Surface Preparation
Optimum results for your project many times center around starting with a properly prepared surface. Here are recommendations and short articles on how to prepare surfaces properly before applying your System Three® product.
Preparation
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What is the minimum application temperature for epoxy?
Different products have different minimum tolerable application temperatures. Please see the individual product pages on the website or the Technical Data Sheets for the product.
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How to prep surface of aluminum before bonding with epoxy.
Method One (Recommended)
1. Degrease with denatured alcohol or acetone.
2. Apply an aluminum pre-treatment primer or solution such as Alumiprep-33.
3. Rinse the metal thoroughly in cold running tap water followed by distilled or deionized water rinse.
4. Bond within 1 hour.
Method Two
1. Degrease with denatured alcohol or acetone.
2. Sand to 80-100 grit.
3. Clean sanding dust.
4. Bond within 3 hours.
Sanding
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Sanding guidelines for applying multiple coats of product.
- Recoating or applying multiple coats of one of our 2:1 epoxy products (General Purpose, SilverTip, Clear Coat, MirrorCoat, etc.) can be done without sanding if done within 72 hours of the previous coat. Beyond 72 hours, sand the previous coat with no higher than 120 grit sand paper to ensure the next coat adheres or properly levels out.
- For S-1 Sealer and Cold Cure products, the recoat window is 24 hours.
- For all System Three adhesives (Quick Cure, T-88, Gel Magic, MetlWeld, etc.) sand in between coats for best adhesion if a second application is desired. Please follow all instructions on substrate surface preparation prior to applying System Three adhesives.
- For fairing compounds, putty, and pastes, please allow to fully cure then abrade or sand if additional product is to be applied.
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Sanding guidelines for applying one System Three product over another
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Recoating or applying one product on top of another for most of our 2:1 epoxies (General Purpose, SilverTip, Clear Coat, MirrorCoat, RotFix, etc.) can be done without sanding if done within 72 hours of the previous coat or product. Beyond that, sand the previous coat or product with 120-150 grit sandpaper to ensure the next layer adheres to the previous one.
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For S-1 Sealer and Cold Cure products, sanding must be done after 24 hours.
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For all System Three adhesives (Quick Cure, T-88, Gel Magic, MetlWeld, etc.) allow an overnight cure, sand the surface and apply more product.
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For QuikFair, allow to harden 4-6 hours then sand with 120-150 grit paper and apply more QuickFair.
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For SculpWood Putty allow to harden 4-6 hours then sand with 120-150 grit paper. Apply RotFix Epoxy then while wet, add more SculpWood Putty.
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For SculpWood Paste allow to harden 6-8 hours then sand with 120-150 grit paper and apply more SculpWood Paste.
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