Shelf life of Marine Tex???

[jpretle]

and Devcon,,,,, anyone???

 

[TAJ45]

I have a couple of Marine Tex units abt 18 yo you can have for the shipping.......they be solid as rocks.

 

[Bigguy1951]

Just finished a box of Marine Tex that I have had for 5+ years, maybe 6. It worked perfectly. It has been stored in an unheated and non-cooled building.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Just finished a box of Marine Tex that I have had for 5+ years, maybe 6. It worked perfectly. It has been stored in an unheated and non-cooled building.

I'm not sure Devcon would have past that test.

 

[JMayo]

Ohhhh, to just before I need it !

I've just bought new. For a job that took just a nickel size spot.
The old was 5 yrs at least, hard as a rock.

 

[SEM]

Marine tex usually will cure up to a year after opening, I seem to use it once and when I need it again its gone, one way to find out mix a small sample and see

 

[msalm]

I bought my last MarineTex in a 3 or 5lb can as I’ve had four or five 1lb containers of Devcon go to heck shortly after opening (new formula). I haven’t had the MT go bad ever but the oldest I have let it go is maybe 1 1/2-2 years.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Sounds like you just need to do more bedding! Only one ive ever had go bad was that brownells stuff. Used it once and didnt mind if it went to waste. Jb weld will last for years and is easy to use and available 7 days a week in your town

 

[msalm]

Sounds like you just need to do more bedding! Only one ive ever had go bad was that brownells stuff. Used it once and didnt mind if it went to waste. Jb weld will last for years and is easy to use and available 7 days a week in your town

It goes in spurts! I remember buying 5lbs of Devcon as I was using 1lb every couple months. That stuff was after the new formulation and it all went to heck in a short time. That's when I switched to MarineTex and never looked back. Came to prefer it in actual use over even good Devcon.

 

[Rat Rifle]

I recently used some Devcon in the small tubes that was 12 years old. Figured it was time to use it up. It worked fine.

JB Weld does anything I need it to do, can be bought locally in hardware stores, in small quantities.

My main complaint with Marinetex is the "Cost". Must have something to do with the word "Marine"

 

[msalm]

I recently used some Devcon in the small tubes that was 12 years old. Figured it was time to use it up. It worked fine.

JB Weld does anything I need it to do, can be bought locally in hardware stores, in small quantities.

My main complaint with Marinetex is the "Cost". Must have something to do with the word "Marine"

It is spendy, the last stuff I bought I searched the web and bought a 4lb can of it. For me that will last a year and per rifle is only $5 of material I’d guess.

Oops, must be a 3 lb can for less than $100 https://www.boatid.com/marine-tex/3...MIkOK7lfTd6AIVQ45bCh3nQgRsEAQYASABEgKlBvD_BwE

 

[Rat Rifle]

The only advantage I can see to Marinetex is "sand ability". I don't need that quality to bed a rifle action.

I have used Marinetex for marine applications and it works very well for that.

 

[foxguy]

OT- I have never used marine tex, what is the working time of marine tex?
I like Devcon because after mixing you had 40-45 mins of working time before it started to set.
I haven't bedded a rifle in a couple of years now... I suspect my left over devcon is bad...

Thanks

 

[msinc]

I used to do marine repairs too many years ago to remember, but the one thing I do remember and many folks don't believe you can do this is freeze it. Epoxy {which is all of the above} kicks off and gets hard by making it's own heat. You can speed it up by heating it up too. Yep, you can mix some and if you know you will need it in a few days put it in the freezer and just reheat it and use it. Works great for a few days. It will also keep much linger if you freeze it before you ever mix it. We stored all of it that way and I did that job for two years...we never threw any away because it "went bad" or self hardened.

 

[hammerjack]

You can get the 3 lb Marine tex from Brunos 71.25 when in stock. It does not set up just setting around like the Devcon does after it's been opened.

 

[pertnear]

I got tired of having to buy a new $8 bottle of Tru-Oil every time I needed to touch-up or re-finish a gun stock. Stock work is very infrequent for me so a bottle of Tru-Oil sits around for months, if not years on the shelf. The partially used bottle usually has the lid "glued" on & the top half dried up like rubber & you have to be careful not to get dried "particles" on your stock! I know others can sympathize. So now I use my Foodsaver ,which I bought to vacuum-seal my venison, to seal the bottle in an air tight bag. Problem solved! I haven't bought any precious Devcon $teel lately, but I assure you, it will get the Foodsaver storage treatment too!

When I got a deal, I over-bought primers a couple of years back. I have bricks of CCI's vacuum sealed up too (probably not necessary) but I feel better LOL!

Just FWIW...

 

[Old Navy]

Store open bottles, of most things that set up, on their tops. They will last a lot longer.

 

[riflewoman]

Epoxies like MT and Devcon have a shelf life of about 2 years if they’re in opened. 3 years if you freeze them.

 

[fatelvis]

Sounds like you just need to do more bedding! Only one ive ever had go bad was that brownells stuff. Used it once and didnt mind if it went to waste. Jb weld will last for years and is easy to use and available 7 days a week in your town

Is JB Weld a decent bedding compound? Or do people just use it in a pinch?

 

[SEM]

I used to do marine repairs too many years ago to remember, but the one thing I do remember and many folks don't believe you can do this is freeze it. Epoxy {which is all of the above} kicks off and gets hard by making it's own heat. You can speed it up by heating it up too. Yep, you can mix some and if you know you will need it in a few days put it in the freezer and just reheat it and use it. Works great for a few days. It will also keep much linger if you freeze it before you ever mix it. We stored all of it that way and I did that job for two years...we never threw any away because it "went bad" or self hardened.

are you or did you freeze both the catalyst and the epoxy ?