Rod repair - tacky epoxy

[CanoeGuy]

I broke a butt section (don't put a rod between the seat and folding back of a boat seat when the back is folded down) and tried a repair. I took part of another broken rod and sanded it down until it fit inside the blank I wanted to repair.



This seemed to be the correct epoxy to use for the job so I ordered some.



When I wiped off the excess after putting it together, the crack wasn't filled well. I put a little back on to fill the crack and tried to smooth it out a little with just the rubber glove I had on. Looks like shit, but the worst thing is it is still tacky after 2 days. I am afraid it is going to attract a ton of dirt. Any way to remove the tack? I could put thread wraps over it and buy thread wrap epoxy, but am looking for a quick solution.

 

[Breck]

Too much thinner (if you used thinner) in the epoxy can cause that. Otherwise could be your resin/hardener ratio is off a little.

 

[Herkileez]

Pro Paste is an epoxy, for joining components, not a finish to be applied overtop. I suspect your mix ration may be off, which may be the reason it didn't harden. You may also have mixed in in a silicon-based container, which can interfere with hardening. (the butt end of a beer can works well for small amounts) With it being soft, you may be able to peel it off, although I'm not sure how the join will hold up. You may need to pull it all apart and redo. If you can't pull it apart, the join may be fine, but you'll need to clean up the surface. (ie: back-blading with a razor knife, then thread wrapping/finish coating over)