Softening epoxy before mixing

[sorcerertd]

So, I had a thought about this, and I'm probably not the first. I've got a pretty good grip (it's pretty amazing what decorating cakes can do for that), but sometimes it's pretty rough to get that stuff out. I wonder if a baby bottle warmer would work better than just putting it in a pocket? I'm guessing a coffee cup warmer would be too warm? Either way, I'm going to start storing it in a warmer location than the shop.

 

[jcm71]

Try running some hot tap water into a sacrificial container. Put the epoxy and the hardener in up to the cap. Let them soak for several minutes, and they should then flow good enough to mix. You can also boil some water in the microwave and then pour it in your sacrificial container. Works for me. Don't put your sacrificial container in the microwave. Wouldn't be prudent.

 

[d_bondi]

Are you talking about 5 min or 15 min epoxy for gluing in tubes, etc?
When I am going to be doing that, and it is cold in the shop, I bring it into the house to warm up first.

 

[sorcerertd]

Are you talking about 5 min or 15 min epoxy for gluing in tubes, etc?

5 minute

 

[d_bondi]

5 minute

Yep, I go between just storing it in the house, or leaving it in the shop and bringing it in to let it warm up first.

I'd be wary of using something like a coffee cup warmer, heat accelerates the curing of epoxy and if it is too warm, you might end up with 1 minute epoxy and have issues.

 

[Woodchipper]

I used two bottles of epoxy for custom fishing rods. Bottles were put in warm water for a few minutes, squeezed out in equal amounts and mixed. This would be about a 30 minute epoxy.

 

[egnald]

I've had the resin (part A) of my epoxy start to gel/crystalize up. The internet said to warm it to get it back to a liquid. I did the microwave some water to boiling or near boiling in a deep mug and just set the epoxy in the hot water for 10-15 minutes and viola it worked great. The same process would probably be okay for just heating it up to reduce the viscosity. - Dave

 

[JohnU]

Placing the container in a cup of hot water always works for me. How long depends on the size of the epoxy container. I've been using the plungers that have both sides in a divided tube that come out at the same time. It only takes about 1 minutes to thin it down with warm water.

 

[ed4copies]

Put the epoxy in the microwave, 10 seconds on high. Remove from microwave, stir if you wish.
In less than one minute it will run smoothly.

 

[Woodchipper]

Put the epoxy in the microwave, 10 seconds on high. Remove from microwave, stir if you wish.
In less than one minute it will run smoothly.

And...don't forget that it is 10 seconds. I have made the mistake, caught in time, of setting the MWO for ten minutes.

 

[greenacres2]

And...don't forget that it is 10 seconds. I have made the mistake, caught in time, of setting the MWO for ten minutes.

A retired monsignor lived in our township some years ago--his housekeeper was a bit older than he was. We got called for a kitchen fire there one lunch hour...housekeeper had put 4 hot dogs in the microwave for 4 hours instead of 4 minutes. Microwave was ugly, and we used fans to evacuate the smoke, otherwise no harm-no foul. Except that they needed to make something else for lunch.

 

[The Texas Penwright]

All good suggestions, really. I have an old electric radiant heater in my shop, and the slots in the top of it hold the epoxy and resin bottles perfectly. That way, I can lay them on their side and quickly get more heat on the contents. Works well, but it seems to me that, when you later mix the epoxy and resin, the 15-minutete epoxy seems to set up more quickly. Lesson: Work fast.