Epoxy filler

[cornbread]

I heard there was a study on some 20+ year shelf stored west systems epoxy that, although yellowed, still met all of it's specifications on strength.

Also for really small voids where a full pump isn't needed I found a medicine syringe from tractor supply is very cheap and allows for precise small quantities to be mixed. Don't mix too much like I recently did (4 or 5 pumps) as it started off-gassing. Also to remove bubbles very quickly pass a torch across the surface to release the bubbles.

 

[cornbread]

Speaking of screwing up like I did in above post, how would you fix this, router/dremel some out and fill will colored, paint it, make it cloudy/frosted...? It's a larger void that I filled, mixed too much, it heated up too fast, bubble off gassed, overheated and cracked.

 

[Hmerkle]

Eddie,
Did you get an answer to this?
I will have a similar situation and I am VERY curious!

To the expert that answers this question: Can you fill that whole void at once or do you have to do it in steps?

 

[cornbread]

Eddie,
Did you get an answer to this?
I will have a similar situation and I am VERY curious!

To the expert that answers this question: Can you fill that whole void at once or do you have to do it in steps?

Right now I am just finishing it as it and seeing how it looks. If it ends translucent I think it will be fine, but the general idea is to build it up. After I got the bottom filled and it hardened I did the wrong thing next. I mixed about 5 pumps of each 105/206 and before it hardened but was just starting I did 5 more...then it got hairy, bubbled off gassed, cracked...dont do that. Also apparently I should have used a filler. You live you learn. I'll post final pics in about a week.

 

[Dorm]

Eddie,
Did you get an answer to this?
I will have a similar situation and I am VERY curious!

To the expert that answers this question: Can you fill that whole void at once or do you have to do it in steps?

Hank, I just filled a deep void (knothole) using an epoxy resin for fiberglass. I bought a qt can, Bondo brand,from Lowes - also I added palm sander dust for body and will let you know on the results.

Ciao ... Dorm

 

[Dorm]

Hank ... I wanted to give some feedback on using an epoxy filler to fill a thru-hole in wood. I filled a knothole approx dia of a quarter on both sides of the board. See the images at the bottom. The board was 1-1/2" thk and white oak material. The hole tapered down towards the middle but was thru from top to bottom. I taped the bottom and poured an epoxy filler slowly into the void and it filled it all the way - no bubbles. The epoxy I used, I purchased at Lowes, and I assume the epoxy was to be used in conjunction with fiberglass for repairs, bondo or such. When mixed, the consistency was about 30w motor oil thickness - so plenty loose, syrupy but not too watery. When filled, it puddled on top and also sort of piled up to about 1/8" thickness.

I let it sit overnight till hard and then sanded with 80g palm sander til smooth. You can see the results from the pics ... no bubbles, fully flush on both sides. Perhaps I just got lucky, but it seemed to work for my application. A typical 'mix' for me would only be ~2oz, and poured into a plastic cup - not a wax coated paper cup. I've used this epoxy for another project and it did take me a few tries to get the resin-hardener mix figured out. At first I didn't use enough hardener and the epoxy wouldn't harden up so I'd have to dig it out and try again. The little tube you get with the can seems barely enough, so I was sparse with the hardener at first. Once I found I could buy just the hardener I used a bit more (maybe 5 drops or so more) and problem solved. Hope this helps.

Ciao ... Dorm