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Wrong Epoxy mixture on puzzle joints
So, I'm building my first boat, and no matter how much I have read on the importance of properly mixing epoxy, I still messed it up. However, I figured out my mistake early on. I am building one of the Kaholo Stand up paddleboard and got the kit that has joints for the deck, bottom, and sides. I used the improperly mixed epoxy to join the puzzle panels. I basically had twice as much hardener as necessary, because yes I am kind of an idiot. Or at least absent minded. In any event, thats as far as I got and I figured out what I was doing.
My question is this: Figuring that all of the areas where there are puzzle joints will be fiberglassed and epoxied over multiple times, is there much to worry about? I realize that the joints may not be as strong as they should be, but if I do everything else right, it would seem that there would be enough structural strength from the fiberglass and epoxy layers still to be added?
If there is a serious structural problem, is there anything I can do about it at this point? The epoxy has seemed to cure. It is hard and pretty solid, so I'm not sure that its an option to try to separate the joints and start over.
Thanks for your help.
4 replies:
RE: Wrong Epoxy mixture on puzzle joints
Take solace in knowing that you are not the first to conduct these kind of chemistry experiments. In fact, I know someone who looks identical to myself who did such a thing. He told me it hardened up just fine and became part of a strong and functional boat.
I think you would have run into more trouble if you had twice as much resin, rather than twice as much hardener.
Cheers,
Hickory.
RE: Wrong Epoxy mixture on puzzle joints
While the writer acceptd the mistakes, i just ran into the same 'decision' with MAS epoxy. Luckily i have experience and made a correct decision, the fact is part of the blame should fall on MAS instructions on how to load the pumps.
The instructions define how you verrify that both pumps work correctly (no more air, etc.) and as part of the test you use twice as many hardener pumps as resin to get the same visual level as resin in two separate containers. I can easily see how this leads to mistakes by users.
They can/should easily simplify this as had West - pump each container until air free (return to container if you want and each is not contaminated), and then simpley 1:1 -- thats its! no reason to confuse woudl be newbies!!
You are probably okay with excess hardener as long as it kicked and you can't easily break the joint by twisting.
RE: Wrong Epoxy mixture on puzzle joints
Thanks for the replies. The testing of the pumps is exactly what threw me off. I just didn't think about it after I tested with the one to one mixture. I'm going to press ahead now and am glad that this gave me a chance to stop and really do some reading on epoxy before contuining. Thanks again for the replies
RE: Wrong Epoxy mixture on puzzle joints
» Submitted by KathyD - Tue, 10/30/12 » 11:50 PM
If the epoxy has hardened, you're probably good to go. The joints will have a layer of fiberglass and resin on the outside, so they only need to hold together until that coat goes on. You might try flexing them a bit to make sure they hold up to the pressures they'll be under while you're stitching it together.