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Fast curing fiberglass

Maxrate

Well Known Member
Wow is all I can say! I ran across this EAA video that everyone working with glass may want to check out. If you?re a member logon to hints for homebuilders. Select fiberglass, and look for the fast curing fiberglass video. I?m currently working on the wheel pants/fairings and was having to wait 5 to 6 hours to complete a task while waiting for the epoxy to cure. I set up a large shipping box with a space heater set to 87? With 1? holes for venting and cut the curing time down to one hour.
 
Curing epoxy

I'm fortunate to have a heating system room. Stays 90 most of the time. I hang any part that fits inside. It's actually very useful. Part set up before materials can flow.
 
Fast cure usually means low strength...

What you are referring to is related to the hobby store epoxy that is marked as 5min/10min/30min where the 30min variety makes a stronger bond. The laminating epoxy we use in aerospace structure cure time is dependent on the temperature of the composite layup. Most laminating epoxy systems have a working temperature range where as too low temperature will not get the epoxy to cure and too high temperature will cause the epoxy to degrade. However, this high range is really high, it will burn your skin. For experimental stuff, anything in the range of a thermal blanket set on high is perfectly okay. In the commercial aerospace composite autoclave, the temperature setting is even higher. 90degF is even less than your skin temperature and it will not degrade your composite strength at all.
 
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