Does anyone have any guesses what the shelf life is for cans of Abatron Woodcast? While cleaning out one of my many work areas, I found two cans (one of each part) that have never been opened. I didn't mark a date on either can, but the stuff around it was dated between 2009 and 2011, so it's safe to assume that's when I got this.
Should I try to use it, or just toss it?
Abatron Woodcast shelf life?
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Re: Abatron Woodcast shelf life?
I think you should just test a sample I have epoxy that is really old. I got gallons of the stuff because it was outdated, it works fine and have used it for a variety of projects.
I have two types. one is a 1:1 mix and it is beige in color, intended for filling cracks, the other is an amber liquid, good for fiberglass repairs etc. mix is 3:1
It still hardens up fine. the product you are using is no more than an epoxy with some sort of filler added to bulk up the product with a trade name applied. I just add wood dust and I can add as much as I want until it reaches a point where there isnt; enough liquid to saturate the dust. If I wand a gritty non slip surface I buy crushed walnut shells , If you use sand then it settles but the walnuts are a little lighter so they stay in suspension.
you can get clear epoxy, You might want that if you are casting things like key chains with shells encapsulated, or something like that. they have a product called sculpwood if you want the filler in the product. I use sawdust because it works fine as a filler and its free. ( why buy that? )
they have a product called rotfix , it is evidently quite thin to allow penetration.
https://fibertek.ca/product-category/fi ... xy-resins/
If you need solid info I would try a shop that specializes in epoxy. They know their products so they can advise. If you go to a hardware chain they wont know epoxy that well. these guys get asked questions from all sorts of people using it for industrial uses.
Im not sure if you have a fibertek in your area. They sell a lot to people using it for boat repairs, boat building and deck coatings. I suspect you have a company that is similar in your area.
some of the components might separate, I'd take a stick , give both parts a god mix and then try a sample to make sure it hardens. They need a certain minimum temperature to work so don't use it out in the cold. I've never seen the catalyst or the hardener dry in the can even after years on the shelf but I have seen cans that need a good mix for a few minutes and its thick so use something stiff like a stick. the expiry might simply be just because they want the product to be well mixed before it gets to the consumer and the solids they add probably settle.
If you mix epoxy or fiberglass resin , dont use a drill and a mixer, you dont want to introduce air bubbles. some who cast it use a vibrator to shrink or expel the air bubbles. you can use the washing machine as a vibrator if you just do a little project. if you put it under pressure it may shrink any bubbles or if you use vacuum it may pull the air out of the stuff but that's more important when using it for casting. dry powdered pigments probably wont affect it hardening. I tried adding paint or stain once and it prevented hardening because that was completely incompatible. i wouldn't add paint thinners or blopentine or anything to thin it unless you ask the manufacturer. Acetone is used to clean up tools etc.
i have a 5 gallon bucket were someone had left a plastic pail in the can that they used as a measure. it was inthe can a long time and was dissolving the container so i discarded the container, but even that seems to harden. some use plastic drink cups to measure and mix, then discard them.
I'd experiment with what you have and use it up. if there is any issue it should show in a test so just mix a minimal amount and see what happens.
most oil paints are unaffected by cold but latex goes bad if it freezes. I keep mine in the pantry under the stairs. I dont keep food in there and it isn't part of my heating system so if it off gasses it doesn't creep into the airspace shared with the house. It usually doesn't freeze in there or get super hot so it's a cool dark place. If you buy a chemical storage cabinet they have spring loaded doors with latches and a fitting to connect a pipe so it can vent outside the building. That's probably even more appropriate and what would be called for under WCB( here) or maybe EPA is the equivalent in the US.
you can download the MSDS sheet for this or any other chemical product.
the link for that is here: ( or just search google for MSDS and the product name.)
note: it says in there not to store it in a hot place.
https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/msd ... t-msds.pdf
if you discard it I'd probably combine it first , let it do it's chemical reacting out in the open, then what you throw out isn't a sticky mess of chemicals. its probably more of a stable substance like that. - or take it to a fiberglass place and they will know what to do with the stuff.
at work they had some fiberglass where someone had spilled quite a quantity of the fiberglass hardener in with he rolls of cloth. It was a stinky mess, and they took it back and it was accepted back to fibertek for proper disposal.
in making things like boats of fiberglass they use fiberglass resin which has a small percentage of hardener. epoxy is about 3x the price but they use that to repair fiberglass. the places that specialize in these products will know about the differences. epoxy is in general , stronger glue, more flexible than fiberglass resin ) or polyester resin) under those basic categories there are a lot of trade names and proprietary products. i'd rather buy the epoxy in itself then add whatever fillers i want for the project. then I can use the straight epoxy for things needing waterproof glue. if something with fibers is added it helps add strength if you use it as a filler. if Im gluing up a tight crack ( say I break a plank and it keys together perfectly) I dont want a filler like wood dust or any other solids interfering with the fit. if Im filling a knot hole then I add fillers. it will chane from frunny to a plastic state but often you dont have a lot of time to work with it as it changes state.
I had a piece missing from our backgammon set. I just made it into a ball and worked it until I got the shape and size I wanted to match the other pieces. ( wearing gloves) it worked fine.
Phil
I have two types. one is a 1:1 mix and it is beige in color, intended for filling cracks, the other is an amber liquid, good for fiberglass repairs etc. mix is 3:1
It still hardens up fine. the product you are using is no more than an epoxy with some sort of filler added to bulk up the product with a trade name applied. I just add wood dust and I can add as much as I want until it reaches a point where there isnt; enough liquid to saturate the dust. If I wand a gritty non slip surface I buy crushed walnut shells , If you use sand then it settles but the walnuts are a little lighter so they stay in suspension.
you can get clear epoxy, You might want that if you are casting things like key chains with shells encapsulated, or something like that. they have a product called sculpwood if you want the filler in the product. I use sawdust because it works fine as a filler and its free. ( why buy that? )
they have a product called rotfix , it is evidently quite thin to allow penetration.
https://fibertek.ca/product-category/fi ... xy-resins/
If you need solid info I would try a shop that specializes in epoxy. They know their products so they can advise. If you go to a hardware chain they wont know epoxy that well. these guys get asked questions from all sorts of people using it for industrial uses.
Im not sure if you have a fibertek in your area. They sell a lot to people using it for boat repairs, boat building and deck coatings. I suspect you have a company that is similar in your area.
some of the components might separate, I'd take a stick , give both parts a god mix and then try a sample to make sure it hardens. They need a certain minimum temperature to work so don't use it out in the cold. I've never seen the catalyst or the hardener dry in the can even after years on the shelf but I have seen cans that need a good mix for a few minutes and its thick so use something stiff like a stick. the expiry might simply be just because they want the product to be well mixed before it gets to the consumer and the solids they add probably settle.
If you mix epoxy or fiberglass resin , dont use a drill and a mixer, you dont want to introduce air bubbles. some who cast it use a vibrator to shrink or expel the air bubbles. you can use the washing machine as a vibrator if you just do a little project. if you put it under pressure it may shrink any bubbles or if you use vacuum it may pull the air out of the stuff but that's more important when using it for casting. dry powdered pigments probably wont affect it hardening. I tried adding paint or stain once and it prevented hardening because that was completely incompatible. i wouldn't add paint thinners or blopentine or anything to thin it unless you ask the manufacturer. Acetone is used to clean up tools etc.
i have a 5 gallon bucket were someone had left a plastic pail in the can that they used as a measure. it was inthe can a long time and was dissolving the container so i discarded the container, but even that seems to harden. some use plastic drink cups to measure and mix, then discard them.
I'd experiment with what you have and use it up. if there is any issue it should show in a test so just mix a minimal amount and see what happens.
most oil paints are unaffected by cold but latex goes bad if it freezes. I keep mine in the pantry under the stairs. I dont keep food in there and it isn't part of my heating system so if it off gasses it doesn't creep into the airspace shared with the house. It usually doesn't freeze in there or get super hot so it's a cool dark place. If you buy a chemical storage cabinet they have spring loaded doors with latches and a fitting to connect a pipe so it can vent outside the building. That's probably even more appropriate and what would be called for under WCB( here) or maybe EPA is the equivalent in the US.
you can download the MSDS sheet for this or any other chemical product.
the link for that is here: ( or just search google for MSDS and the product name.)
note: it says in there not to store it in a hot place.
https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/msd ... t-msds.pdf
if you discard it I'd probably combine it first , let it do it's chemical reacting out in the open, then what you throw out isn't a sticky mess of chemicals. its probably more of a stable substance like that. - or take it to a fiberglass place and they will know what to do with the stuff.
at work they had some fiberglass where someone had spilled quite a quantity of the fiberglass hardener in with he rolls of cloth. It was a stinky mess, and they took it back and it was accepted back to fibertek for proper disposal.
in making things like boats of fiberglass they use fiberglass resin which has a small percentage of hardener. epoxy is about 3x the price but they use that to repair fiberglass. the places that specialize in these products will know about the differences. epoxy is in general , stronger glue, more flexible than fiberglass resin ) or polyester resin) under those basic categories there are a lot of trade names and proprietary products. i'd rather buy the epoxy in itself then add whatever fillers i want for the project. then I can use the straight epoxy for things needing waterproof glue. if something with fibers is added it helps add strength if you use it as a filler. if Im gluing up a tight crack ( say I break a plank and it keys together perfectly) I dont want a filler like wood dust or any other solids interfering with the fit. if Im filling a knot hole then I add fillers. it will chane from frunny to a plastic state but often you dont have a lot of time to work with it as it changes state.
I had a piece missing from our backgammon set. I just made it into a ball and worked it until I got the shape and size I wanted to match the other pieces. ( wearing gloves) it worked fine.
Phil