Wood Butcher
Local Chapter Leader
I recently purchased a couple quarts of PR from Michael's and discovered they were mfgd. in Feb. 2011, almost a year ago. I returned one for credit and told the manager about the 6 month shelf life. I decided to try working with the other can. I made sure it was at room temp, and then mixed as usual. However, I set the mixing cups on a heating pad we have that I covered with newspaper so the wife wouldn't end up with it attached to her later. I set the control on hi and added the colors, I had a three color,three container batch I was working with. I stirred the color a lot then added the usual 5 drops per oz. and stirred almost continually while the containers were on the heating pad. I pre-heated the silicon moulds I made, in the toaster oven we use for craft things, to 200 degrees. At 35 minutes the mixes began to stiffen. I poured as they started the rapid cure and mixed as the PR was added to the moulds. All went well. I waited 24 hours and checked and the material was fairly hard but the surface wasn't, shop was at about 65 degrees. I again fired up the toaster oven to 200 degrees and put moulds and all in for 3 hours. I unplugged the oven and let it set for a few hours and, wala, the blanks are hard as Hillary's heart and fully cured. I gently tapped the blanks against one another and the "rang" soundly indicating they were fully cured. I was concerned that the material may be too brittle so I drilled, tubed and turned two pieces for a cigar pen. Worked like any other PR blank and finished well too. Just thought this may keep someone from throwing out some older PR when it may be salvageable. I'm not sure it would usable if it was old enough to start getting thick and hard to pour but heating a little may re-liquify it, worth a try anyway.
WB
WB
