I'm quite miffed here. Yet another attempt at a top clear coat of epoxy has been a failure. After a "proper" clean and prep the resin couldn't wet out the surface and the remnant after wiping isn't fully cured after 3 days. I've apparently contaminated the surface of my frame or the epoxy components. I don't know which, I don't know how, and I don't know how to fix it. Bummer.
After 3 days cure, a light sanding gets me sticky rolls and balls, not dry dust.
After a fairly successful structural construction [by my own metrics], the project has come to a painful grinding halt because I can't make the top coat pretty. This is frustrating.
I'll give it a few more days to see if it will harden up enough to sand and then I'll rattle-can-clear the top. It might look terrible, but I'm comfortable with that. It is spring; let's wrap this shit up.
After 3 days cure, a light sanding gets me sticky rolls and balls, not dry dust.
After a fairly successful structural construction [by my own metrics], the project has come to a painful grinding halt because I can't make the top coat pretty. This is frustrating.
I'll give it a few more days to see if it will harden up enough to sand and then I'll rattle-can-clear the top. It might look terrible, but I'm comfortable with that. It is spring; let's wrap this shit up.
A couple of thoughts... are you going to try any kind of post-cure, even some big light bulbs or something? And how about a 2K clear, in the special cans with the catalyst in the second chamber? Good luck, looking forward to seeing the finished product.
ReplyDeleteThanks VF. No post cure: I've gone through 2 full quart kits of this resin system for this project and it has always cured completely in 24hrs. Cold weather, hot weather, low and high humidity. Same cups, brushes, mixing sticks, etc. My process hasn't changed, so the assumption is that I've contaminated the surface or the resin in the container.
DeleteCurrent options are:
- I used a stearated sanding block and pushed a soap into the surface.
- I tested a small patch with cheap Rustoleum clear coat. Maybe I didn't sand it off completely. Would that effect epoxy at all?
- The resin spent a few months on a shelf inside and absorbed moisture.
- I didn't rinse an amine blush layer off completely and that is effecting subsequent epoxy applications.
Regarding the clear, I have a bottle of 2k in my Amazon cart, but a can of clear rattle-can from WalMart [acrylic?] on my garage shelf that I can blast on quick and dirty. Would it be worth it to simply wait for the 2k? If the frame surface is indeed contaminated with something which prevents epoxy wetting and cure, then the 2k would be effected too. :/
I have heard of a technique with the 2k going over a possibly unfriendly surface where the first coats are light and dry, kind of dusted on, and then once that is built up a bit the final coats are full and shiny. Haven't needed to try it myself yet, so obviously weak advice at best. It would be a shame to waste a can of the 2k, but if you can make it work it is sure going to be way better than any regular rattle can coating.
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