Just how critical is the 60° cutoff point?

K

kmatch

Here in Texas we have several days just nudging 60°. Is that a "do not cross" line or a "cross with caution"? What happens if shooting above 60 but it drops to low 50s in a couple of hours? I'm asking more out of curiosity than anything regarding epoxy with med activator or even UC with the same. Plus I've seen the question go unanswered as to "what happens if the temp drops below the critical point then returns. Does crosslinking continue or is the mix dead?".

How do bodyshops operate in rainy or cold weather? No heat = no paint? "It's production work so I don't care!"? I've wondered these and figure this is a good place to ask.
 
The epoxy is NOTHING to fool with or take chances with at those temperatures.
2K primer and clears, don't really matter, all it will do is slow the cure.

Shops always have some sort of heat.
 
Most all chemicals used in body shops are designed to be used at 70 deg or above. That means that MOST will be effected in some way with low temps. That being said, like Barry said, Body shops have some type of heat. Most here do not keep the heat up when they are closed, but do turn it up when they open in the morning. They usually also have infrared heat lamps to heat the surfaces and to help cure 2k primers and such. Those lights have limited effect on epoxy primers other than keeping the temp of the surface up. That is yet another reason that collision shops rarely use true epoxy primers.

Aaron
 
Another temp. question. Is there a temp. that the product itself should be? I saw someplace that a fluid temp of 60 is the minimum to be sprayed. ??
 
Barryk;3367 said:
Shops always have some sort of heat.
Click to expand...

They do??

I thought I lived in Florida and no need for heat but I froze the first part of this year and now it's already been below freezing here, The other day the temp in the shop was 46 and I have no heat. I have AC but now need heat.
 
Product should always be 65-75 in the can and no cooler then 65, as to cold the thicken viscosity can make any of the products hard to spray and mix properly as well as drying in a proper manner.
 
lord no ! i forgot you were doing lot work. thats gotta suck in cold weather. do you heat your paint to help ? how do you get the metal temp up ?
 
I put my primer in the cab under the heater vent. If the paint is already mixed, I stick it in my overalls or if the sun is out, I will put it on my dash. To keep the panel up I have 2 big IR lamps and a small one if needed. It is lightly snowing today and I have to paint a full bumper. Luckily, the temp is near 30.
 
I think that if you are getting presentable results under those conditions, you are somewhat of a badass. I'm way too delicate for that kind of rough service, lol!
 
not this fat farmer.. i be in tha booth with the heat on. i can keep it toasty at around 70-75 running.
 
PART_1292874672563.jpg

Almost perfect conditions
 
I like that tent, Shine could save some heat money if he tried that, next he will be like Chad and have air conditioning also.
 
Barryk;3367 said:
Shops always have some sort of heat.
Click to expand...

None of the dealers I worked at had anything other than the sun. One may have had a heat lamp... Your climate varies a tad more than mine I suppose. Still, we get one freeze a year for a few days. I wonder if painting stops during that time or if they just tuff it out. I doubt any of them shoot epoxy, either.
 
Climate does play a part in how much heating equipment is needed, but even when I worked in SoCal, shops had a heat lamp or two, especially to cure primer spots. Shops without something to cure coatings applied out on the shop floor have a high likelihood of turning out sub-standard work.
 
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