Temperature & Epoxy

[James Pancoast]

Is there a desired temp range for applying epoxy?  I build my rockets in the garage and was wondering if it being too cold (like right now) or too hot make any difference.

[brian blueoats.net]

Great to hear from you and hope your Holidays went well!  Epoxies are thermal sets meaning the chemical reaction generates heat as a by product of curing.  Warmer is better however even when it's cold, they should still cure.  The main issue with cold is the glue will be thick and not "soak" into the tinny blemishes in the material being glued from sanding before glueing for example.  Depends allot on the epoxy.  There is one kind I use and I actually heat it up with a hot air gun to get it more runny and then coat plywood with it to add strength.  If I leave it at room temp, it doesn't soak into the wood very well.  Some epoxies like JB weld, I don't heat and just let cure as is at 70 degress.  One thing for sure is you need to get a good mix and this works better warmer.  You might mix the epoxy, heat it up a bit while mixing, then use it and let it dry in the cold.  Should work better than mixing cold and curing cold.  Be careful when heating though as too much will instantly start it curing.  It is a thermal set.

GBA

BHcon

  

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From: crash...@googlegroups.com <crash...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of James Pancoast <jam...@jpancoast.dev>
Sent: Wednesday, January 1, 2025 9:07 PM
To: crash-talk - Colorado Association of Space Hobbyists <crash...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [crash-talk] Temperature & Epoxy

 

Is there a desired temp range for applying epoxy?  I build my rockets in the garage and was wondering if it being too cold (like right now) or too hot make any difference.

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[brian blueoats.net]

Paint you definitely want to apply and cure above 70 degrees.  Or it will never work right...

GBA

BHcon

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From: crash...@googlegroups.com <crash...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of brian blueoats.net <br...@blueoats.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 1, 2025 11:14 PM

To: crash-talk - Colorado Association of Space Hobbyists <crash...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [crash-talk] Temperature & Epoxy

 

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[JamesR]

Depending on what you are doing,  laminating, fillets, ect. It depends on the type of bond you are doing.  As said, too cold it doesn't flow as well, to hot it kicks off and really cures fast, both can cause bonding issues.  If you can get garage into the 60s or at least the epoxy and the materials you are bonding to a reasonable temp. Just bring them in over night so they are at room temp. Take them out to do what you need to and then bring them back in unless it's the smell that is making you do this in the garage.  You want epoxy to cure as slow as possible for a good bond but too cold will hinder flow reducing the mechanical bond so ideally upper 60s to low 70s. I have done many layups in a cold garage with a small space heater but it is key that all your materials are at inside room temperature. 

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