REFLECTOR: Hardening Hardener

[Jack Prock]

The heating trick does work. I have done it several times over the years.
The hardener never comes back to perfectly new, and if you do it several
times, it will eventually thicken so much you will  have to throw it out.

But, the quart you just warmed should be good for
a while, as long as it doesn't get cold again. Just try and keep warm
the amount you are going to use in the next few months. Also, make
sure you keep it covered in the warming box. It will slow the aging process.
Something about the amines in the hardener evaporating (I think...)

The crystal mush is exactly what happens when it sits at room temperature
for too long... don't worry. It will come back with the heating process.
Mine was exactly like that before I reheated it. Just leave it alone and
only warm up what you need in the near future.

Also, the gooey tar will eventually start to clog your sticky stuff machine
if you are using one. Eventually you may have to pull it apart and clean
it. Not a big job, takes about an hour. But kinda messy, don't ask me how
I know.

Jack

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brooke Wolf" <bwolf1 at tds.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 1:37 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Hardening Hardener


> I know this has been addressed before on this forum, but I am  having
> a problem with hardening hardener.
>
> All of my hardener is less than 2 years old.  It is from the Velocity
> Factory.  I keep some hardener in a 85 deg box.  I have been away from
> my project for 3-4 months.  Now, I noticed that it is getting a little
> thick, somewhat like a gooey tar.  I  tried heating it by putting the
> gallon jug (with less than a quart of hardener in it) in water at 150
> deg.  I let the hardener get to about 130 deg for about 15 minutes.
> The heating certainly made it more viscous, but as it cooled it got a
> little thick again.....but not as thick as before.  I don't have much
> confidence in the heating trick.  What did I do wrong?
>
> Just for grins, I checked on two jugs of hardener which have been
> sitting in my basement for 2 years.  The temp down there stays a
> pretty constant 70 deg.  Much to my chagrin, both jugs seem to have
> solidified into a crystalline mush.  Any ideas?!!
>
> Brooke
>
>
>
>
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