Boat Building Forum

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Cold just means longer cure time
By:Bill Jankowski
Date: 3/12/2000, 7:50 pm
In Response To: Coho questions (Doug)

Now, don't take this as gospel, but I've been building a boat in an unheated basement in central CT. The temperature the last couple of times I've glued has been about 40-45 F, boosted with a space heater. What I do, though, is set the bottles of resin and hardner in a bucket of hot water for about 30 minutes prior to mixing the epoxy. This gets it kicked off enough to mix in thickeners, and smooth enough to spread on the joints.

Then I wait a day. And another day.

Then I check the joint. And wait another day.

After 3 or 4 days, it's glued solid.

Before you start, though, check the minimum temp recommended on your epoxy. Or run a small test batch. Maybe glue together a paddle to see if you're warm enough to cure?

Bill Jankowski

PS- Another tip for basement builders: if your washer and dryer are in the basement, run laundry while you build. Not only will your SO love you for it, but you'll get some heat from loads of whites and running the dryer. I've done this for a while, and it buys me about 5 degrees. Add the small space heater, and I can bump up 10 degrees while I work. I know that the materials are probably still cold, but I feel much better, and any resin can cure while the temps are falling.

Messages In This Thread

Coho questions
Doug -- 3/12/2000, 2:53 pm
Re: Coho questions
Wayne g. -- 3/19/2000, 10:03 pm
Re: Coho questions
Greg Hicks -- 3/13/2000, 8:38 am
Re: Coho questions
Doyle -- 3/13/2000, 8:29 am
Re: Coho questions
John Fereira -- 3/13/2000, 4:31 pm
Re: Coho questions
pete czerpak -- 3/13/2000, 12:46 pm
Re: Coho questions
lee -- 3/13/2000, 12:10 am
Re: Coho questions
Larry C. -- 3/12/2000, 8:03 pm
Re: Coho questions
Dave Murphy -- 3/12/2000, 11:19 pm
Cold just means longer cure time
Bill Jankowski -- 3/12/2000, 7:50 pm