Does Aftcote dry slower then most epoxies? I painted some dowels and then put epoxy on them to practice wraps, marbling etc. I ran out of the Thread Master I was using so I used some Aftcote (never opened) that was given to me a couple years ago. The Thread Master dried fine over night but the Aftcote is still somewhat tacky. Just wondering if it takes Aftcote longer to cure.

Hi,

This is what I have experienced using different brands of finish. Epoxy dries by a chemical action and some are hotter than others. Flex coat was dry to the touch after about 4 hours. Other popular finishes would be dry to touch in about 6-8 hours. I have been using Aftcote for many years and it is dry to touch after about 10 hours using a couple light bulbs in the drying box for heat.

One of the reasons I use Aftcote is I believe the finish takes longer to cure/dry. My experience is that this helps to prevent cracking at the guide feet ends. I did a test many years ago. I mixed Aftcote and left it in the mix vessel to cure. Every day for a month I would push my finger nail into the finish and leave a dent. The next day the surface would be smooth again. Finally after 30 days I stopped. This tells me the dry finish has some flex to it.

Capt Neil Faulkner

I agree with Captain Neil on his idea of Aftcote not cracking at guide feet. I use Aftcote exclusively on my guide wraps for this reason. It does take longer to cure which in some cases I like. If it is cold in your finish room will take very long to cure.

John.