Am I doing this right?????

[seadated]

I Have an on going project and would like some input to make sure I have been doing my project correctly,

My wooden storage units (outside) have been stripped of their varnish, I have then sanded with 150 and 220. I vaccummed clean and wiped with acetone. I have rolled on West Epoxy to wet out, and applied cloth (top only) due to crack in wood and fixed underneath, added more epoxy and squeeged out, Cloth is still evident so I used 407 dust and made a fairing compound, troweled on and sanded thoroughly. I felt I needed alittle more fairing compound so I repeated this step and sanded smooth.
I added another thin layer of epoxy. let cure and wiped off all amine blush and sanded with 220.
The surface is nice and smooth and ready for my primer coat, which will not be applied unitl I get another really nice day.
Does this sound like to many steps, or is this the normal process?? Also will the epoxy be okay in 30+/- degree weather until I get to put the primer on?? (all the other steps were done in 50 - 65 degree weather, it has just gotten cold the last few days)

Thanks for the help.

[Bob Perkins]

Hi,

If I'm picturing what you are trying to do - your procedure should work fine.

When I built my canoe, I used the dry method - drape cloth and squeege epoxy on to wet it out - but not dry it out. When the epoxy dries, you should be able to see the weave of the cloth. The wet method (what you did) goes epoxy - cloth - epoxy.

On a canoe where the wood shows through, you just spread 2 more layers of epoxy to build over the first. Then wet sand and varnish. Ending up with a glass smooth surface.

In your case - using epoxy with fairing filler to sand smooth and eventually paint is just fine.

I don't think a final layer of epoxy is necessary if you are just going to prime and paint. If the epoxy is set, cold temps won't bother it. I wouldn't try letting it cure in the cold.

Hope this helps,
Bob

[Wild Wassa]

Originally posted by Bob Perkins:
... <snip> "I wouldn't try letting it cure in the cold."

Why?

Warren.

[Bob Perkins]

Hi Warren,

Discaimer: Not an epoxy expert, but have used a lot of it over the years.

The epoxy companies do sell *special* cold weather epoxies (which cost more) - which tells me the regular epoxies need (or like) higher temps to cure properly.

I don't have any epoxy handy - but I believe the recommended ambient temperatures are listed on the containers (~45 F I think?)

I haven't tried curing a batch up at low temps (~35 F) to be sure. But the vendors don't seem to recommend it and I'd hate to waste the stuff not following the directions.

Just my opinion smile.gif

Take Care,
Bob

[Bruce Hooke]

It sounds to me like the primary curing of the epoxy happened at warm enough temperatures so that everything should be fine. I wouldn't try curing regular epoxy at much under 50 degrees either. Once cured the epoxy should not be hurt by cold temperatures. What will hurt it over time is exposure to UV light. HOWEVER, as long as you get some paint on in the next month or two I should think you would be fine.

As to whether you went throught too many steps, the only thing I would say is that I think you may have sanded more then necessary. Before the first coat of epoxy I don't think you needed to go any finer than 120 grit paper, and for a routine paint job I probably wouldn't have sanded with anything finer than 150 grit, but having done so shouldn't hurt anything.