Epoxy resin not curing

[jaytendo]

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My friend and I just finished my bar top, its bottle caps, glued down, grouted and the idea was to seal it with epoxy resin, to leave it looking like glass and so the bottle caps didn't get scratched. Over a week ago we poured the resin on, (he assured me many a times he knew what he was doing), it took about 4, 1L mixes to cover the whole thing and other than the burn marks where he set the resin on fire and the overlap from different batches, which i am hoping i can sand or buff out. There is a section that hasn't dried yet, or even come close, on top it has barely formed a skin, when the rest is pretty well cured. I think that he didn't mix the epoxy very well, but since he didn't buy the materials, and its not his project, he doesn't care. What can I do? I had the thought of cleaning it up with acetone and pouring a fresh batch down and trying again, but i really don't want to screw this up. All these bottle caps I have saved myself and up until this point I have built it by myself, lots of love in this girl, can anyone help me with this #### up?

[wheelinround]

Bummer and is first thoughts. Sounds like a hardener wasn't or not enough added or even mixed in correct proportions will do that. Ambient temp also plays a big part but its been a while now and should have changed somewhat.

Can't help more than that.

Oh what epoxy were you using??

Good job it didn't all go up in smoke when he lit it.

[jaytendo]

Feast Watson Glass Finish. It comes it 2 bottles that are to be mixed evenly, he put both the bottles in the container so it was the right ratio. The others turned out all right. Any thoughts on how i can fix this? I'm probably not going to achieve the quality I wanted but if it all sets hard I'd count that as a win.

I was watching as he was trying to remove the bubbles with a blow torch and I was able to put the flames out pretty quick. The scorch marks are only small and the caps are still visible beneath.

[Christos]

Not used this particular product before but have used Epoxy and yes it does get hot(and gives off clouds of smoke/fumes) if the ratios are not quite right.

Using a hairdryer might have been a better option to get the bubbles out.

The how to fix part I am guessing but I think you need to take it off and start again. Not the whole thing but maybe just that part. How about sending a mail to the company and ask them what they think.

[Master Splinter]

Try vinegar.

The acetic acid stops the polymerising reaction and (while wearing gloves) allows you to slowly scrape off all the gooey stuff without getting too sticky in the process...but if it is improperly mixed there may be hard bits spotted through it.

Then, after spending a good hour or three getting the last bits off, you can come to the conclusion that you are going to have a hard time getting the join line between the area you need to re-pour and the stuff that set last week to disappear - and that's assuming you don't have any that has set on the on the bottle caps to remove in the re-do section...as the only solvents that will efficiently attack epoxy start with 'warm sulphuric acid' and tend to get nastier from there (I'm leaving out the 'boil in water for several days' option as that seems impractical for a bartop).

[joe greiner]

If you used several kits, it's possible the one in question had exceeded its shelf life. BTDT.

Since applied heat can accelerate curing, a heat gun might compensate for the dodgy batch; safer than a blow torch.

Cheers,
Joe

[jaytendo]

I plan to try and scrape off as much of the tacky stuff as i can, i think its been around 10 days since it was poured and I dont see it curing anymore. I will mix a new batch of epoxy myself and pour it and spread it as best i can. When its set i will buff/sand the seams as best i can and this time i plan to use a hairdryer, starting again is not an option. so i figure this is what i should do, i tried cleaning it up with vinegar and it didn't work well/at all. Would using acetane effect the hardened epoxy? are there any other problems in this plan that anyone can see?