Bad Epoxy

[woodwish]

Some time back I started using Gorilla glue instead of epoxy, but yesterday I was out GG and had some old epoxy. Since the package said nothing about a shelf life I mixed up some to make some pens out of a recent stash of Bethlehem Olivewood for some special gifts. It looked OK so I glued up 6 pens, but 24 hours later it is just a gummy mess. Tried to use my end mill and it just made a mess, basically ruining that blank. So now the question is what to do with the other five?

* Try to push out all the tubes, clean with acetone and reglue with GG.

* Use a disc sander to trim the ends and use them anyway, I figure once the pen is finished and assembled the glue really doesn't do much.

* Set aside for a week or two just to see if it ever sets up.

* Throw it all away and chalk it up to experience. I would do this easily if they were just some cheap blanks that didn't matter, just can't stand the thought of throwing away 6 BOW blanks.

 

[BRobbins629]

The epoxy isn't bad, you probably did have the exact mix ratio. If you don't get epoxy in just the right proportions, it will never cure.

 

[gerryr]

Actually, epoxy does not have to be mixed in exact proportions. You can have a bit more resin than hardener and it will cure just fine. If you have more hardener than resin, it won't cure. I've gone through a lot of epoxy making pens and fly rods and I always have a bit of hardener left when the resin is gone. I would wait a couple of days and see if it cures. If it isn't going to cure, waiting a couple of days won't matter.

I forgot to add that in my experience epoxy doesn't go bad. I've used epoxy that was several years old and it worked fine.

 

[GBusardo]

If it were me, I would do as Gerry suggests and wait a few days. If it still don't cure, I would try and turn one anyways and see what happens. I don't want to imagine the mess it wil make trying to clean it up. That's just what I would do, it might not be the right thing.

 

[bjackman]

I have drilled tubes out of blanks before, don't see why you couldn't try.

 

[vick]

I would wait a couple days and If it does not cure soak in acetone to get rid of the epoxy.

 

[bonefish]

If the epoxy has not set up and stuck to the tubes and BOW, I would try to push the tubes out. Use a flat ended push rod that will fit the drilled hole, but is larger than the tube.

In a piece of flat, scrap wood, drill a hole a little bit larger than the tube. Set the base of the blank over the hole, and try to push the tube out.

You might have to tap on it to break it loose. How hard you tap will have to be a trade off on salvaging the tube and blank, or ruining both of them. You will have to make that decision.

You can try letting them dry for a few more days or a week and if it sets up you are okay. If not set up, you can drill them out or try to drive them out.

If you drill them out, use a drill slightly smaller than the hole in the blank, but larger than the inside of the tube. I have tried drilling the tube out using the same size drill as I used on the drilled hole, but the drill has a tendency to start off center of the tube. This method ruined both the tube and blank. ruining both the tube and blank.

Olive wood is too pretty and valuable to scrap without trying to salvage it.

Bonefish

 

[Randy_]

I have used old epoxy with good results....for the most part. A while ago I got curious about the question of shelf life and sent emails to a couple of manufacturers. In general they recommended that their product would give best results if used within a year of purchase. Like most things, I imagine that how the glue is stored will have an effect on how long it remains effective.

 

[Mudder]

Originally posted by Randy_
<br />I have used old epoxy with good results....for the most part. A while ago I got curious about the question of shelf life and sent emails to a couple of manufacturers. In general they recommended that their product would give best results if used within a year of purchase. Like most things, I imagine that how the glue is stored will have an effect on how long it remains effective.

What if it sits on the shelf for a year or two?

Most manufacturers of consumer grade epoxies recommend the product be used within 12-18 months of WHEN IT WAS MANUFACTURED. Some manufacturers are beginning to put a "use by" date on the package.


http://www.culture.gov.on.ca/english/culdiv/heritage/conote13.htm

http://www.glen-l.com/supplies/pxman-use.html