I mixed up a batch of flex coat lite incorrectly and it did not cure all the way. I then put another coat over the top to try and cure it. I put in a little extra hardener hoping this would help. Apparently this was incorrect as it is still a little tacky. How long is the maximum time this stuff can take to cure completely? Will putting another coat mixed correctly cure the last two coats? If so will there be any reduction in strength from both of the previous uncured coats? Thanks

Flexcoat is very odd when it comes to drying! If its mixed incorrectly it may never dry.

I mixed up a batch wrong and tried everything to have it cure correctly (warmth, etc). After 2 correct mix coats, applied very thin, it hardened nicely. The first recoat seemed a bit tacky, so I applied the second and it worked.

Dave

Well, all of us that had used Lite Flex.Coat had that problem. After that first "solution" with that extra drop of hardener, should have worked if properly mixed!

I have been having the same problem. i also used extra hardner and some of the wraps still seam tacky. the mix seamed to dry in the cup i mixed it in all right. Does anybody know what could cause this.

Folks, you have to mix equal parts of these 2 part epoxies. If you don't, you are playing Russian Roulette with your rod. Sometimes the epoxy fairy won't even let completely equal mixes cure. She sure loves it when you don't mix equal parts.

I have never had a problem with Flexcoat Lite and I have been using it on light rods since it came out.

Mix equal parts COMPLETELY, at the right temperature, at the right humidity, and you lessen your chances of Mr. Murphy visiting!

If only to add my two cents . flex-coat gets its flex
from its hardner.Adding more hardner only makes
your finish cure soft to the touch.

Adding extra hardener will not cause it to harden faster or harder. This seems to be a common misconception among rod builders that adding extra hardener gaurantees a good cure. It doesn't.

The first rod I did, I used the LS Supreme and it turned out great with three thin coats. The second rod I did, I used Flex-coat paying careful attention to mix it correctly. Before I could finish an 11' surfrod the flex-coat had alread started to thicken, then I got to looking at some of the first wraps I finished with it and it had soaked in in spots and looked great in spots. What is the trick, or is it just the Epoxy Fairy as Mike said?

No fairy. But each finish sort of has its own quirks and ways. That's why most people settle on one and stay there. Flex coat sets up much quicker than the Supreme so you have to work faster or do it in two stages with two batches. It gets said a lot that your finishing technique has more to do with anything than the actual finish does. That's probably true but there is probably one finish that suits your technique better than some others. You just have to find it.

Another tip on this subject: Always pour the mixed epoxy into another container: a piece of aluminum foil or small aluminum throw away tart pans, or, my favorite, the small plastic lid from a can of Pringles Potato Chips. You can never mix the epoxy that adheres to the sides of a mixing cup completely so if you pour it out you are working with only mixed epoxy. Pouring the epoxy out onto a flat surface will also slow down the curing process because less heat is generated as the epoxy spreads out. You will get longer working times.

This stuff used to give me the willies, until I did some extensive testing on mixing ratios. Some mixtures that that have excess
hardner in minor amounts will eventually dry it will just take much longer and also be more humidity dependent. The guy I learned from thought that adding more hardner was the ticket. Not it at all.
LESS hardner, and don't count drops as the viscosity is diffrent between hardner and resin. I had to break out the old triple beam (quad beam better) scale and now I scale eveything. Here is my sure fire 16 hour hard set (enough to trim burrs) mixture. I still wait 24 hrs.
Zero out scale with mixing cup aboard 5 tenths of a gram resin, 4 tenths of a gram hardner 5/4 resin to hardner ratio rocks up ever time. Has not failed me since I started using this proportion.
1.) TO ROCK IT UP USE SLIGHTLY LESS HARDNER.
2.) COUNTING DROPS IS A SUCKER BET.

Chris,

Thanks for the info, although how to achieve the proper cure has long been known - follow the manufacturer's measuring and mixing instructions. In the case of most epoxy wrap finishes, that requires that you measure equal portions of both resin and hardener.

Time to cure (assuming you have measured and mixed correctly) is largely a matter of the temperature where you are working. Each deviation of roughly 20F either up or down from 70F will result in either halving or doubling the cure time.

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I did a rod just like that not long ago. I ended up waiting a good two weeks before I finally gave up and stripped the thing and started over. That was the best move I made. Now I know it is done right and don't have to wonder about the soft finish underneath. My 2 cents, start over and mix it equal, carefully. Good luck, steve walters

Thanks for all the info everyone. I think I am going ot go ahead and strip and start over just to be safe. (Only much more carefully now.) Oh well, live and learn. Thanks, Paul