Choose the right hardener to control the cure time of 105 Epoxy Resin at the temperature at which you will work.
Select your hardener to give you the pot life you want at the temperature and conditions in which you will work. #205 Fast Hardener, mixed at a 5:1 ratio with #105 Resin, results in a pot life of 9-12 minutes at 72°F, with solid cure in 6-8 hours. It has a minimum recommended working temperature of 40°F. #206 Slow Hardener, mixed at the standard 5:1 ratio with #105 Resin, has a 20-25 minute pot life at 72°F with 12-18 hours required for solid cure. It has a minimum recommended working of temperature of 60°F. 209 Extra Slow Hardener, mixed at a 3:1 ratio with #105 Resin, results in a pot life of 20-25 minutes at 72°F, with 10-15 hours required for a solid cure.
Overview of Hardeners and Cure Times
| Hardener | Resin : Hardener Ratio | Pot Life @ 72°F | Cures to Solid | Min. Temp. |
|---|
| 205 Fast | 5 : 1 | 9-12 min. | 6-8 hr. | 40°F |
| 206 Slow | 5 : 1 | 20-25 min. | 10-15 hr. | 60°F |
| 209 Extra Slow | 3 : 1 | 40-50 min. | 20-24 hr. | 65°F |
| 207 Special Clear | 3 : 1 | 20-25 min. | 10-15 hr. | 60°F |
Uses for Hardeners
205 Fast, 206 Slow and 209 Extra Slow Hardeners when mixed with 105 Epoxy Resin work well for wetting out porous surfaces before bonding with thickened epoxy. Other uses include laminating or bonding sheets or layers of materials with tight fitting joints. Applying fabrics to surfaces or laminating in molds is another use. These hardeners are also a good choice for barrier coating, where multiple coats of epoxy create moisture protection.
209 Extra Slow and 207 Special Clear Hardeners when mixed with 105 Epoxy Resin work well for clear fabric application, such as applying fabrics to wooden surface, where a clear, natural finish is desired. They are also good for coating wooden surfaces to create a clear moisture barrier.
Group Sizes
We offer hardeners in "A", "B", "C" and "E" group sizes. Match the group size of the hardener you select to the group size of the 105 Epoxy Resin with which it will be used.
Metering Pumps
For group sizes "A", "B" and "C", 205 and 206 Hardeners are mixed with 105 Epoxy Resin in a ratio of 5:1. 207 and 209 Hardeners are mixed with 105 Epoxy Resin in a ratio of 3:1. To make sure you get the proportions right, we highly recommend purchase of the 300 Mini-Pump Kit, which meters the hardener and resin in the exact proportions you need. For group size "E" and larger sizes, we suggest use of either the 306-23 Special Purpose Resin/Hardener pump (Model 128845), which dispenses hardener and 105 Epoxy Resin at a ratio of 3:1, or the 306-25 Special Purpose Resin/Hardener pump (Model 335703), which dispenses hardener and 105 Epoxy Resin at a ratio of 5:1.
