Hi Shawn,

Not really. Epoxy acts more like an integrating thermoplastic. You will find that the epoxy cures to a reasonable degree at lets say 20C. If you warm it up to 40C you will find that it softens a bit. If you maintain the 40C it will cure to a higher degree, i.e. if you drop the temperature and then increase it again you will find very very little softening. You can do this again at 60C and you will see the same.

Note that this behaviour is dependent on the epoxy. Especially slow curing epoxies are subject to this behaviour. This is one of the reasons why you comonly see print through of the fabric during the first season. With increasing time this behaviour to temperature becomes less, i.e. the epoxy achieves a greater degree of cure.

It would be best to cure the epoxy at elevated temperatures prior to final sanding. 40-50 C would be a good case for kayaks. I'll try to get my garage up to a higher temperature (max probably around ~30C)when I put on my last coat of epoxy prior to final sanding (Covering up 4 small areas which have slightly exposed glass).

Andreas

: Hi Andreas,

: Long time, no see!

: So are you saying that epoxy acts like a thermoplastic, or just in its early
: cure stages?

: shawn