Trade Secrets: How to mix PRO-SET epoxy resin and hardener
Here at epoxycraft you’ll normally find hints and tips for working with WEST SYSTEM® epoxy. But what about PRO-SET® epoxy? It’s typically used by professional boat builders and composite manufacturers – until now. As the new 1 kg A pack becomes available, we give you a few top tips for mixing PRO-SET epoxy resin and hardener at home.
PRO-SET epoxy is used to build some of the fastest boats on the water today; it’s purpose-designed to construct high performance, lightweight composites. We’ve featured a number of them right here in epoxycraft – such as the Exocet Moth and the Bernico F3 Extreme.
To that end, it’s fair to say that PRO-SET epoxy is typically only used by professional boat builders. However, that’s partly because it’s only been available in very large quantities until recently. Now that the A size PRO-SET Laminating Pack (1 kg of PRO-SET LAM-125 Laminating Resin with 0.286 kg PRO-SET LAM-226 Laminating Hardener) is available in chandleries, it’s easier to try it out for a specialist project that you’re working on at home.
Two top tips for mixing PRO-SET epoxy
Mixing PRO-SET resin and hardener is very similar to mixing the WEST SYSTEM epoxy.
1. Be careful with mix ratio
PRO-SET products in the new 1.28kg pack mix together at a ratio of 3:1 by volume, or 100:28.6 by weight. Just like with WEST SYSTEM epoxy products, an accurate mix ratio is extremely important for the resin/hardener mix to cure.
When measuring PRO-SET resin or hardener, we don’t recommend the WEST SYSTEM 301 Mini Pumps or the 303 Special Ratio Mini Pumps; these are designed for use with WEST SYSTEM products. Instead use digital scales to weigh your resin and hardener, or use accurate graduated mixing pots.
2. An insider tip for mixing
As with WEST SYSTEM epoxy resin and hardener, a thorough mix is important to ensure that the PRO-SET blend cures correctly. Indeed, our very own Guru of the gooey stuff, David Johnson, has a special mixing technique that he recommends for PRO-SET epoxy.
If you have a pot of PRO-SET resin and hardener and you simply mix it by stirring with a stick – like you’d stir your milk into your coffee – you’ll push the higher density product to the outside of the pot, leaving the lower density product in the middle. However, if you move your mixing stick to the edge of the pot – and stir in little circles clockwise around the edge of the pot – you’ll bring the two products together more efficiently, for a better blend.
Want to know more about PRO-SET products? Visit the PRO-SET section of the West System International website .
