I have used two part plumbers epoxy putty to modify a resign fixture. This is my first time doing this in years. Just got back into the hobby. I mixed the two parts thoroughly (I thought) from two equal amounts. After 48 hours it is only as hard as say an eraser or real hard soap. Not rock hard. On the up side it carved nice, and polished up nice. But is it stable enough to paint over? Maybe I can dust it with Viagra or something. Seriously, will it cure any further with time? Also can you apply polyester putty, like Tamiya's over epoxy putty, or will they react.

Kurt

Kurt - Sorry to answer your question with another question, but could you tell me what chemicals are in the 2 part plumbers epoxy putty? Don't worry about not understanding the names or whatever, just tell me whatever the package says. If it lists the chemical abstracts or CAS numbers for the chemicals, give me those also, OK? You should be looking for something like -

CAS # Chemical Name
1-71845-31-0......"2-methyl ethyl phenylfenewton"

All the best,
Dan

Dan,

I am using Quikplastik by Polymeric Systems, Inc. I can find the performance data, but not the makeup. I even went to the company site.

Just found it on line. Here it is.


Diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A resins 67989-52-0 15 - 40 Y 2 1 0 B
Tri(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol 90-72-2 0.5 – 1.5 Y 3 1 1 D

Kurt

If the temprature is a little low and if the air is moist this could inflict the setting and get the result youre describing.

I usually set the piece under a my working lamp to make sure it hardens as it should. Be careful though if there are plastic in the construction.

Cheers

Kurt - I found the material described on Polymeric Systems web site. This is the same company that makes Duro or Kneadatite/Greenstuff. The formulation of Quikplastik is based on the same chemical activator:resin as Kneadatite, bisphenol a + epoxy resin. I only have guesses about why it didn't harden correctly. (1) Old materials that were on the shelf a long time? (2) Cool temperatures when you put the two parts together? As Janne says, a moderate amount of heat speeds up the chemical reaction. A lot of the sculptors use heat lamps, toaster ovens, etc. I use an old Crock Pot. Don't try a microwave oven unless you are interested in converting the interior of your microwave oven into ugly modern art.
(3) An olefin based material which slowed down the reaction. Was there any polyethylene or polypropylene on the surface you repaired? (4) Some kind of glue or adhesive under the 2 part putty?

Sorry I can't help more. Incidentally - the company materials show and talk about handling this without gloves. If you are going to use it once or twice and wash up thoroughly afterwards, that's probably OK, but if you are using any 2 part resin with a chemical activator every week (like me!) use thin rubber gloves and use it with good ventilation. The activator chemicals in 2 part putties are allergic sensitizers and will cause dermatitis, etc. Keep your putty-covered hands or gloves out of your eyes also.

All the best,
Dan

Thanks Dan,

I had placed in under my work light and like I said it is reasonalbly hard but not rock hard. My original thought was that I didn't mix it well enough but it is a nice even color, originaly pale blue and now white. My question I guess is really should that effect the bonding of the primer to it? Also and I touch up with the polyester putties in general or will they react to the epoxy? Enquiring minds want to know.

Kurt, I doubt that you'll have trouble with most primers bonding. I would not mix a polyester putty with an epoxy. Why don't you do a test first?

All the best,
Dan

Dan,

Thanks very much.

Kurt

Well some men have problems with that

Dan, I have read before that you use a crack pot to heat up your epoxy??? How in the world you do this? I take it that the crack pot is deep and round but is not lit or an oven it heats from the elements in the bottom...right?? do you have the piece away from the bottom so it will not fry??? do you cover it??? thanks

That would be a Crock pot. http://www.crock-pot.com/traditional.aspx
Yes you should have it up off the bottom of the pot a wood working base works for this. I never use one on any thing higher then low. But be careful. I have had some types of metal figures more or less explode in them. You hear a pop and the figure is in pieces. This has happened to me twice. both times the figures were Friulmodellismo. I have not put one of their figures next to anything hotter then a light bulb since.

One time I was using one to dry oil paint on a resin bust I was working on. It had been in a while and I thought OK lets turn it off and just leave it in until it cools. Well it was late and I was tired and I turned on to high instead of off. I woke up to a bad smell in the house and though what have I done. I ran in to the studio and opened the top and smoke came out. But the figure survived and with no real problems. one or two places some oil came to the surface of the resin but I was able to touch them up. I now un plug the pot to make sure it is off.

You can get a small 2 qt crock pot at Wal-mart for like $3.97. I was stunned when I saw it, although I use a 100W light bulb I had to pick it up. It is perfect in size for what we are doing and was so cheap it was impossible to pass up!

Hi Jeff,
I stand corrected. How silly of me not noticing the grammatical error before i posted the message!!!??? well, it is the eyes I guess...going after many years working under a fluorescent lamp very late nights for tight deadlines in the advertising industry. Anyhow, thanks for responding. Be well, Merry Xmas. Hector

Hi Hector,

I was not trying to be a jerk, I actually thought it was funny. I do that kind of thing all the time. I fully understand late nights and deadlines. I sometimes look at something I posted late at night and wonder how I could not see it was unreadable. It was a late night that caused me to try and incinerate that figure in the crock pot

Best
Jeff