Shelf life, gel-coat

I've got a small can of West Marine Gel-coat that is probably four years old. Does this stuff go bad?

Yes - it goes bad. Pop it open and I bet its at least partially solidified.

Damn

Before you toss it, taste it first, see if it's still got any -flavor- left!

Hey, on the same note, I've got some of that Marine Tex epoxy goo that's a few years old, you know the little white bottle with the catalyst in the smaller clear bottle, would that be any good as long as it's still gooy? I've got some small -dings- I need to putty up on the boards.

My guide is usually, "If you have to ask, its probably no good!"

But thats just me...

C

If it is still liquid it's fine really. If it is solidified, throw it away. I've used gel coat older than that

Just like any other product. Do a small test batch and see what happens.

If it works it is good.

If it doesn't work it is bad.

Just for those who might not know. Tinted Gelcoat purchased through Nacra has a shelf life of 30 to 90 days according to the label.

Spike it with a few drops of cobalt. Add some duratec clear additive. Try it. Gel goes bad, but can be brought back.

I tasted mine is supposed to be sweet or sour?

like chicken

OK, I'll bite. How can you extend the shelf life? Frig, freezer, voodoo? Just askin. Ed

Actually yes. I'm not sure about freezing, but frig and voodoo work well.

You can keep catalized epoxy sometimes as long as several weeks by putting it in the refer. Same goes with 2-part paint.

Unmixed resins will last almost indefinately if well sealed and put in the shop refer. Don't do this at home!

Unless you have a fridge in your home shop that your wife doesn't care about.

don't give mine an excuse to replace our current fridge so I get one in the garage!

I don't think an old can of gelcoat is worth a $1400 ss over/under fridge!

AND my aqua colored NACRA getcoat still good after 5 years...

My yellow colored NACRA (aka Sher-fab) gelcoat kicked off by itself in the can in less than 3 months. Twice.

Why? Add the hardner to the whole can?

Taste it first seems to be the common take away here...

That was only three months old? I don't believe that. It was crystallized....little colored castles in there!

It was "Yellow" afraid to last any longer.

Jake: That one I gave you was about a year old. There was another can I got to do my bottoms last winter (remember my endless bitching about the trip across the parking lot my boat made at SF?) and when I went to go use the rest of it to fix dings, it was solidified too.