What happens when you cut epoxy 50 percent with acetone?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- I don't normally thin epoxy unless I'm injecting it with a syringe or really need it to soak into a porous material, but I never did a side-by-side comparison of thinned vs. un-thinned epoxy. This test answered some of my own questions, and hopefully some of yours as well.
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Denatured Alcohol is recommended for thinning of epoxy. Acetone will interfere with polymer cross linking. That is why we use Acetone for Epoxy clean up.
I did some subsequent testing and prefer alcohol as well. th-cam.com/video/j93uNH8SLNU/w-d-xo.html
Good to know
I have used denatured alcohol thinner for fuel proofing my model airplane firewalls and engine compartments with excellent cure rates and durability.
After another week, the thinned epoxy was significantly harder, so it will cure eventually. Also, here's another experiment with different solvents: th-cam.com/video/j93uNH8SLNU/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much! This video answered a lot of my questions about resin and acetone mixture
Glad it helped
I just found your channel and I was about to comment to this effect as I use this frequently but you already figured it out. Good on you for sticking with it. That waterbed effect was worrying the first time for sure! The thinned pours that I do will also shrink significantly over the week-long hardening time. So I tend to use the thinned resins more as an initial barrier to the surface. Did the thinned west resin also shrink? After the hardening that is?
@@AOZMONSTER I've been meaning to test shrinkage as well as other percentages and solvents, but life's been kicking my butt lately. Hopefully soon.
We Rod Builders have been thinning our epoxy with acetone for decades.
It penetrates the thread better, and allows us to achieve a translucent effect.
It just takes much longer to cure, but - we also put an unthined regular coat over it as a finish coat, for durability and hardness.
To remove the bubbles in the surface of the epoxy just lightly spray with alcohol.
This removes the surface tension and allows the bubbles to escape.
Or a quick pass with a heat gun. If you warm the wood first, no bubbles will come out of the wood.
+1 to heat gun.
It's the professionally accepted solution for gel coats, clear pours, etc., and is a LOT less necessary if you use a vacuum pot, and mix slowly to prevent bubbles in the first place.
25 years of wooden boat ownership, repair, and research here. Thinning epoxy with acetone has a few effects.
1 - It does not help with penetration. The acetone penetrates easily into the wood, but the larger epoxy molecules penetrate much less. If you want epoxy to penetrate wood, use a low viscosity or penetrating epoxy such as MAS. Another approach is to preheat the wood to the desired depth, but this will cause the epoxy to set much faster.
2 - The acetone as you noted will outgas through the epoxy leaving bubbles and porosity all the way through it. This makes it permeable to air and water.
3 - Any chemical, e.g. acetone, added to epoxy will change the chemistry. In this case, it retarded the resin/hardener curing reaction. It likely affected the strength as well.
A side note: heat, such as a heat gun or a judiciously applied propane torch, will help the epoxy flow out and eliminate bubbles. This is a standard technique on epoxy countertops and floors.
our hydros were decked with Okoume. Okoume doesn't like water (I know sounds strange to use a wood that doesn't like water....lol). But in most case, the wood showed no signs of water penetration, except where there may have been breach from hitting something or not getting enough sealer on in the first place. I was amazed when I took the the deck off after thirty years. I resealed the new wood the same way. It has been thirteen years now and still looks like new. Oh and to be fair, we did seal the outside with a clear coat of Imron. Maybe that's why it wasn't breached.
Thanks for mentioning molecule size! I hadn't considered that factor. I'm looking at trying thinned 100% silicone for treating wood for a bridge on a hiking trail. It's used for DIY waterproofing bed sheets for light weight tarps, etc. Looking to have something that really soaks in an will last in Wet Coast forest conditions. It's a volunteer thing so little in the way of budget plus a bit of a slog to get to with any equipment (downed tree at the site being used for the wood). I'll experiment, but appreciate you bringing a new consideration.
@@wingnutbert9685 for your use, I'd recommend 2 coats of MAS epoxy, followed by 2+ coats of oil based paint or linear polyurethane. Be sure to wash the "blush" off of the epoxy between coats, and rough up with a green scotch-brite pad.
I had a poor experience with MAS epoxy . I will only buy west system epoxy . I think you should ask west how to proceed !
What are your thoughts on Total Boat epoxy vs MAS?
1) Acetone is hygroscopic, e.g. it attracts water;
2) Acetone can also react with epoxy catalysts that are usually some kind of amine;
You should try for instance, xylene or ethyl acetate that will dissolve similar things that acetone does but are way less reactive.
Another problem is that epoxy hardens, acetone evaporates from it and leaves a slightly porous structure.
I make wooden fishing lures and many people recommend using polyurethane or super glue to waterproof the lures before painting. My preferred form of waterproofing is mixing devcon 2 ton epoxy with a few drops of acetone to make it very thin, then painting the lure with it. It not only makes it waterproof but causes the outer layer to become much more durable. I've found the lures resist dents and abrasions better.
Sounds like a good technique. I replaced a rotten wood fascia return on my house over the weekend. I built the new one out of poplar, and sealed it with a 50/50 mix of epoxy and ethyl alcohol, my new favorite solvent.
Do the fish like it ?
@@TheSnekkerShow good day. Can UV resin be thinned for use in airbrush? Also what do I use to thin
@@pietpompiepompiepiet940 I'm sure it can be done, but I've never done it. My preferred epoxy thinner is ethyl alcohol.
42 years ago we also used the 50/50 process to put a finish on our wood race boats. We would sand the first coat after a few days and then apply a second coat. It made the boat look like a piece of furniture. Fast forward to today and the wood finish still looks good and the wood was protected from the water.
Did the thinned epoxy eventually harden, or did it stay rubbery after several years? Thanks!
@@Bob_Adkins it was hard after 24 hours. I'm wondering if maybe we used less than 50% acetone.. To long ago to remember for use. But it was hard for the next coat the next day.
I just did a cedar boat these past weeks with System 3 S1 diluted about 25 30 percent. Seems hard to me so far
When the epoxy has flowed out but still liquid, try a hair dryer, heat gun or propane torch with a fan nozzle to draw out the bubbles. Practice a little.
Probably would not use a torch on acetone. It’s highly flammable.
Since acetone is used for cleaning up brushes and rollers after layups since it completely dissolves epoxy, I would imagine it significantly degrades epoxy in ANY dilution! I personally wouldn't put even 10% acetone to my epoxy. If all you want it to seal in wood just go with polyurethane.
As i understand it the sample on the left has twice as much epoxy as the one on the right
Acetone affects the cross-linking of the epoxy, that's why its soft. Try using Denatured alcohol as a thinner or penetrating epoxy
I use Acetone for thinning epoxy resin when have to brush it over non flat surface. Like round ones from wood lathe. But very little. maybe 1 to 15 proportion or maybe even less. Just eyeballing. It does takes longer to cure, but surface is thin, even and glass like. I also leave it in the lathe, slow spinning to keep it even spread until it starts hardening. It will cure faster, if heat it up a little, time to time with a heat gun. Don't overheat it.
As a retired boat builder I used 10% MEK to mixed epoxy for the first coat over wood with fiberglass, or to bond 2 pieces of wood together. This allows the epoxy to soak deeper into the wood for adhesion. Then the next coats with fiberglass would be 100% epoxy. MEK evaporates faster then acetone, which allows for a faster cure.
Wait, genuinely curious about this. I thought acetone was the fasted evaporating chemical solvent available. I'm in granite, we use acetone and mek. Acetone is gone from a rag within a minute or less. Mek seems to stay much much longer. Is it because mek now is a mek substitute? You can't get real mek anymore. It says substitute on the label. But, damn mek with make me pull over my box truck to get rid of even one mek soaked rag from the back... You will pass the eff out from those fumes. Again, I'm genuinely curious, I'm not trying to be a jerk.
@@SzechuanChickenDog Yeah, MEK substitute is not real. Real MEK is distilled from acetone. You can find real MEK but you have to try all the hardware stores. Some won’t carry it. MEK is what we used to clean rubber molds in production. It literally melts rubber and some paints, and will ruin shinny surfaces on a lot of synthetic materials. Acetone is meant more for removing fingernail polish or cleaning up after a wet solvent. It won’t dry out the hands as bad. Hint**** use latex gloves, not nitrile, with MEK/acetone. Nitrile gloves are for paint thinner and oils, which is a wet solvent. MEK/acetone are dry solvents and will not leave behind residue.
Methyl alcohol (methanol) is an excellent thinner for epoxy. Used as a fuel constituent for glow plug engines as used in model aircraft, cars and boats. When doing clean up I find methyl alcohol actually works better than acetone. Methylated spirits which is ~ 85% ethanol and 13% methanol may also work
Agreed. Alcohol has become my preferred epoxy solvent as well.
I added epoxy, acetone, white spirit and turpentine I grew a third arm.
If you use acetone with epoxy, pre-wet the wood with acetone first ...
Also, you used half the epoxy with the acetone. IMO, if you really want 50% acetone, you should coat twice to ensure a constant amount epoxy for your thickness measurement.
I am a woodworker and wooden boat restorer. I start my outdoor and boat wood with Smith's Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES). This is "high octane" stuff--I wear an OGV-HEPA full face respirator when applying it, but it penetrates wood like no other thinned epoxy that I have used. In the world of composite hulls (wood and ply "sealed" with epoxy), boat builders rely on thicker and thicker epoxy to create ugly dense plastic boats that offend the wooden bones that lie underneath. My journey is not complete--more field tests will reveal more findings--but old boats will tell you a lot if you are listening.
Do you have any idea what Smith is using to thin that epoxy? I used to use a lot of CPES
when I lived in California. Now I live in Mexico and it looks impossible to get unless I
drive to the US. Sure miss it.
Nasty stuff
Epoxy sealer is fine. For the boat I would strongly advice against thinning epoxy. After it cures the solvent is still evaporating and it leaves microscopic voids in it's place, essentially it becomes porous and water resistance deteriorates.
Better way is to use slow hardener and higher temperature, it improves viscosity and as such penetrates better.
Try lacquer thinner, that's what is used (brushed on to make the plywood waterproof and harder) on marine plywood in boat making in the Philippines.
Not a very good idea for a boat. Evaporation of the thinner, or any solvent, leaves a slightly porous structure of epoxy.
@@fifi23o5 I mix lacquer thinner and marine epoxy to a watery consistency and paint it on bare wood and that completely seals the wood from any water invasion. I have had mahogany treated that way underwater for a month and it comes up without any water invasion. I'm a believer in that for all marine wood use.
@@myparadiseonbantayanisland9030 If it works, fine. Using mahogany certainly helps since it has very good water resistance by itself. There were numerous studies done, we tested it, too. We used plywood and there was difference, not huge, but clear difference. There was even difference when we tested spruce, just exposed to humid air, so I will stick with pure epoxy. But, as I said, if it works for you, it is fine.
@@fifi23o5 the mixture was applied to all of my boat's marine plywood and lawaan wood and it is the best waterproofing of all woods that I have ever seen, it really absorbs into the grain of the wood here in the Philippines.
The container of acetone will tell you that thinning at over 10% will cause curing and strength issues. Using TWO coats of acetone-thinned epoxy (while running through a strainer to take out the bubbles) will give you a rock solid coating that looks like glass.
I haven't tried using a strainer before, I'll have to give that a shot.
Would that work on stained wood do yo think ?
It does indeed. I use it on stained mahogany
Great Experiment!
i wonder if the titan sub was had its epoxy thinned with acetone?
Ketones CAN be used to thin epoxy IF you are thinning a system with a long room temperature open time. Such systems typically require elevated temparature cure, In such a system all the ketone will have evaporated before cure. Instead of a ketone use a reactive modifier like Heloxy 61 or 68. (butylglycidyl ether family). West already has some modifier in it; it is not a "pure" resin system. Most systems for hand layup will already have some rective modifiers in the mix.
the acetone acted as a contaminant or plasticizer.
Acetone acts as a refrigerant, slowing cure. Does appear to be softer too.
TL;DR: try denatured alcohol
We used EnviroTex (that tabletop epoxy from the 80s, you could buy it at the home centers) thinned with denatured alcohol to apply 3/4 oz glass cloth to wooden helicopter rotor blades. We tried several things to reduce the epoxy including acetone, the alcohol worked best. No idea if that holds true for other epoxies. It cured hard overnight and you could sand it the next day. We scuffed the bumps off and sprayed primer/surfacer, blocked and painted. This was in lieu of a traditional aircraft Ceconite/dope type finish the manufacturer originally used in the 50s. Kaman HH-43 Huskie, we remanufactured them from USAF surplus for logging/fire fighting in the early 90s. They were eventually replaced by the Kmax.
Works great with denatured alachol
good video. almost of there with the project farm guy!
Prob wouldnt be a good idea to pop those bubbles with a torch on the 50/50 side lol
Not gonna lie; I tried it on the last batch. It was a small area, but it didn't ignite the whole thing.
I wonder if tapping or vibrating the surface initially would help work out bubbles? Or maybe just a hair dryer?
The facile delamination of the dilluted provides a noteable warning.
I would be interested to know whether the thinned epoxy eventually hardened after weeks or months.
Fascinating. Who would have thought diluted epoxy wouldn't be strong as that which was engineered for high impact resistance. I wonder what would happen if you made two batches of pancake mix under similar conditions? The possibility of various test subjects is limitless. Keep these tests coming. 👍👍👍
This is a good experiment! The acetone thinned epoxy resembles a soft vinyl. That alone allows for some creative uses. Since the acetone thinned epoxy is more flexible, maybe there should be a test of its elastic properties.
You might have also opened a door to experiment with adding plasticizers to epoxy and noting its properties.
If you need elastic epoxy there is such a thing as flexible epoxy resin.
It makes me wonder if some of the hardener soaked into the wood, messing up the mix ratio. The epoxies might work better if a thinner coating thickness was used.
This is probably the plasticizing effect of acetone...These are very small molecules which comes in between the polymer chains and softens them. The polymer chains can then slide over each other...Nice experiment but when you use solvents you have to wait longer until it gets dry.
Very helpful!
Legend has it, the thinned down epoxy is still curing to this day..
shutup 😄
The epoxy cures where as the solvent drys off. Trapping a solvent within a cured epoxy is relying on the porosity of the epoxy for the solvent to eventually exit. So long time.
A number of years ago, I was doing some laminating with epoxy. Yes, you can thin epoxies with Acetone. But very little is required. Also, there are many diff. kinds of epoxy. I preferred using some with sufficient pot life (45-90min) to tack. The trouble with mixing anything with epoxy is the act of trapping air into the mixture. So I used specially modified mixing machine to accomplish this. Worked very well. But I also added another aspect to the process using vacuum to remove unwanted air bubbles from the epoxy being poured.
Acetone is generally used to flash air bubbles from a poured surface using spray bottle. When the exotherms kick in the cure progresses. But thinning the typical, 2-part epoxies affects both cure times and final results, as well as durability. Compounding anything into epoxy during mixing traps air. So the more mixing you do makes it worse. And thinning with any solvent only degrades the balance between the amines and hardener. As I recall, I used approx. 10% Acetone. Then I mixed my compound in a vacuum environment. I could tell you more. But am reluctant to do so on this platform.
I was one of the first 3 people to get West system Meed shipped using 5 gallons in a metal can I have Built about 25 boats with West system Meed and Jan and I were good friends I took Meed to the first Port Townen Wooden Boat festival I am unfortunate to find out about there Passing I worked in a small production Powerboat Shop in Everett Washington back in the (90ty) we did one peace side and bottoms for 26"we took care of the bubbles with gas won and I have never thinned West system My Name is Del Saul and I had a boat Building Co named WOOD FEATHER BOATS Thank you for your youtube peace
interesting, I would of expected the thinned epoxy to have penetrates much deeper
It depends on the wood. I used ash in this video, which is very dense, but the thinned epoxy will soak in completely to woods like white pine or poplar. Here's an ash penetration test using just water:
th-cam.com/video/gai8Eo2cu2Y/w-d-xo.html
would be rather interested to see what would happen with vacuum chamber epoxy mixes poured over, and poured over then vacuum chamber, perhaps it would suck in and bond better and cleaner if after treating..... and perhaps less bubbles in the undiluted.... but still interesting, Thanks.
fascinating...it would be interesting to pre-treat the surface with acetone to a degree and then adding the epoxy while being subject to (audio) shaking....
One comment mentions heat gun. Hopefully not one with acetone added, where the red hot element is exposed closely to the work. Another method for popping bubbles is a flame/torch, but probably would not want to attempt that in the epoxy/acetone method. At least not unless your head and eyebrows were already shaved.
Good experiment👍...... Although, I think you've just recreated the Wally-World brand epoxy, I'm sure it produces the same result 😉
does it matter what brand or type of epoxy with the acetone. also do you think if you had add less acetone, would it be a stronger expoxy?
I haven't tried it with all brands, but I expect the result would be similar. Thinned epoxy will not have as much structural strength, so keep that in mind depending on what you're using it for.
Is it more flexible?
@@fredsayshello At first, but that will decrease with time.
Awsome experiment - Totally explains why I found a completely cured but very flexible leftover in the bottom of my mixing cup that I must have put some acetone in after cleaning a brush maybe 😊
It can keep it from curing properly. That's from someone who was in the Composite business for 30 years.
wonder what would happen if you added superglue to the acetone one??
Acetone thinned epoxy worked for my shifty boot patenting in the 80s
Looks like a good way to inject resin in area where the fiberglass cloth has air pockets.
That could work, but I'd be concerned about getting solvent trapped between the layers. Less might be better in this case, like 5%. You could also warm the epoxy slightly to thin it.
Popular to mix alcohol with epoxy, in engine compartment of model airplanes. But it's brushed on and a couple coats. It allows epoxy to soak in and fill pores in wood.
To make the epoxy thinner, best to just put it out in the sunlight. Heat is what is needed.
WEST SYSTEM boatbuilding manual used to recommend against thinning their epoxy, on the grounds that it did not improve penetration and had a negative effect on strength.
Not just strenght. Evaporation of solvent leaves a slightly porous structure. For better penetration it is best to use slow hardener and higher temperature.
when laminating to wood, unhardened resin +25-30 acetone, cover with resin and hardener for full amount. Good adhesion.
The MEK comments are really good; it's about the chemistry..."You have to respect the chemistry, Jesse." The only other suggestion would be to make a ghetto vacuum chamber using one of the shop buckets from home Depot or Lowe's and then fit your Shop-Vac to it.
I used mostly isopropyl (above 90%) and a little acetone and it helped my clear, aeromarine grade epoxy soak into my fiberglass stuffing in body work. Otherwise it would just run along the outside and down. Has lasted so far about 10 years.
Never thin epoxy with acetone more than 20%. Better to use Xylene or denatured.
Only use dilution on warm/hot days.. otherwise the mix may not fully harden (ie, stays gummy and weak). Open air (not in cavity repairs) give the best results.
what about xylene? also if you are bored I cant do it right now but if you could experiment with flex seal and xylene I want to make a thinner for flex seal.. dont know if mineral spirits is good or what but I think they recommend spirits for cleaning and heard people say it's b.s. so any help would be great thanks and big thanks for the video...
I tested xylene in this video: th-cam.com/video/j93uNH8SLNU/w-d-xo.html
We need it to flow freely into v-carved wood so I will be trying this technique. Application will be via syringe.
Kills dry rot and termites and leaves rotten wood stronger.
Have you tried thinning epoxy with ethanol? I heard that it works well and does modify as much the cured epoxy properties compared to acetone.
Yes, I did a comparison video with several solvents, and ethanol was my favorite. th-cam.com/video/j93uNH8SLNU/w-d-xo.html
Excellent. Have you tested it on none porous serface
I watched a guy use 50/50 to brush on a wood lathe turned hollowform that was super punky. I just picked up xylene and resin, going to give it a go with my spalting mapel... I let the fungus go wild, but now my pieces are exploding haha. Thanks for this
Glad it was helpful. I've had good results with epoxy and spalted maple.
If thinning without reduced hardness, bond strength, etc, then xylene is the solvent to use. Thin both the resin and hardener separately first as it takes more stirring to dissolve both parts than with acetone. The cure time is about 3x that of normally mixed epoxy but the mix can be very thin, so thin that it makes for a very good wood hardener as it penetrates as deep as you want. I have soaked completely rotted/punted wood and after cure had a rock hard composite material that could be worked as if it was solid wood. I use this and urethane varnish thinned with xylene for restoration projects. The urethane is as good as the epoxy but at a fraction of the cost.
would this be a good way to thin out epoxy for spraying?
I've never tried used epoxy in my spray gun because it would be a pain to clean, but 50% is probably way more than you would want or need. Check with the epoxy manufacturer, but I would think no more than 10% would be necessary.
Argh, just built a kit car and have the slightest water leak in the roof.
I was hoping to thin the heck out of some epoxy and let it sit in the area and wick in ,I was just worried how thin I can go.
I did a similar with mineral spirits. It made a flexible epoxy. I put some on paper and it became like leather when dried. I think the cosplay community could use it in costume making.
Doing an epoxy floor? NEVER thin. Sticky floor forever.
I wouldn't expect sticky. That sounds more like contamination from wax or cleaning agents, but I'm always ready to be wrong about something else.
This was very helpful. Thank you.
My pleasure
nice experiment, but way too much acetone. I've seen people thinning epoxy with Thinner (only 5% is enough) and spaying it like a 2k clear coat. after 48h or so it's rock hard
A four year old video but nothing has changed. I built model RC aircraft and used Glow engines/fuel. The fuel was a mixture of Alcohol, 15% Nitro Methane and 18% oil. There are a lot of different brews but this is what I used. The oil tends to get into the wood and soften it over time so I would mix up a batch of epoxy and 50% Acetone. That brew would be slathered on the firewall and anyplace the fuel would get deposited on. The thinned down epoxy would soak into the wood and repel the oil. The blend is still used today.
Turns to jelly. Just because its thinner does t mean it will be as sturdy. It will also scratch easier
Definitely not beneficial for strength
I was curious about this, thank you for making this video
I'm glad it was useful.
Made yourself timber preserver
Could you determine penetration depth?
I'm sure it's possible. I'd probably cut the test piece and apply a dark water-based stain to the cross section to see where the stain doesn't soak in.
if you use denatured Alcohol instead the epoxy will penetrate the wood better and still be hard.
I am curious if you happened to save that 50% reduced epoxy sample and check it for cure hardness after a few weeks time? I would like to know if additional cure time results in most of the hardness of an standard mix developing. thanks.
That would work well, with say, a worktop where you'd want some degree of flexibilty
Did you do another video with less acetone? Was thinking about putting some in my epoxy to thin it out and help with a slab I'm working on so it will get in the micro holes.
This is the only video I've done so far, but if it's a concrete slab you probably wouldn't need to thin it. I wouldn't go over 10% if anything.
@@TheSnekkerShow no it's a wood slab.
I wouldn't thin it for the final coat, but it shouldn't hurt to seal the pores with a thinned coat first so the final coat doesn't absorb unevenly.
I'm a little unclear as to the purpose of this test, other than to demonstrate that too much acetone - or denatured alcohol - will retard curing to a hard layer. I have found thatno more than 15-20% additive does not appreciably prevent a hard set, but still yields a nice buildup on a surface.
I'm not sure either, but I found it really helpful, cause now I know that mixing acetone with epoxy will make it softer
@@joseZudaire I wonder if that characteristic can be used for a coating on something that has to have limited flex.
@@OutnBacker oh for sure
"I'm not going to touch it". Touches it.
Yup
@@TheSnekkerShow subscribed 👍🏻
Thanks for the experiment.
My pleasure
Thank you. I'm just getting into epoxy reason and I've been curious about the thinning of it. I'll stay with full strength.
Very good initial experiment. Now we need to determine the best ratio of epoxy and acetone! I'll be watching your channel with interest 😁
Autoclave is the answer!
Not more than 10% acetone.
I think the acetone-thinned epoxy sounds about ideal for paint-on/brush-on applications - less bubbles, more forgiving in application time due to the longer curing time window, and a thinner, more translucent finish.
I've done some more experiments, and now prefer alcohol to acetone. It thins just as well, but leaves a smoother finish.
@@TheSnekkerShow wow great. Thanks.
@@TheSnekkerShow What alcohol do you use? Great experiement!
@@roymayh3819 190-proof Everclear. Denatured works too, but it probably has a higher water content and I don't like the fumes. th-cam.com/video/j93uNH8SLNU/w-d-xo.html
Just one remark. It all depends on intended use. True, it is easier to brush it on, but it loses some of it's water resistance, since evaporation of solvent leaves a slightly porous structure.
I did a similar test. The thinned epoxy never hardened to more than silicone like substance which is not satisfactory to me as I need all the rigidity, strength and hardness I can get from my epoxy finish.
Deep penetrating sealer - Yes.
Surface coating for hard wearing protection - No.
Autoclave Dude, with just setting the project on top af a radiator heater!, you will have a stronger epoxy end product! You probably know this. Sorry.
No more than 20% denatured alcohol to the epoxy. It better to use than acetone which make the epoxy weaker.
What's the point of thinning epoxy. I've used hundreds of gallons of epoxy for various reasons/projects and never once needed to thin it.
Penetration or injecting. For example, I replaced a rotten fascia return last year using some baked poplar, and sealed it with thinned epoxy before painting. It still matches the other wood, but will never rot even if it cracks or the paint layer gets compromised.
Given that individually both epoxy fumes and acetone fumes can cause varying degrees of harm to the human body, what happens when the two are intermixed?
We all use iso-propyl, rubbing, alcohol. 99% works well to thin and evaporates out quickly.
if you are in the boat business and are building a wooden boat it's a good idea to use acetone with your epoxy but not as much as you used this will be a sort of your primer coat that you go over corners angles and curves and all joints the idea is to have the some of it seep into the wood grain joints extra and you let it dry for not 24 hours or 48 hours let it be sitting their for weeks o coem as you work your project they you light scuff or light sand when you are in the final stages in a lot of the project there maybe fiberglass cloth too and that will soak up better with solvents then you come back with the final coatings but we never use epoxy by itself unless we are just doing like tabletop extra all exterior stuf its best to use marine varnish because it moves with the weather epoxy doesn't
Is there a difference in how it stick to that wood ?
Not one that would be noticeable. Epoxy is absorbed by the wood fibers on the surface, so as long as the surface was free of contaminants it would be impossible to separate it without removing parts of the wood itself. Thinned epoxy would soak in to deeper fibers, but thinning the epoxy also makes is slightly weaker so I don't know if any adhesion benefits would be achieved.
It would be good to try the thinned epoxy over a piece of wood with various paints on it. Will it dissolve other paint products?
If it's thinned with acetone, yes. I prefer to thin epoxy with alcohol, which will not affect most paints.
Isn't that how you mix epoxy to get a French polish or whatever it's called?
So happy you did this test for us. Always wondered. Thanks a bunch
Can u help me how to make epoxy Hardener Thicks???
It looks like maybe the acetone raised the grain on the wood? Did you try it with alcohol also?
I did, and alcohol is the only thing I use now for thinning epoxy. th-cam.com/video/j93uNH8SLNU/w-d-xo.html
I have to remove an epoxy liner from a fuel tank. Would you recommend acetone or thinner?? Thanks
I don't think either of those would work well for removing cured epoxy.
The Snekker Show maybe muriatic acid?
Definitely not that; it would dissolve the metal. Ask in the paint section of your local hardware store. They'll get you the right paint stripper.
So how about a 25% acetone?
Don’t forget about “autoclaving!” Just setting project over a radiator will make it stronger and stiffer.
T-10 (xylene), or Napthalene are typically used to reduce epoxy.
Yes xylene small amount will flatten it there are faster epoxys probley waS to slow also