager_663rd

Got that hardening problem with the polyurethane. gelled up so it won't squeeze out. thanks for the heat tip. gotta try that.