Epoxy Curing Box?

tkroenlein

tkroenlein

Well-Known Member
The shop is cold this time of year. I heat it when I'm working but not all the time. Mama does not like epoxy dripping knives on the kitchen table. I was thinking about building a 15"x15"x15" aluminum box with an old school heat lamp fixture set on top with a 100W bulb (or whatever is needed) to maintain 70F+ on those cold nights.

What does the hive think? Does anyone else do something similar? I know you fellas in the Great White Deep Freeze gotta do something creative.
 
That's not a bad idea. Depending on the temp the aluminum might not insulate it enough. Have to mess with that and see.

My wife looked at me funny as I plopped 2 cleavers on the counter to take advantage of the warmer part of the house. My shop doesn't get nearly as cold as I'm sure most others do, but I definitely notice a slow down in curing when the temp drops.
 
This time of year my shop runs about 45-48 degrees. Can't get it much warmer. Since we use a wood burning cook stove, when I need to cure epoxy, I bring the knife up to th kitchen, set it across from the stove and, viola, cured epoxy. Time depends on the epoxy type. So, your idea would seem to be a viable answer. You may have to experiment with the heat output from the lamps , but you could put them on a dimmer reostat to control that.
 
I use Gflex 650. I checked with the manufacturer and they intimated that I could warm it to somewhere around 120F. So, I just place them in front of a little, forced air space heater in my office. I set it standing by use of spring clamps that act as legs on the floor with a plastic bags to catch the drip. Rotating it now and then and of course get epoxy on my fingers. ;) It skins fairly quickly.
 
tkroenlein said:
The shop is cold this time of year. I heat it when I'm working but not all the time. Mama does not like epoxy dripping knives on the kitchen table. I was thinking about building a 15"x15"x15" aluminum box with an old school heat lamp fixture set on top with a 100W bulb (or whatever is needed) to maintain 70F+ on those cold nights.

What does the hive think? Does anyone else do something similar? I know you fellas in the Great White Deep Freeze gotta do something creative.
Click to expand...
That'll preserve and make your epoxies usable during cold weather/spells, and if you can have for curing, I'd say its a fantastic idea. But, if you have to leave it to cure in the cold, the curing time will be greatly increased, and if it freezes, it's pretty much a "do over".

Just remember/be aware, when shelf life, curing times, and hold life is estimated on any adhesive, its stated under ideal conditions/temps. Curing in temps "on the cold side" can dramatically impact the bond strength and hold life of adhesives. That's one area where my favorite, Acraglass suffers horribly..... if it's forced to cured in anything below 50F, it's cure time is literally several days, and it's bond strength is terrible.
When my operations went from unheated to heated shops..... it solved so many frustrating problems/issues for me.
 
It's a good idea. In aviation, we use a lot of different 2 part epoxies and adhesives. If we need a something cured and completed so we can continue working, we use heat lamps, or better yet, the composite shop's big oven ;)
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
That'll preserve and make your epoxies usable during cold weather/spells, and if you can have for curing, I'd say its a fantastic idea. But, if you have to leave it to cure in the cold, the curing time will be greatly increased, and if it freezes, it's pretty much a "do over".

Just remember/be aware, when shelf life, curing times, and hold life is estimated on any adhesive, its stated under ideal conditions/temps. Curing in temps "on the cold side" can dramatically impact the bond strength and hold life of adhesives. That's one area where my favorite, Acraglass suffers horribly..... if it's forced to cured in anything below 50F, it's cure time is literally several days, and it's bond strength is terrible.
When my operations went from unheated to heated shops..... it solved so many frustrating problems/issues for me.
Click to expand...
So here's a little more detail on my processes.

I keep my epoxies in the house year round. So on glue up day, I switch on the heater, warm the shop to 65F ish and take my stuff out, and glue up. Then on the weekends, if I glue earlier in the day, I can leave the heat run for a few hours until it starts to set, good enough not to drip, then bring it in to finish cuz I'm poor (or cheap) and don't want to run the heat over night. It really sets better at 70F+ anyway.

So the "oven" is for curing purposes only. It's ok if it gets to 90F, but I think a slower set is supposed to be stronger, so I don't need to get hotter. I just really need it not to freeze. The shop holds heat ok anyway, so I'm starting from a warm environment, and really wouldn't risk getting real cold for 8-10 hours.

@JeremyBartlett I thought about that PID but I wondered how an incandescent bulb would hold up to the constant off and on?
 
tkroenlein said:
So here's a little more detail on my processes.

I keep my epoxies in the house year round. So on glue up day, I switch on the heater, warm the shop to 65F ish and take my stuff out, and glue up. Then on the weekends, if I glue earlier in the day, I can leave the heat run for a few hours until it starts to set, good enough not to drip, then bring it in to finish cuz I'm poor (or cheap) and don't want to run the heat over night. It really sets better at 70F+ anyway.

So the "oven" is for curing purposes only. It's ok if it gets to 90F, but I think a slower set is supposed to be stronger, so I don't need to get hotter. I just really need it not to freeze. The shop holds heat ok anyway, so I'm starting from a warm environment, and really wouldn't risk getting real cold for 8-10 hours.

@JeremyBartlett I thought about that PID but I wondered how an incandescent bulb would hold up to the constant off and on?
Click to expand...
I would use a high wattage led, they still put off heat. I know my 100 watt bulbs do. And it would actually be more cost effective as a 100 watt led is rated at like 17 watts
 
I am so confused, my house will always be above 65 degrees, am I ok? I am about to do this stuff and want to be sure. My shop will always be above 50 degrees but want to make sure I take in house or not?
 
When I used to make longbows I made a large box very similar to what you are describing to cure Smooth On heat cured epoxy. I made the box from OSB and scrap, wired in three light fixtures with 100 watt bulbs. Worked very well. I may have to build a small version like you are talking about. Right now I bring the clamped knives in the house and set them on a heater vent to cure. It works but the wife has not seen it yet so....
 
scherf68 said:
I am so confused, my house will always be above 65 degrees, am I ok? I am about to do this stuff and want to be sure. My shop will always be above 50 degrees but want to make sure I take in house or not?
Click to expand...
There's a lot of different scenarios from maker to maker and shop to shop. Many folks don't have a shop that is full time heated. Depending on their situation or location, they may only run a heater as needed, or if it's cold, when they are actually working in the shop. That presents issues for many of the glues, finishes, etc we use. If those things freeze, many of them are ruined. With epoxies, when we say "cure", it means totally set/cured, and that's as "finished" as it's going to get. Just because epoxy is "set", doesn't mean it's completely "cured". Curing, which means a total transformation to it's finished state, can take days, (hint: steer clear of "5-Minutie" type epoxies for knives) and if it's in colder temps, much longer. If you read the labels, most epoxies will have a notice about "do not use below XX" (temp)
More to your point/what you are asking..... you will certainly be OK with taking it in the house. When it comes to mixing/using it on a knife, the "50 degrees" is likely below optimum curing temp...which means the un-mixed epoxy will be ok, but mixed/applied, it will likely take significantly longer to cure in a 50 degree environment. Probably the best advice for anything that you feel might be affected by heat or cold, is to read the label(s), and then do what you feel is necessary, based on your individual situation. ;)

It's days like today that I am thankful I have heated shops...... I actually have two shops.... a Blacksmith shop, and a Finish shop. The finish shop has natural gas overheat furnaces, (I have two furnaces in the Finish Shop, simply because sometimes it hits -30F or colder, and that's when I kick on the second furnace) and the Blacksmith shop has hydronic (hot water in the concrete floor) heat. The thermostat in the Blacksmith shop stays on 55F year round. The finish shop is on a programable thermostat, set at 62F for daytime, and 45F at night. If I'm "gluing" something, I leave it at 60F overnight.

IMG-5705.jpg


IMG-5711.jpg


IMG-5712.jpg
 
This morning it was 9F outside and the shop was 32F at 830AM. I shut the heat off at 500PM at 65F. It was right breezy last night. But I think a light box would've made it. Now I'm thinking it oughta be 24"-30" long so I've got a bit more room to lay things out in there.
 
Well I'm up at work in Prudhoe bay with ambient temp right now around -30 tomorrow is supposed to be around -50 now add some wind chill and a 65 deg shop sounds balmy ! Luckily my shop at home is heated but as mentioned obove by Chris i also used to be a Bowyer and still have all my equipment in the corner of my shop. My heat box that i cured bows in has a thermastat in it and ran 4 light bulb fixtures with 100 wat bulbs,it is made from plywood and lined with the silver bubble insulation. I think a box about the size of a cooler or foot locker well insulated with a thermostat and one light bulb would work just fine for a unheated shop as long as you keep your epoxy in a heated area and also mix and apply in a warm area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top