Re: shelf life of west epoxy system?
I've been using the West system stuff for over 20 years. During that time I've mixed several batches from material that's been in the can (with the pumps) for 2 or 3 years without any problems whatsoever. It will discolor with age, but I've not noticed any reduction in the mechanical properties after its cured.
If the pump's been sitting idle for a really long time, however, you might need to give it a squish or two to make sure its still fully primed. That's when an "old" can comes in handy. I usually have an old can of resin and an old can of hardener sitting around. Just to make sure the pumps are fully primed, I'll pump one or two strokes into the "old" can. (The "new"
resin gets pumped into the "old"
resin can, and likewise for the hardener.) Once the "old" can gets enough stuff in it, I'll dump it back into the "new" can and carry on. (That stuff is expensive.)
