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Thread: Best place to buy slow drying epoxy

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Midland MI
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    887

    Best place to buy slow drying epoxy

    At school in woodshop we had epoxy that came in 2 metal square cans with a pump on the top. it was pretty slow drying an hour or more work time normally let dry ovenight. i like that stuff way better then any of the quick dry stuff i've been able to find locally. anyone know where i could buy something similair from?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Rochester, NY
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    681
    Was it West System? There are different hardeners that cure at different rates. I got mine at West Marine but I have also seen it at a local woodworking store. Or online, of course.

    Mike

  3. #3
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    Jan 2005
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    Harrisburg, NC
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    Sounds like West Epoxy System. Any good marine supply should have it.

    Richard
    Richard

  4. #4
    If you live in Midland, West Systems is out of Bay City.

    Kevin Looker

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Huntsville, AL
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    79
    I have been extremely pleased with the US Composites product line

    http://www.shopmaninc.com/epoxy.html

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Aurora, Colorado (Saddle Rock)
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    West Epoxy System. I purchased the same thing at Rockler. You will need the resin and the slow cure epoxy. They also make the pumps that take the measuring out of the mixture. Great stuff.

  7. #7
    The West Systems with the slow hardener is really slow. But if you mix a bunch of it, make sure you use a wide flat container. If you put it in a cup or some other small container, the chemical reaction will generate heat and it will harden MUCH faster. The wide flat container allows the heat to dissipate so the mixture doesn't get so hot and you get the full open time. Another alternative is to put your small container in ice.

    Don't even ask how I learned this.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  8. #8
    I've been using West for many years and have been very pleased. Mike is 100% right about the container, by the way. I use wide paper cups, the style used for ice cream. If I mix up a large batch, I'll mix in one cup and then divide it up among one or more cups, or if I'm doing a fiberglass layup I'll get it on the work as quickly as I can (i.e. the glass is already cut and layed down, and all I have to do is pour and spread).

    Don't be afraid to buy the can even if it seems like too much. It'll pretty much never go bad, although it does get cloudy and dark when it sits around too long. There's a way to return it to clear, but I forget what it is (microwave it for a few seconds, perhaps?). And definitely buy the ratio pumps. This isn't a 1 to 1 mix, and you'll never get it right without the pump.

    Another good local source for West is your local hobby shop. It's very popular for fiberglass layups. You may pay a little more at the local shop, but if you order it I believe you will have to pay for hazmat shipping, and that can completely negate any pricing difference. It certainly did when I lived in California!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Northern Michigan
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    4,973
    The people that started West System are boat builders, still are, and also manufacture many of the huge wind turbine blades that you see in the midwest using the lessons that they have learned. They are the pioneers of the epoxy world and have a tech line that is second to none. There is no other source for epoxy in my work. Call and get their tech manual nad get on the mailing list for Epoxyworks, their newsletter. In it you will find tips from their ongoing research as well as how-to's and finished projects that will blow your mind.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Northwestern Connecticut
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    7,149
    Locally I have seen West Systems and System 3 epoxy. I use West systems at work. Where to buy it? My local building yard carries it, wood craft carries it, and most marine stores carry it.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Midland MI
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    887
    ok thanks there is a rockler just down the road i'll have to get some with the pumps

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    The Hartland of Michigan
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    Hobby shops usually carry different types of epoxy.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Waterford, MI
    Posts
    4,673

  14. #14
    Mike Henderson brings up a good point. Epoxies can generate enough heat to go exothermic and either burst into flame or smolder. The reaction can take hours to reach the point of ignition so don't leave it unattended and be sure to dispose of it properly.


  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    1.5 hrs north of San Francisco, CA
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    General-purpose epoxy resins and hardeners are thin enough to work well with a pump. Unfortunately, they also tend to be runny and are better suited as coatings than as adhesives. You can get general-purpose epoxy with slow, medium, and fast hardeners from System Three, West Systems, etc.

    System Three has a formulation I like specifically designed for use as a woodworking adhesive (SilverTip Gel Magic) so you don't have to add fillers to keep it from drooling all over and tougher than general-purpose resins for wood's expansion and contraction without cracking. It's too thick, however, to realistically use with a pump. I just pour from the container using a scale.

    I have no relationship with System Three, except that I really like their Gel Magic product for use as a woodworking adhesive -- especially its "no drool" and "no fillers" properties.

    "GelMagic is a toughened ... epoxy adhesive designed for superior bonding to wood ... a soft, thixotropic [spreads easily, but stays put], sag-resistant paste when mixed. GelMagic requires no additional ... fillers and can be applied to vertical and overhead surfaces without running, eliminating the mess and waste associated with other epoxies. GelMagic ... creates an adhesive bond that is tougher and more resistant to embrittlement than other epoxy adhesives. Two hardeners are available: Regular and Slow (for extra-long working time)."

    "Specifically designed for optimum adhesive properties. Not a general-purpose resin made for coating and then modified with filler to act as an adhesive. Also use GelMagic as a high strength, gap filling, waterproof adhesive for general woodworking and architectural applications."

    http://www.systemthree.com/p_st_gelmagic.asp

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