When I started my project the weather was a good 60-70 degrees, was fine outside and I thought that I could easily finish resining and fiberglassing, but my local temperature thought that it would be a funny joke to bring the temp down 30-40 degrees in which case it will be extremley difficult to cure stuff. Now I have looked around and seen many people doing things as simple as making a curing box, to as crazy as quarantining a room in their house with fans everywhere, but I was wondering that if I just used a basic floor heater and put it on 70-80 degrees, and placed it next to the resined piece, as well as place a few incandescent lights nearby, (they create great amounts of heat,) would that be sufficient to cure the resin and fiberglass even if outside?
A Cure For Curing?
- Thread starter f0xtr0t09
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HaloFreakX
Well-Known Member
Double thread.. Aanyways, your going to have to use a heater or something of the sort to cure it. If you don't your going to have to start over. Unless someone else knows of another way of course.
Potshot
Jr Member
f0xtr0t09 said:
A mod will delete it next time they see it. You should just report your post so they know that its there.
Also, this weekend, I resined my frag, which worked out fine. So I think you could probably get away with resining for another week or two. Unless the temperature is significantly colder in the mile between our houses.
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Adam Anderson
Member
a tip with the heat, dont put it too close to the peice, as it could catch fire. the resin is flamable
tiredofbuttons
New Member
If you aim a heater at the piece it can develop hotspots and one side could be brittle and the other sticky. Not saying this will always happen, just something to watch for.
tiredofbuttons
New Member
I must note that for like $10-20 you can easily make a curing box 
Go to home depot/lowes or whereever. You're looking for the 1/2" or 3/4" rigid foam insulation in 8'x4' sheets. They'll even cut it for you!
I wanted a taller one, so I got 2 sheets. the sides are 4' tall and 2'8" wide. The bottom and top are 2'8" wide. Duck tape the whole thing together. With leftover scrap make a shelf over the heat source so drips do not hit it. The sheets can easily be cut by scoring with a utility knife and breaking along the edge (put the piece on a table with the scored part on the edge and just push down quickly. Should break cleanly.
Duck tape it into a box shape. Make sure it is sealed pretty well. Cut a hole in the top for a thermometer (I used a candy thermometer for like $1.50). Make one wall a door by making a duck tape hinge. With leftover foam you can even make the door seal better by making a dovetail style seal. Cut a hole for a cord in one wall and put your heat source inside under the shelf you have made. You can use 100watt lightbulbs (or 300 watt or even a small heater if you're careful). Since the heat source is seperated by the shelf the heat should be relatively even throughout the curing box and since the temp is higher than normal the cure should be pretty rapid. Cover anything that might get resin on it in plastic since polyester resin can eat through some foams.
Using this method I get the inside of mine up to 130-165 degrees and cure 24 hour epoxy for another layer in less than an hour and fully cured in less than 4 hours.
I must note that be VERY VERY careful to make sure it doesn't get too hot inside. The adhesive of some duck tapes will turn to goo at higher temps and the shelf will fall. The foam insulation can take quite a bit of heat, but make sure the heat source is not aimed at a close wall nor close to the wall. The foam might deform a little, but this is mostly a problem with the door. I secure the door shut with more duck tape (with an end folded over so i can grab ahold of it) along the side and top. Always be aware of potential fire hazards. Know where your fire extinguishers are. Some resins are flammable (I think polyester resin is) and so I'd be careful about heat sources near it. It also cures plenty fast so I wouldn't worry too much about more heat if you're using polyester resin.
WARNING!
This is a huge one. The foam insulation is flammable. DO NOT OVERHEAT IT! The ignition point is much higher than what you'll be putting in the box (unless you're ruining pieces anyway and crazy to boot...the point is over 500 degrees F for the insulations I've looked up). Put the heat source on a board to keep it off of the foam as well.
I suppose I could make a tutorial if there is much interest.
Go to home depot/lowes or whereever. You're looking for the 1/2" or 3/4" rigid foam insulation in 8'x4' sheets. They'll even cut it for you!
I wanted a taller one, so I got 2 sheets. the sides are 4' tall and 2'8" wide. The bottom and top are 2'8" wide. Duck tape the whole thing together. With leftover scrap make a shelf over the heat source so drips do not hit it. The sheets can easily be cut by scoring with a utility knife and breaking along the edge (put the piece on a table with the scored part on the edge and just push down quickly. Should break cleanly.
Duck tape it into a box shape. Make sure it is sealed pretty well. Cut a hole in the top for a thermometer (I used a candy thermometer for like $1.50). Make one wall a door by making a duck tape hinge. With leftover foam you can even make the door seal better by making a dovetail style seal. Cut a hole for a cord in one wall and put your heat source inside under the shelf you have made. You can use 100watt lightbulbs (or 300 watt or even a small heater if you're careful). Since the heat source is seperated by the shelf the heat should be relatively even throughout the curing box and since the temp is higher than normal the cure should be pretty rapid. Cover anything that might get resin on it in plastic since polyester resin can eat through some foams.
Using this method I get the inside of mine up to 130-165 degrees and cure 24 hour epoxy for another layer in less than an hour and fully cured in less than 4 hours.
I must note that be VERY VERY careful to make sure it doesn't get too hot inside. The adhesive of some duck tapes will turn to goo at higher temps and the shelf will fall. The foam insulation can take quite a bit of heat, but make sure the heat source is not aimed at a close wall nor close to the wall. The foam might deform a little, but this is mostly a problem with the door. I secure the door shut with more duck tape (with an end folded over so i can grab ahold of it) along the side and top. Always be aware of potential fire hazards. Know where your fire extinguishers are. Some resins are flammable (I think polyester resin is) and so I'd be careful about heat sources near it. It also cures plenty fast so I wouldn't worry too much about more heat if you're using polyester resin.
WARNING!
This is a huge one. The foam insulation is flammable. DO NOT OVERHEAT IT! The ignition point is much higher than what you'll be putting in the box (unless you're ruining pieces anyway and crazy to boot...the point is over 500 degrees F for the insulations I've looked up). Put the heat source on a board to keep it off of the foam as well.
I suppose I could make a tutorial if there is much interest.
ceramicist
Jr Member
tiredofbuttons said:I must note that for like $10-20 you can easily make a curing box
Go to home depot/lowes or whereever. You're looking for the 1/2" or 3/4" rigid foam insulation in 8'x4' sheets. They'll even cut it for you!
I wanted a taller one, so I got 2 sheets. the sides are 4' tall and 2'8" wide. The bottom and top are 2'8" wide. Duck tape the whole thing together. With leftover scrap make a shelf over the heat source so drips do not hit it. The sheets can easily be cut by scoring with a utility knife and breaking along the edge (put the piece on a table with the scored part on the edge and just push down quickly. Should break cleanly.
Duck tape it into a box shape. Make sure it is sealed pretty well. Cut a hole in the top for a thermometer (I used a candy thermometer for like $1.50). Make one wall a door by making a duck tape hinge. With leftover foam you can even make the door seal better by making a dovetail style seal. Cut a hole for a cord in one wall and put your heat source inside under the shelf you have made. You can use 100watt lightbulbs (or 300 watt or even a small heater if you're careful). Since the heat source is seperated by the shelf the heat should be relatively even throughout the curing box and since the temp is higher than normal the cure should be pretty rapid. Cover anything that might get resin on it in plastic since polyester resin can eat through some foams.
Using this method I get the inside of mine up to 130-165 degrees and cure 24 hour epoxy for another layer in less than an hour and fully cured in less than 4 hours.
I must note that be VERY VERY careful to make sure it doesn't get too hot inside. The adhesive of some duck tapes will turn to goo at higher temps and the shelf will fall. The foam insulation can take quite a bit of heat, but make sure the heat source is not aimed at a close wall nor close to the wall. The foam might deform a little, but this is mostly a problem with the door. I secure the door shut with more duck tape (with an end folded over so i can grab ahold of it) along the side and top. Always be aware of potential fire hazards. Know where your fire extinguishers are. Some resins are flammable (I think polyester resin is) and so I'd be careful about heat sources near it. It also cures plenty fast so I wouldn't worry too much about more heat if you're using polyester resin.
WARNING!
This is a huge one. The foam insulation is flammable. DO NOT OVERHEAT IT! The ignition point is much higher than what you'll be putting in the box (unless you're ruining pieces anyway and crazy to boot...the point is over 500 degrees F for the insulations I've looked up). Put the heat source on a board to keep it off of the foam as well.
I suppose I could make a tutorial if there is much interest.
I think a tutorial video of you making one of these would be great. I would just like to suggest that anyone making one of these uses it outside, due both to the fire hazard possibility, and also the fact that many types of foam give off toxic/carcinogen fumes that are not fun.
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TurboHeart
Member
i like it!, i need to make one, since it just decided to snow over here in NY, crazy weather
Yeah seems like the cold weather is starting to make its rounds and hit everyone. I have a question related to the OP:
What if you have a heatgun? Obviously the heatgun is capable of much higher temperature than a cure box with a heater unit but its also more focused.
Could anyone with some experience using a heatgun to cure resin give a quick rundown of things to watch out for? I've heard everything from if you leave it on too long/too close the piece will catch fire or the resin will crack.. which is believable, but I'd like to hear some facts.
Just another alternative for some people that are trying to get resin to cure in cold temperatures.
What if you have a heatgun? Obviously the heatgun is capable of much higher temperature than a cure box with a heater unit but its also more focused.
Could anyone with some experience using a heatgun to cure resin give a quick rundown of things to watch out for? I've heard everything from if you leave it on too long/too close the piece will catch fire or the resin will crack.. which is believable, but I'd like to hear some facts.
Just another alternative for some people that are trying to get resin to cure in cold temperatures.
UNSC Leatherneck
Well-Known Member
And so begins the Great Pep Season, where it's too cold to resin, so everyone assembles pep pieces until spring.
TurboHeart
Member
Hey guys i made a video tutorial, check it out here:
http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21982
http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21982
pok3rst4r89
New Member
Potshot said:
i believe it becomes flammable after a certain degree. I may be wrong but i believe that you shouldnt go over 130 degree, i would just keep it 80-100
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