As succinctly as possible, I would like to introduce myself and the Wencon range of Rebuild and Protection Epoxy compounds that I have been working with successfully here in Palma de Mallorca in the industrial, privately owned marine and commercial marine sectors.
My name is Ian Lewis, I visited Mallorca in 1983 on holiday and stayed. I joined the ‘Yottie’ fraternity enjoying responsibilities with Daywork, Deckhand, Engineer, Mate and Captain positions before establishing a shore-based marine maintenance business; and I now have specialised in the application of epoxies and polymers applications and solutions since 1997.
During this period of time I have benefitted from the Epoxide technology improving at an appreciative rate, with ease of use, mechanical and physical specifications being the main priorities. Due to this, the market has grown exponentially, the clientele are more knowledgable
as to what is available, with single products covering the same solutions as many used to.
In case you were not sure what an Epoxy is, I have borrowed a definition for you. An Epoxy is either any of the basic components or the cured-end products of epoxy resins, as well as a colloquial name for the epoxide functional group. Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides, are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. Epoxy resins may react (cross-linked) either with themselves through catalytic homopolymerisation (an homopolymer is a polymer consisting of a single specie of monomer, as polyadenylic acid or polyglutamic acid), or with a wide range of co-reactants including polyfunctional amines, acids (and acid anhydrides), phenols, alcohols and thiols. These co- reactants are often referred to as hardeners or curatives, and the cross-linking reaction is commonly referred to as curing. Reaction of
polyepoxides with themselves or with polyfunctional hardeners forms a thermosetting polymer, often with high mechanical properties, temperature and chemical resistance. Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including metal coatings, use in electronics / electrical components/ LED, high tension electrical insulators, fibre-reinforced plastic materials and structural adhesives. The basic structure of an Epoxide contains an oxygen atom attached to two adjacent carbon atoms of a hydrocarbon. An Epoxide, is a cyclic ether with a three-membered ring.
So, there you have it!
As a product range for professional application, the manufacturers advise not to use for household purposes, as much for the experience and knowledge necessary and health and safety requirements needed, as for the likelihood of children and pets in the proximity of the applications, considering protective clothing should always be used.
The ‘Standard’ Wencon Rebuild and Repair product range capabilities are extremely effective. One such rebuild product is the two-component 1000/1005 Rapid Repair with a working temperature resistance to 250ºC, Hardness Shore D 81, (DIN 53505) and Compressive strength 2,891N/
sq.mm. [419,195 psi] DIN 53454. Due to the control of heat activation, curing can be within 10 minutes at 100ºC or 40-90 minutes at 20ºC, depending on product thickness, ambient and substrate temperature. Rapid Repair has many of the characteristics of metal, is machinable, non-conductive, with outstanding adhesion to metallic surfaces. Because of the needs of the product and the applier, it is available in conveniently designed and sized containers, making this product an easy-to-use cost-effective solution for emergencies where fast repairs are necessary, such as any form of repair, rebuild, ‘spot weld’: to hold metals together before bonding, also suitable for rebuilding using thicker layers, all available due to the fast curing.
1030 Blue Coating protection in an integral aluminium fuel tank
Durable Wencon 1040 two-component Putty Repair stick, once torn-off and kneaded to an even colour, sets within 20 minutes, (Hardness Shore D 85, Compressive strength 35.14 N/
sq.mm [5,095 psi]) is machinable at 30 minutes and has full mechanical strength at 120 minutes. This is a very effective mouldable, machinable paste with strong adhesion
The Report • September 2017 • Issue 81 | 43
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