Can I Make My Own Flexible Epoxy?

[Scott Memmer]

I've seen some of these articles where people have done this. Has anyone here on SC successfully made their own slightly flexible epoxy? Or do you know of a commercially available additive I could add as a DYI project?

I have a specific need for a certain kind of epoxy and can't find one that checks all the boxes. This would be something like a Marine Epoxy, but I just such a small amount I don't want to load up on, like, a quart of each.

Here are my parameters:

CLEAR (must be clear, as I'm going to color it)
FLEXIBLE
SLOW-CURING -- 30 minutes or more

The marine epoxies I see that do this are all white or tan or amber, not clear. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Thanks,
Scott

[John C Bush]

440052Hi Scott,
I had a unique need for a flexible epoxy and this was recommended to me:

3M Scotch-Weld DP105 Clear, Heat Resistant, Flexible Epoxy Adhesive. I called all over the Seattle area and no one had it
in stock--could order it but couldn't get it in time, found it online and and had to pay for one day shipping. Ordered it Wed.
late afternoon-from Phoenix-and was in my office Thurs. before noon.!! Needed it Fri AM.
I believe it is used for electrical bonding of some sort. Several places I looked online had it in their catalogue but was listed as discontinued. Is on Amazon as a kit. I comes in a twin tube cartridge and needs a specific gun and spatulating tips for mixing. It says 4 min work life but is stayed flowable much longer than that. I did see it in larger containers-more like conventional commercial volumes but I didn't need that much. Good luck

Almost forgot--I had to reseat a crown for Mitik the Walrus's tusk. They abrade their tusks on the pool cement and bang them on the steel enclosure tubing. He knocked his off and we used the recommended DP105 to recement. Best Pt. of the day!!

[Bill Dufour]

The stuff my dentist uses to fill cavities is mixed and packed in in a few layers. He uses a Uv light to harden each layer. They check the tooth color and add something to match the color while mixing. the stuff to glue on a crown can not be uv activated since uv does not travel through gold or porcelain.
Bil lD

[Scott Memmer]

440052Hi Scott,
I had a unique need for a flexible epoxy and this was recommended to me:

3M Scotch-Weld DP105 Clear, Heat Resistant, Flexible Epoxy Adhesive. I called all over the Seattle area and no one had it
in stock--could order it but couldn't get it in time, found it online and and had to pay for one day shipping. Ordered it Wed.
late afternoon-from Phoenix-and was in my office Thurs. before noon.!! Needed it Fri AM.
I believe it is used for electrical bonding of some sort. Several places I looked online had it in their catalogue but was listed as discontinued. Is on Amazon as a kit. I comes in a twin tube cartridge and needs a specific gun and spatulating tips for mixing. It says 4 min work life but is stayed flowable much longer than that. I did see it in larger containers-more like conventional commercial volumes but I didn't need that much. Good luck

Almost forgot--I had to reseat a crown for Mitik the Walrus's tusk. They abrade their tusks on the pool cement and bang them on the steel enclosure tubing. He knocked his off and we used the recommended DP105 to recement. Best Pt. of the day!!

John, wow, terrific. I'm a huge 3M fan. I just ordered it, cheap, on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3M-Scotch-Weld-Epoxy-Adhesive-DP100-Plus-Clear-1-64-oz/202706710503?hash=item2f3242efe7:g:yCIAAOSwRRZbAh5 q

I wish it set up a little slower, but it will be fine for experimenting.

Thanks!
Scott

[Scott Memmer]

Bill, thanks. My main concern would be that this stuff sounds very rigid. I need something will flex. Perhaps I'm wrong on that.

Thank You,
Scott

[John C Bush]

Hi Scott,
I had to dig the old DP105 out of the crown--I would consider the texture "firm"--not flexible like a silicone or hard like
West 105 epoxy. I used a knife to score and peel. and a rotary bur to hog out the old stuff beyond the reach of my knife.
Hope it works.

[Stewart Lang]

Hi Scott,
I had to dig the old DP105 out of the crown--I would consider the texture "firm"--not flexible like a silicone or hard like
West 105 epoxy. I used a knife to score and peel. and a rotary bur to hog out the old stuff beyond the reach of my knife.
Hope it works.

I thought for a second this was still talking about a dental crown from a few posts above. :eek: Hahaha!

[Richard Coers]

Since you won't divulge the purpose of the flexibility, I will say that silicone by itself makes a great adhesive. I "glued" a stained glass shade steel support onto a steel lamp base I made with some dollops of silicone caulk. It's endured a couple of bumps over the years, and has held like it was riveted on. My original fastening method was the rivets, but I reconsidered.

[Jerry Olexa]

I needed a special type epoxy a few months ago....Not in hardware stores....Found it on Amazon and here in 2 days....

[John C Bush]

Hi Stewart,
Same material-different application-not recommended for humans-but a lot of fun to do!

[Jim Becker]

Check out the folks at TotalBoat...they have a wide. variety of resin products and may have what you need already formulated.

[Brice Rogers]

If you add in a little acetone, it will extend the cure time. Of course, it will also thin it/lower its viscosity.