Fiberglass resin, and brushes

[kobra15 10+ year member]

First of all, YES, i've read the sticky post, and the links haven't really helped //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif OK, here is my question. I am building a box with a fiberglass face, and I am going through brushes like crazy, cause after a couple of minutes or so, the resin sets up, and my brushes are rock hard. Is there anything I can do to possibly prolong the life of my brushes in between coats of glass? I'm sure there's a way, but i don't know it! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif Thanks guys, hit me up!

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[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Let it soak in a bowl full of acetone before the hardening process begins...

 

[MXJMR 10+ year member]

acetone, paint thinner finger nail polish any type of harsh smelin crap //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[BDIDDY 10+ year member]

Your resin may be gelling up to fast.

 

[kobra15 10+ year member]

my resin seems to be gelling up way too fast to be honest with ya. I'm a first time fiberglasser, so i'm learning it as i go......so far i've learned don't trust the directions on the resin. 14 drops of hardner per ounce of resin, //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nono.gif.eca61d170185779e0921b0faa9704973.gif I'm using like 25 drops per 4 ounces and i still only get like 5 minutes max?

 

[BDIDDY 10+ year member]

my resin seems to be gelling up way too fast to be honest with ya. I'm a first time fiberglasser, so i'm learning it as i go......so far i've learned don't trust the directions on the resin. 14 drops of hardner per ounce of resin, //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nono.gif.eca61d170185779e0921b0faa9704973.gif I'm using like 25 drops per 4 ounces and i still only get like 5 minutes max?

Weather and other conditions come into play here. I got through half a batch and then it gelled up within 20 seconds. Everything is a learning process.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

You might wanna back off on the hardener a tad to give yourself more time. Also, smaller batches harden a little slower because the heat generated by the chemical reaction acts as a catalyst and smaller batches make less heat.

If you're using foam brushes you're screwed reusing them cuz the solvents that the other guys mentioned will eat them. See if it makes sense to use a plastic spatula spreader instead - the harened stuff will peel off and you can reuse them.

H.D. has the disposable bristle brushes for about 79 cents.