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Storing Decanted Hardener Response

Subject: Storing Decanted Hardener Response
From: Tony Renshaw <renshaw@ozemail.com.au>
Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 22:32:48
 <20010225060955.18623.qmail@aw161.netaddress.usa.net>
 <3.0.5.32.20010226103840.007d2370@pop.ozemail.com.au>

Rowland and others,
I can only speak from my limited no of enquiries after losing quite a few
batches of hardener for one reason or another. I don't claim to be  a
plastic expert, but I do know glass/metal is best by being totally
inert/stable. The mixing cups I have had leak hardener when used for long
term storage, so whatever type of plastic they are made from is probably
not suitable for other than mixing. I gather that polyethylene is basically
a white/opaque colour and not clear like most food containers for example.  
I have searched both in Aussie, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Honolulu to
no avail when it comes to polyethylene food containers. 
Your quote of my quote (double dutch!)
  It seems that polyethylene is the only option, otherwise metal tins or
glass is best. It is very hard to find polyethylene food storage
containers. The market is basically saturated with the cheaper
polyethylene. Beware anything else except glass/metal for decanting, unless
you can be
assured it is poly ethylene.
>
>Now I'm really confused. You seem to be saying "don't use 
>polyethylene, use polyethylene instead" - or am I missing something?

My answer:  Yep, you won. You are the only person who picked up my
intentional mistake! What I meant to say is that the market is basically
swamped with cheaper poly"propolene"!!! (I don't think I spelt that correctly)

Floating lids. Well my first version was like yours except my grey duct
tape got soft and soggy on me. I got worried about the adhesive so I tossed
that container of hardener. I next epoxied foam lids to make them inert,
left them for a week or two and then put them in. Guess what, they too got
attacked. I now use a fruit bag from the local greengrocer which evacuates
the air above the hardener, but make sure it doesn't go for a swim in it. 

Hope this diatribe helps someone. 
Reg
Tony Renshaw


>
>>If you leave the hardener in a polyethylene container for any length of
>>time it will sweat through.
>
>I thought the 2 containers on my resin pump (Michael Engineering 
>brand) were polyethylene (often contracted in everyday speech to 
>"polythene"), but now you're giving me cause to wonder. The mixing 
>cups supplied by Europa appear to be polypropylene which must be OK, 
>but I have found by empirical means that polystyrene and other 
>containers will not contain resin/hardener.
>
>>  It seems that polyethylene is the only option,
>>otherwise metal tins or glass is best. It is very hard to find polyethylene
>>food storage containers. The market is basically saturated with the cheaper
>>polyethylene.
>>Beware anything else except glass/metal for decanting, unless you can be
>>assured it is poly ethylene.
>
>Now I'm really confused. You seem to be saying "don't use 
>polyethylene, use polyethylene instead" - or am I missing something?
>
>>  I am the expert on why floating foam lids in resin
>>pumps DONT work if anyone else wants to give that a try too.
>
>Right - I want to hear what I've done wrong as I've recently put 
>floating lids on both the hardener and resin containers of my resin 
>pump. My lids were constructed from white foam (ie polystyrene) but 
>to prevent their dissolution into the liquid they were covered in 
>carefully-applied polyethylene (yes that stuff again) sheet with no 
>joints below the waterline.
>
>No doubt there are others who might benefit from hearing this answer too.
>
>regards
>
>Rowland
>
>
>| PFA 16532   EAA 168386   Young Eagles Flight Leader 017623
>| Europa builder #435 G-ROWI
>
Reg
Tony Renshaw
Builder No.236


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