Be extra careful adding Mekp hardener to resin.

Got out my test tank today the f/glass lining was all cracked and split repaired it with screws ready for patching I cut 70mm strips of glass rovings cut down a container poured in GRP resin attempted to add Mekp catalyst and squeezed to hard the nozzle popped out and instead of a few mil 80% of the Mek ended up in the mix.
This pic shows thre4sin container the top mark shows resin at level the resin was at when Mekp was added and the Mekp bottle that was full before I squeezed it I new it'd set quick so stirred it well angot about 1/3rd done before it was to thick to spread.

 

I took everything into shed to clean up after a short while there's loud cracking noises and smoke is coming from mix tub Filled container with water and sat it on the small anvil within 2 minutes the water boiled & scared the living daylights out of me.
The lower mark is the level when the resin cured

In future I'll use a dropper to add the MEKP.

Yup hardener will do that if you add to much, the excess hardener made the normal warm sensation of an exothermic reaction during curing into a rapid reaction and in turn causes the reaction to heat up violently.

Always be carful with your mix. I’ve seen resins burst into flame during curing when improperly measured.

Clearly this was an accident but you got lucky that you only boiled water off with the heat, if that was left to do it’s thing it would have started smoking and any items it’s attached too may have caught light or melted.

I think this is a good warning to people to just be carful when using resin products especially quick setting resins.

ahhh the wonders of methyl ethyl ketone peroxide,

I used to teach fibre glassing to my night school students of all ages as part of my model boat building courses, and used to firmly tell them of the importance of mixing the correct ratio of resin to catalyst......and yet someone would always be the wise guy[usually the older  "student" ] not believing what I said.......I would always conduct the show of wrong mix with braising hearth callipers to get rid of the mix out the window............and a fire extinguisher, to show that it would have no effect upon the heat and smoke generated, before panic started to show on their faces before I wanged the thing out the window of the class room..........

oh such fun with none believers, lol ....the cocky sods would never question me again. some would, so as not to lose face even abandon the course for which they had paid.

Was a scary moment for sure Neil. Typical accident if something can go wrong it will.