G/Flex 650 Toughened Epoxy ??

C Craft

Well-Known Member
So here is the question when using, G/Flex 650 Toughened Epoxy have you ever thinned it??

If so what did you use to thin??

I got into a situation today where there was no way to apply epoxy to the area, except by injecting it in there. I took a Cajun injector syringe needle and cut the needle at an angle, where it already has an opening! I thinned my epoxy with acetone enough to be able to draw it into the syringe. Shot it in where the epoxy was needed and now I wait!

Wait to see if acetone was the right thing to thin and if it will harden after thinning. I have done this with other two part epoxies but, never G/Flex 650!!

Anyone got experience with thinning G/flex 650 with acetone??? And if so how did it turn out???
 
I have never thinned it, but I have noticed that it gets really thin as temperatures go up. When it's 100 degrees in the shop, GFlex gets pretty runny whereas at 70 degrees it's goopy. It might be worth a shot to mix up a few ounces in a cup and microwave it for a few seconds at a time until it gets as thin as you want. The heat will shorten the pot life, but it has more than enough to work with.
 
I don't think it would be a good idea to thin the epoxy. Any solvent that you might use would likely affect the cure and effectiveness of the epoxy. Like John said, epoxy flows better at higher temperatures. They make epoxy warmers, but I've found setting the bottles close to a space heater for a few minutes gets things moving nicely. Just don't set them too close to your space heater or the plastic bottles can melt. Don't ask me how I know LOL.
 
Hmmmm, now you guys are getting me worried now. So I am gonna go drink at the well!

G/flex Technical Advisors toll-free within the United States at 866-937-8797, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET. From outside the U.S.A, call 1-989-684-7286. Our experienced, full-time Tech Staff is here to help with your questions about epoxy.
 
OK here is the answer. I called G/flex 866-937-8797 and when they answer ask to speak to a technical advisor about the particular product your are calling about! In this case it was the G/flex 650. I told him what I had done with the epoxy, (thinning it with acetone). He asked how much acetone I had put in it. I told him it was a small batch and I only added a few drops to thin so I could pick it up in a syringe and shoot it where I needed it.

His response was, it is not recommended but, as long as I was sparingly about the acetone, it probably would not hurt. It might make the dry time be extended some but, he did not feel it would make the epoxy weak!

So I asked if I needed to thin again what was the right procedure. You both were right warm it up. Warming G/flex, also thins it however, it cuts the pot time and the cure time!! So you may have to work fast!!

You know I like these guys that is the 2nd time I have called about G/flex 650 and both times they were great with the answers!!

Oh I asked one more question. Is G/flex 650 food safe, or food contact how ever you want to word it!! FYI, there have no studies been done for G/flex 650 for food contact!!
 
Good stuff, Cliff. Thank you for sharing the info you got straight from the horse's mouth.

I'm not surprised that they haven't tested it for food safety, since the stuff is intended to make boat hulls and joints. For the purposes of sticking a handle on a knife blade I don't see it as a concern. If somebody was going to make long term food storage buckets out of it, that would be different.
 
I'm not surprised that they haven't tested it for food safety, since the stuff is intended to make boat hulls and joints. For the purposes of sticking a handle on a knife blade I don't see it as a concern. If somebody was going to make long term food storage buckets out of it, that would be different.

John I fully agree, sometimes it is what was not said, that speaks volumes...………... To cover our backside's we say, "there have never been research on that use". So if you use it for this purpose, you do it at your own risk!!

The reason I asked is old habit. We used to build cabinets, serving lines, and such for restaurants. Anything that might come into contact with food, whether, incidental or full contact had to be certified food safe. That included everything from, glue to paint or sealer, etc.!!

The thought was there about someone using it to stabilize a handle, or on a kitchen knife, etc. Granted in my opinion that most of what we do with it, would be considered "incidental contact"!

So figured while I had the Guru on the line, why not ask him!! :D I will say though I have been more than pleased when I spoke to one of their tech's!!
 
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