Under the right temperature conditions resin can crystalize. All that is needed is to warm the bottle in a pan of warm water until it dissolves. I highly doubt that the remainder is bad if it less than a few years old.

Right, putting the jug of resin in a pail of warm water will reconstitute the crystallized resin quickly, and it will work without issue.

You didn't give us any information to diagnose why your resin crystallized.  The only time I've ever seen it happen is when the resin was allowed to get cold.  50 degrees F or less.   That'll kill any brand of epoxy resin.  

I've only had the kit since December 13th.  I read the MAS instructions and kept both containers in the house, around 68 degrees 24/7.  I called the MAS distributer here in the San Francisco bay area and he said he was well aware of the problem, having had it surfaced before and suggested I switch to WEST SYSTEMS.  I called them & they said their product IS compatable as long as the MAS is cured.  I'll try the warm water suggestion and just lap the aft portion of the deck to where I left off.  But it IS a mess.     Just wanted to give my fellow builders a head's up...   ~TUGBRUCE~

Bruce,

Did you store the epoxy on a shelf or on a floor? Just because the thermostat is set to 68 doesn't mean that the whole room is 68. A concrete or tile floor will suck the heat right out of a jug of epoxy. Also, while you may have stored the stuff in a warm spot, that doesn't mean that the shippers did. With the crazy weather this winter it may nave spent a fair bit of time exposed to freezing temperatures on its way to your shop.

One of my rituals every spring is the warming of the crystallized jugs that spent the winter in the garage. Just as the guys said above, the crystals all dissolve and the epoxy is good for another season.

So don't give up just yet,

Laszlo

WAIT!

You said in post #1: "...and, using WEST SYSTEMS,(I just called them to check on compatability)"

Then, in post #4, you said "I called the MAS distributer here in the San Francisco bay area and he said he was well aware of the problem, having had it surfaced before and suggested I switch to WEST SYSTEMS..."

 So, think back: Who exactly gave you this advice?And why?

Consider: December has been cold. Cold crystalyzes epoxy. ANY brand, if it gets cold. Warmth fixes the problem. Take several deep, calm breaths, then try warming it. Seriously.

 It happened to me. I nearly had a heart attack. Crystalysed yuck, Aaargh! My precious boat is ruined! But, my boat was fine. Warm it up...

.

LOL...  OK OK   Message received.  As you said David, my heart sank as I'd done a good job of constructing the Wood Duck, then to see the  "Plop, plop, non-fizz, non fizz....   And to honor my late Mother, I am anxious to launch the kayak on Jan. 10th, next Monday.  I know I have MANY hours of sanding and varnishing in my near future but the set back hit hard.  Maybe, in the future, I'll store my resin in a hot water bottle, just to be ready........  LOL....   Thank you all, for the feed back...   ~BRUCE~

Tugbruce, where in the bay area are you? I have a WD-12 and live in Concord, work in Oakland.

Good luck with your build.

Ralph

Hey Ralph.  I live in Vallejo.  Looking to start B.A.D.  (Bay Area Duckers), folks who want to join in [paddeling adventures, large & small....  Where do you take your Duck????  ~BRUCE~

I have paddled my WD at Susiun Slough, Lk Natomas, Lafayette Reservoir, some place outside of Santa Rosa, Consumnes River preserve, and Utica Reservoir (off Hwy 4 near Alpine Lk, a great place).

I have wondered about some of the Napa River & marsh area up by you.

Ralph

I'm fairly new to kayaking so my travels have been limited to the upper Napa River.  Highly recommended....  As for my wood duck, I warmed the epoxy and was able to apply it but some areas turned a bit milky.  Disappointing, resulkting in a craft I'm not proud of.  So I'm thinking of "shelfing" the project....  Do go up the Napa River though.  It's hard to beat on a warm sunny day !!!!!   ~BRUCE~

 Where do you like to put in on the Napa River?

Is the milky epoxy due to tiny bubbles in it?

Having read some of the posts here about crystallized MAS resin, I immediately drew  a bucket of warm water and this minute it is warming the resin. Can crystals form in the pump as well thus impairing its ability to pump? Further to this, can the catalyst also crystalize? Building a sassafras 16 and gluing half-planks together, hoping to paddle it this summer.

Resin pump gives me mere droplets of aerated resin after many, many strokes. I think we gonna need a new set of pumps AND hotter water to reconstitute the resin. My hot water tank is a whimp, almost tepid at best.

Hi THEO...   No, the catalyst can get old & change color, to a redish hue, but it is still good.  Once I replaced the resin (And removed ALL the fiberglass cloth & MAS resin), with West Systems, ALL went well.  I too, had the resin crystalize in the one pump.  WHAT A MESS. 

I know CLC sells the stuff by the tanker car load & I guess "I" was the lucky one but to finish my Wood Duck, I used West Systems and it turned out GREAT!!!!.  I'm about to build a 14.5 foot kayak & will use West there also.      I'd like to post her photos here but am to dense to figure out the ula or ra or ABC or FDIC or wifi address thingy and sizing and all the rest.  I'll be happy to attach her finished photos to you or anyone else if emailed.   [email protected].  Also, I have had GREAT results using a Greenland paddle WITH custom made drip rings AND custom spoon blades & am happy to pass that info & photos on to anyone interested. 

 Good luck with your project...   ~BRUCE~

Hi Tugbruce, thanks for input. Already have built several boats, 3 before CLC (would that be BCLC historically) with WEST. I found CLC and built his-and-her kayaks (father-daughter), a couple of Cape Charles 18's. Chesapeake 18 after that for a friend. All built with MAS, no problems. Resin I have was left-overs from the C18 and I had left it in unheated garage until I remembered it sometime in January, too late it seems. As it may be a few days or a week or 2 (3) before I can get new inexpensive (relative to time, which I, or anyone, cannot afford to buy back) pumps and resin I'll try what someone else here advised which is to place pump in watertight plastic bag and keep it in a container of hot water until the water cools. I'll keep a lid on it to keep it hot somewaht longer. If that fails; new pumps! and I figure I don't have enough resin anyway. Sticking (literally, figuratively) with MAS, not seen amine blush with it yet.

I don'tknow as I can post photo's of my boat here. At least compared to many who can post all sorts of pictures on-line, we can create the canoe/kayak/what-have-you that they might like to photograph and post.