Spar-Tite

[Brian Duff]

So whats it take for spartite not to harden properly ?

Is cooler weather application enought to make it never harden ?

How cool ?

Don't have a set of there instructions in the shop at the moment but the Q came up ...

I do know that if their mixing instructions aren't followed, it doens't set up right, but I am more wondering about compatabilty with mating materials or temerature....

[Quickstep192]

From what I can gather, SparTite is similar to epoxy in that it's a catalized two part system that doesn't cure well below a certain temperature. It is probably also sensitive to being mixed in the proper proportions. Too little hardener and it won't fully cure and remain gooey. Too much hardener and it will cure brittle. Way too much hardener and it will "kick" too fast , possibly bubbling and making a mess. Here's an excerpt from SparTite's web site that talks about curing and temperature.

Q: Is there any way I can speed up the cure time?

The instructions state that SPARTITE’s curing time is dependent on temperature. The warmer it is the quicker the cure. The product may feel hard after only a few hours but it can take up to 5 days to fully gain its properties. A rule of thumb is 3 days if it's above 75° F, 5 days below 75° to 50° F. At temperatures below 50° F, you will need to add heat via heat lamp or electric heater to help cure the product. The good news is, once the temperature rises above 60° F, it will start curing again. It just takes time. If you are interested in speeding the cure time in normal temperatures, add heat but wait a few hours to minimize shrinking away from the mating surfaces. If you add heat for 16 hours you should be able to go sailing one day sooner.

[Brian Duff]

yeah, or maybe the owner was feeling some leftover clay and htought it was unhardened spartite, oh well, better than the alternative