Are there any members that are familiar with epoxy?  I'm on shaky ground using room temperature epoxies.  I hope someone has the patience to go through all this.  I've tried to supply all the details... hope I don't bore you to tears.

 

I selected an epoxy because it has a long pot life.  I did this because of several reasons. 

 

(1) I'm a little slow here as I learn what I can and can't do with the fiberglass... generally cloth.

 

and mainly...

 

(2) To avoid having to use peel ply or having to sand between layers, I understand that if it has not fully "dried", that I can apply the next layer and I'll get a bond at the molecular level (as if it was done all at one time).

 

So I picked one that at 80F will have a

Pot Life = 40 min

Set Time = 6 hours

Dry Time = 28 hours

 

My thinking being, I can apply the next layers after work the next day and it'll act as if it was done all at one time.

 

I'm trying this "filament winding" with MLM's rudders.  I've only done one in case the theory is a flop.  Something just doesn't "feel" right.  The epoxy doesn't feel as rigid as I've seen when it cures in the bottom of the cup or coat ply.  So I read more on the vendor's web site and they said that full drying may take 5 days... more if the temperature is lower than 70F. 

 

And then I ran across this statement:  Set Time - blah, blah, blah... To re-coat without sanding between coats you must reapply after this point but before the drying time has completed.

 

As part of this filament winding, I lay 10 dry wraps across the flange width then brush on the epoxy... then I wrap the next ten.  It so happens that I stopped about half way through the winding process.  I finished the first batch of epoxy and the dinner bell rang.  When I came back, I mixed up another batch and finished off the winding.

 

Those three words didn't sink in until yesterday.  (Yes, I'm a little dense sometimes.)

 

The first run was obviously all done during the first pot life.  However, the second run was about 2 hours later.  So, definitely, the first run was still during its "Set Life".  In other words, It was not "after this point." 

 

What happens if you apply a fresh layer before the set time has completed?

 

Thanks,

Dennis