IntegraFlex frustrations

[valvestud]

Hello,

I'm doing my second Wolverine application, but this part is twice the size of the last. I have the normal rounded edge stress cracks and intended to fill with the IntegraFlex product. So, got everything ready and mixed up the one gallon kit. Went immediately and began "pour". After about 30' I stopped and did a quick scrape off of the excess and then went back to pour some more. Not more then 10 minutes elapsed and the material became unworkable. I'm not sure how anyone could pour this material and work smooth in the time allowed by the pot life. Great product, just too difficult to use.

My question is, while I wait for Fred to get back to me, does anyone have experience with another material that's more DIY friendly? Something that doesn't need mixing would be ideal. Maybe a Sika product?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Joe

 

[hldtyt]

I used a two part epoxy crack filler from a local concrete supply company. I had to rent a double barrel caulk gun, but it wasnt to bad. It mixed as you pushed it out via a clear tube. Kinda pricey at $30 for dual tube supply. Took three of them to do my craks and edges on my three car.

 

[AlphaGarage]

As other epoxies IntegraFlex does have a limited pot life. It cures by exothermic reaction, that is by heat. Components in the resin and hardner, when combined, cause heat, which drives the hardening.

Think of the mixed epoxy as a crowd at a party, when placed in a small room things can warm up quickly, ad some music and it get down right hot. Same with epoxy. If left in the smaller space the epoxy can heat up, and even start to smoke, in a matter of just minutes.To help extend the pot life after the two parts are combined get the mix out of the small mixing container and into a larger container right away.

Also work with smaller amounts, IntegraFlex is a 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener, so work with say 2 cups of hardener mixed with 2 cups of resin, or whatever amount you can apply in 15 to 20 minutes.

Finally you can probably apply more epoxy and wait a bit longer before going back to scrape off the excess. The pot life may only be 30 minutes, but it remains pliable enough to easily cut off for longer than that.

Different people like working with it in different ways. Some like to work with it as soon as it's mixed and somewhat liquid by pouring it into the voids, other allow it to set up a bit till it's like putty, and them work it in by hand. Some like to go slightly under grade and then fill to grade with the rolled on epoxy coats, while others fill over grade and scrape of the excess. Another method is to go over grade but then feather it out an inch or so to blend into the surrounding material.

 

[valvestud]

Fred,

Thanks for the response. Can I get a call back related to my other issue?

Thanks

 

[valvestud]

Thanks hldtyt!

 

[Rick3Foxes]

"IntegraFlex is a 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener, so work with say 2 cups of hardener mixed with 32 cups of resin,"


Fred, am I reading this right?

Rick.

 

[AlphaGarage]

"IntegraFlex is a 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener, so work with say 2 cups of hardener mixed with 32 cups of resin,"


Fred, am I reading this right?

Rick.

You're reading it right - but I wrote it wrong!

I was literally on the road and typing in a cafe parking lot, after a long section of rough road, towards the end of several days of travel, so I was a bit sloppy.

The correct mix for IntegraFlex 1921 is 1 Resin (Part A) to 1 Hardener (Part B) or 1:1 by volume. So with one cup Part A, mix with one cup Part B.

My apologies for that error. (In fact my apologies to anyone who's been communicating, or trying to communicate, with us over the weekend. The server was having issues with our laptops, so we couldn't access all emails, docs, calls etc. Usually we have someone to handle the weekend business, but he was also on the road also, so it was a tough few days.)

 

[Ovidiu]

Joe,
I was also a bit surprised by the relatively short pot life of Integraflex, but all that there is to it is, as Fred said, mix up smaller quantities and/or work faster. When I did it, what worked best for us was to mix it, then pour it out straight off the cup into the cracks, going FAST and overfilling the cracks by quite a bit. After it hardens, you can take a metal spackle or something similar and "cut off" the top part.

PM me for some pictures if you want.