With that said, most systems utilize slow, fast, extra slow, extra fast hardeners. The chart below indicates how much additive to add to wax-free gelcoat or polyester resin. The correct ratio of hardener to resin should be calculated before the mixing process is begun to make it easier to monitor how much catalyst to dispense. Also you cannot use one hardener from one epoxy system with another epoxy system. Room temperature: The best temperature for the resin to cure fully is 75F to 85F (25C to 30C). A large can or metal bowl will work, but it should be of a disposable nature. Let's say you will use 100ml resin and hardener - total 100ml uv resin + 100ml hardener = 100ml, don't use more than 6% of colored dye ). Which I suspect is the type in this instance. The mid point of 1.5% is most common. This additive contains paraffin and styrene. . Measure an appropriate amount of resin in a metal container. For polyester Gelcoats used in a moulding situation, we recommend from 2% to 2.5%catalyst. For the Water Clear Casting Polyester Resin, this drops to 1.5% or 15ml for every 1kg. At the indicated time, add the hardener, filling the container to the right 8:1:1 level. Registered User. If all that's needed is a metal effect on the surface it's common practice to fill a small amount of catalysed resin richly with the metal powder (Tiranti recommends the same volume plus a little more) and apply a thin coat to the mould surface first before filling the rest with unfilled or pigmented resin Mix thoroughly according to the . A. Not mixing your resin and hardener thoroughly, mix for at least three minutes and make sure to scrape around the sides and bottom of your container. You should go with no less than 1% catalyst on resin, which is 1.28 oz's per gallon, 1.25% to 1.5% is better. See Clean Up & Removing. 3. Stir the mixture together. Remove the uncured epoxy. And of course the reverse is true. Some require equal amounts of resin and hardener and some require a lesser amount of hardware to the resin that supplied. When adding it to gelcoat, you must also add the MEKP (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide) hardener. Too much resin and hardener mixed together produce too much heat too quickly. When using paints and other solvent-based colors in resin, these can sometimes speed up the resin curing reaction and cause the mixture to heat up too quickly. The shelf life . Answer (1 of 4): Polyester resin cures (not dries out) by chemical reaction which initiates when the catalyst ( free radical initiator) MEKP is added and reacts with the accelerator ( usually Cobalt Octate , the pink or blue color in the resin) and creates exothermic (internal) heat which is what. Click to see full answer Just so, how much catalyst do I need for polyester resin? A rule of thumb for polyester laminating resin is between 1% and 2% i.e. Avoid using too much wax as it will result in fish eye and other undesirable results. You can decrease the cure time by raising the ambient temperature around the epoxy resin. However, I'm afraid i didn't use enough hardenerthere was 1/4 bottle left, with I used with one-quarter of the bottle of resin per the instructions. A general formula is to plan a ratio of 1:2.5 resin. Mixing out of the above range will result in a weaker cured resin. It's basically epoxy, from what I gather. B. #10. You have to start with the end in mind. Salto. You're ready! For example, four drops of hardener will be 1 percent of 1 ounce of resin. This means for every ounce of cloth, you use 2 . Any more and the fiberglass will not completely harden. Be careful while adding too much resin colorant: if you add too much colour pigments ( more than 6% of the total volume of your polyester resin and hardener combined ). 1% for summer (to give maximum wetting time) and 2% for winter. General Formula for coverage of Epoxy resin to fiberglass cloth. Resin/hardener ratios must be exact! While you can mix a volume of epoxy and use it as you please, polyester casting resin isn't that simple. Adding too much of either resin or hardener will alter the chemical reaction and the mixture will not cure . How to Thin Polyester Fiberglass Resin With Acetone Put on a respirator and a pair of rubber gloves. Uneven cure: -bad mixing. The resin and hardeners are unique to each system, you cannot mix and match. Mix the paint and thinner together. We recommend using between 1.25% to 1.75% (1 2/3 ounce to 2 1/3 ounce per gallon). However, I'm afraid i didn't use enough hardenerthere was 1/4 bottle left, with I used with one-quarter of the bottle of resin per the instructions. It seems counterintuitive, but the thinner the casting, the more hardener you need. I'm doing some wood finishing (on my drums, to be exact) with the polyester resin from a fiberglass kit I had lying around, you know, to make a hard reflective surface on the interior. Too much hardener will actually make the cured epoxy rubbery. For every 10 F the temperature is raised above 70F, you can cut the cure time by 10%. However, adding less than 1 percent or more than 2 percent will . The hardener and accelerator can be premixed in advance. Adding more of less of the catalyst agent will speed up or slow down the curing time for the resin. For example, four drops of hardener will be 1 percent of 1 ounce of resin.Adding more of less of the catalyst agent will speed up or slow down the curing time for the resin. If the room is any colder, this may affect the curing process. [3] 2. (polyester which is on the walls of the mixing cup is hardly mixed with curing agent) -MEKP gone bad (less likely, then the whole batch would take longer to cure (geltime drift) -resin gone bad (again, not likely. Jul 22, 2007. Example, one cup of resin would require cup of hardener. 3. Operation: Mix the correct amount of hardener into the correct amount of resin. The other type is polyester resin, smells like bondo. Less MEKP gives a slower cure, more gives a faster cure. It seems counterintuitive, but the thinner the casting, the more hardener you need. MEKP can be added to polyester resin in the range of 1 to 2% by volume or weight. It's basically epoxy, from what I gather. While you can mix a volume of epoxy and use it as you please, polyester casting resin isn't that simple. What does resin feel like when dry? No, the hardeners are not the same between epoxy and polyester. . Adding hardener to polyester has a tendency to slightly darken the glue. I think I . When using paints and other solvent-based colors in resin, these can sometimes speed up the resin curing reaction and cause the mixture to heat up too quickly. This way, as the hardener gets added and the glue darkens a little, the desired color is achieved. When the resin has cured, it should feel hard and smooth. 2. Similarly, it is asked, how much resin do I need for fiberglass? If you mix too much of component A, vs B, then when the chemical reaction occurs, there will be un reacted component A because it could not find enough component B to complete the reaction. How much hardener do I need for a gallon of paint? 7oz of resin and a squirt of hardner. The catalyst was added too late in the mixing process. Your resin and hardener could be off ratio Too much or too little hardener will affect the cure time and thoroughness of the cure. 20ml for every 1kg of Resin in working conditions at room temperature. Ratio The ratio range for catalyst to resin is 1 to 2 percent hardener to the total volume of resin to be used. The amount of hardener you add is dependent on the depth of the final casting. Polyester Resin Characteristics: Polyester resin is brittle and prone to micro-cracking. Check that you're using the correct number of pump strokes: Use equal strokes of epoxy resin and . . What happens if you put too much hardener in resin? Re: Resin to hardener Ratio. 20 parts resin / 4.2 parts hardener / 1.1 parts accelerator by weight. 2. Polyester resin has a little more give when it . In conclusion, resin and epoxy resin are the . Conclusion. Generally speaking, for Polyester Resins, the mixing ratio is 2% i.e. If this is true which seems to be the issue I would be almost at half as much as I need being I put 11 drops per ounce of gelcoat versus 18-19 drops. Sc110 is a 1 to 1/2 ratio. Resin kits have a minimum and maximum mixing amount. If one CC is roughly 30 drops as stated below that would put me at roughly 18.75 drops of MEKP per ounce of gelcoat. Resin kits have a minimum and maximum mixing amount. -scraping the last polyester from the mixing cup, and using it. Watch the color. I'm doing some wood finishing (on my drums, to be exact) with the polyester resin from a fiberglass kit I had lying around, you know, to make a hard reflective surface on the interior. Select a suitable mounting cup and place the clean, If not enough catalyst is used the resin will eventually get hard, but it will not be a good complete cure, so it won't be as strong as it should be. 1. For example, four drops of hardener will be 1 percent of 1 ounce of resin. Adding too much of either resin or hardener will alter the chemical reaction and the mixture will not cure properly. Ratio. So, that's it. . You have to start with the end in mind. Stir the mixture well for about 1 minute without introducing too many air bubbles. you do not want to add too much or too little MEKP to the resin. Most of the . . Search: Sanding Epoxy Resin Between Coats. How to easily fix this problem Do not apply additional material over non-curing epoxy. This means that for each one part of resin you would add part of hardener. As a result, the amount of coloring that gets mixed into the glue before the hardener should be slightly lighter in color than the actual color desired. Polyester resin can be thinned out using no more than 10 percent acetone. How much catalyst do you need for polyester resin? This 2% ratio equates to about .625 CC per ounce of gelcoat. The ratio range for catalyst to resin is 1 to 2 percent hardener to the total volume of resin to be used. The ratio range for catalyst to resin is 1 to 2 percent hardener to the total volume of resin to be used. Resin can be mixed in a clean plastic container, but because it generates heat when it sets, extreme care should be taken if you use one. If it's brittle, sticky, or bendy, this can be due to a number of reasons: Your mixed resin was not mixed properly (too much hardener). Too much resin and hardener mixed together produce too much heat too quickly. I think I . 1. Polyester Resin Polyester resin is the most popular resin used in the industry. In general, the suggested Valspar hardener mix ratio can be 8oz to a gallon or 4oz to 1/2 gallon, 2oz to a quart. This is mainly because of the lower cost and the ease of use. All epoxy mixes are different. The amount of hardener you add is dependent on the depth of the final casting. Really deep green, you better work fast.