I haven't build a rod in awhile (3 years) and was just getting things setup for a build when I noticed my flex coat lite hardener has turned to an amber color? Has anyone ever noticed this and will it ultimately affect the color of my finish when mixed with the resin?

Thanks,

-Mike

All epoxy hardeners will eventually turn amber or yellow/brown, either in the bottle or on the rod. It's normal.

The thickness of the component in the bottle creates a darker tone than you will see in a thinner application on a guide wrap.

................

Thanks Tom,

Can I use this the wrap guides or will it mix up with that amber tint?

being that its 3 years old i personally would discard and buy new,tho the discoloration will not affect the finish ,age may have broken down the components of the epoxy itself.most manufacturers say to discard after 1 year,that maybe a claim to get you to buy more,who knows(they do) but why chance it?

www.southriverrodsllc.com

Epoxy doesn't break down - it will outlast you. There is no shelf life. Yes, some of the re-bottlers like you to buy "fresh" finish every year or so, but that has to do with sales, not with the properties of the epoxy.

Your epoxy will indeed have an amber tint to it when mixed, although applied on the wraps you won't notice it nearly as much. The thing is, if you start with perfectly clear epoxy, it'll turn amber too, even after mixing, applying and curing on the wraps. You'll have have that initial few months period before it turns.

....................

Tom,thanks for clearing (bad pun) that up,it was always something i suspected,tho i don't seem to be able to keep mine any longer than a couple months.

www.southriverrodsllc.com

Thanks everyone. I went ahead and bought some new stuff. But it's good to know that even if I used it, it would b fine.

Here is a pretty good link that was written by an epoxy manufacturer:

[www.epoxymethods.com]

If you scroll down the page, you will notice that the Epoxy Resin - has an infinite shelf life.
But, it then goes on to say that the hardener has a shelf life of at least one year.

So, as I have found with two part paints and other finishes, the resin is good for a very long time, but Yes, for some brands of finish - the hardener DOES go bad over a certain period of time that may widely by the manufacturer.

That way why, when I did a lot of painting with two part epoxy paints, I kept the pigments, or Resin for a very long time.
But I would only buy the cans of hardener in small quantities. I also put a date of purchase on the hardeners. When the date exceeded one year, I would toss the can of hardener, and purchase a new can.

I personally have never had an issue with Rod Building Finish and having bad hardener. I have had finish around for at least a couple of years and used it with no issues.

But, that may be different with some other brands of finish.

--
Here is West Systems statement on shelf life that states that it is essentially unlimited:
[www.westsystem.com]

Here is a statement from US composites which state that their epoxies should be used within a year, although the product remains viable for a longer period of time:
[www.uscomposites.com]

Here is a statement from Dow Chemical that states that their epoxy resins and associated products typically have a shelf life of one to two years:
[www.dow.com]

Here is a statement from System Three -- chemicals that says that their shelf life is virtually unlimited - but if unsure, test before using.
[www.systemthree.com]

Roger



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/2013 04:22PM by roger wilson.

The hardener doesn't go bad - it just turns amber. That's what they mean by "shelf life." But it's still going to turn, even after you apply it to the wraps.

............

Mix it and let it sit overnight. I bet it hardens up.

How does anyone know how long it has been"on the shelf" in the shop before you got it, do the manufacturers put a "use by" date on it which they would if it did go off. Last year I bought new finish both high build and light. The hardener of the high build was slightly amber but the light was almost brown. Both types of finish mixed up easily, hardened as they're supposed to and were quite clear when applied. The light didn't appear any more discoloured than the high build on the rod. I've got a couple of rods where the finish is well over 30 years old and it still looks fine to me.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

When you look at the stuff in the bottle, you're looking through an inch of material. On the wrap, it's going to be more like .5 mm.

Beer in the bottle is amber. But spill some on the floor where it spreads out thinly, and it looks clear.

Because the epoxy is going to turn either in the bottle or on the rod, it has never been anything I've worried over.

...............

Gee Tom
Spilling beer on the floor is Alcohol Abuse LOL

Bill - willierods.com

In photography the filter to reduce the blue cast caused by Ultra violet rays is straw colored.
I suspect that the yellow cast in the hardener is in fact a UV filter built into the product.

Yes and no. Most of the UV protectors are indeed amber in color and will give the hardener an amber tint, but the amines in the hardeners also tend to amber or yellow with age.

But it is true that the more UV protector you have in an epoxy, the more amber it will be to begin with.

..............

I have a heel of envirotex resin and hardeer, coming up 15 years old, and it still cures. The hardner's a bit more amber than it was fresh, back then. I no longer use it for wraps, instead, using it as a glue for reel seats, etc. That's only because the chemistry has changed upwards over time. imho. Threadmaster light being a good example. cheers, kd.

Mike,
I sent an e-mail to Flex coat and ask them the question of the shelf life for Flex Coat thread coating.

Their answer was:

"Up to One year".

Roger

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mike,
> I sent an e-mail to Flex coat and ask them the
> question of the shelf life for Flex Coat thread
> coating.
>
> Their answer was:
>
> "Up to One year".
>
> Roger


Translation........BUY MORE FLEX COAT!!!



LoL