Yes you are probably correct; I am just concerned about it. I’ll have to be patient (NOT what I’m good at) and wait it out. Thanks
Mixing Envirotex vigorously is important, even though it introduces a lot of air bubbles. Then pour it and wait it out, 3-5 days if necessary. Amazingly, blowing gently on the Envirotex when it is first poured will eliminate the air bubbles.
In the photo I showed earlier, it took three pours over a couple of weeks to get the complete thickness I wanted for the “fish pond” area of King Creek. And yes, the layers don’t show on the edge at the layout fascia. I used a few layers of ordinary masking tape as a dam, and that creates a slighty rough texture to the edge, so the 3 layered pour doesn’t show.
I used Enviortex for my rivers and I have determined that there is no better way to make the most realistic looking rivers. Thank god for Enviortex Lite!!
It’s been a week and no change, still the same consistency as when I poured it. Any thought of concern or does it need about a week and a half or so? Or should I remove it at this point and start over?
Yes you have a problem … you didn’t put enough hardner in and/or didn’t mix the two together thoroughly – or the stuff’s gone bad on you. If you can remove it, you need to.
It is critical you mix equal parts of hardner and resin. I recommend you get yourself some cheap clear plastic cups, set them down side-by-side and pour out equal parts of the hardner and resin.
Next, pour the resin into the hardner cup and mix vigorously for several minutes. Don’t worry about introducing air bubbles, etc – it’s more important that you get the two parts mixed together extremely well.
Just to be safe, I’d also recommend you do a test pour on a piece of scrap somewhere before you try to pour it on the layout again. Follow the directions as outlined above and see if the stuff sets up this time. If not you have a bad batch and you need to get a fresh package of envirotex.
[#ditto] what Joe said.I only use envirotex lite for my water, 6 different pours at this point. Never had a problem setting up overnite.When I mix it, I pour some out of the resin bottle into the mixing container,mark the level on the bottle with a sharpie and pour out a similar amount into the mixing container from the hardener bottle. I use a plastic beer cup, like you get at keg parties.Mix the livin’ h…ll out of it(2-3 minutes). I use a wooden kabob skewer. The bubbles disappear when you breathe on it. The directions say something about that ,too.I’ve used 31/2 packages so far.You might have got a bad batch, but it sounds like not the same amount of hardener to me.
My [2c].Hope this helps!
Terry
Well the product is not that old (just got it from the store a week ago) unless it had a long shelf life to begin with. I have not had a problem with the air bubbles, they went away, just problems with it setting up.
I’ll remove it (pain in the …) and try again. I also used plastic beer cups to do my pouring.
Thanks for the help. Perhaps the second time will do it.
Daniel, hate to sound repetative, but make sure you get equal amounts of resin and hardener. The reason I use the "mark the bottle " method is in case some of the product sticks/stays in the measuring container.That way there is no measuring container, only a mixing one.By pouring the resin first and setting the bottle down next to the hardener bottle, you can pre-mark the 2nd bottle.
I love the stuff, but I’ve also already made the mistakes for you.[:D]
Good luck and keep us informed!
Terry
I think that is what was my problem. I tried putting equal lines on two different cups and pouring the resin and the hardener into seperate cups then mixing together in a third cup. Since the stuff is like molasses, neither emptied completley into the mixing cup. I understand the rigorous mixing process; I was able to get lots of air bubbles this way.
I guess that’s what learning is for right? I’m glad I got the large kit for a small area. I was afraid of something like this…
So here is what I did. I removed the old envirotex (which I Found out was mostly hardener and no resin after looking at the bottles- go figure) and mixed an even amount so now the bottles are equal when placing them side by side. I also noticed a significant difference when pouring; the air bubbles are more frequent and more vigorous, they also dissapear better when blowing on them. The first pour (which was mostly hardener and not much resin, I mean not much AT ALL) the bubbles did not want to go away and I had to eliminate them with a toothpick. This pour already looks more promising and I hope I am right in what I did. I followed everyone’s tips and re read the directions and did it again. Only time will tell.
In the words of Bill Engval, Here’s my sign.
That’s the stuff i used for water on the lift-out for the doorway to my layout room. It works very well just be sure the area is watertight and level as this resin is like water until it hardens.
Hi,Dan. Check your PM’s.
(I’m more of a Mark Martin fan)[8D]
Terry
Ok, will do.
(thats a shame [(-D] but MM is a good guy)
I’m “trying” to do a harbor now. Only problem is that I’m getting inconsistent pours even though I’m carefully measuring equal parts. Small pours, i.e. 10 ml. each of resin and hardener seem to yield a hard surface in about eight hours. BUT, when I try to mix, for example, two ounces of each, then do a pour, it’s remaining tacky almost indefinitely (now almost two weeks), even though I stir with a frozen pop stick for two or three minutes and use the double container mixing method suggested by the manufacturer. I even chucked a frozen pop stick in an electric drill and thoroughly mixed it that way at rather slow speed (but faster than by hand) for three minutes, all to no avail. Since the mouth of the harbor will be about two actual inches deep, I’m getting really discouraged. Anyone have a solution?
If you haven’t figured out your problem yet ,is your mixing stick rounded or flat at the end? it needs to be flat! to get the resin on the sides of the container. and I have found that keeping this material upstairs at about 76 degrees or so for a day before you pour makes a difference instead of keeping it in a cool basement . also I put an oil filled electric heater under my layout to speed up the curing process, hope this helps you.