EZ-84 Epoxy
Contents
General Description
EZ84 is a 2-part structural epoxy. The resin is clear in color, and has a tendency to form crystals with age. The crystals can usually be reabsorbed if you immerse the container in very warm water. The hardener is honey colored when new, flowing quite easily, but turns to a dark brown and molasses consistency with age. Old hardener can be made to flow better with carefully applied heat, such as with a paint gun.
Velocity Use
EZ-84 is the primary structural epoxy for the Velocity kit. All structural glass lay-ups are preformed with this system, such as wings, fuselage, etc.
From the Builder's Manual. "EZ-Poxy is used in all major lay-ups on foam and all lay-ups of glass to glass. EZ-Poxy hardener is mixed with DER 324 resin at a 44:100 ratio. For lay-ups on foam, a slurry of EZ-Poxy and micro balloons is used. Throughout the construction manual this mixture is referred to as Micro-Slurry. It is also used with milled fiber for structural fillets and structural bonding such as hinge pockets for the speed brake, doors, etc. This epoxy was known as Epolite (2180/2183/2184) and SafetyPoxy in past manuals."
You may see references in books and catalogs and videos to Safe-T-Poxy, or Hexcel
Epolite they have been replaced by EZ-Poxy.
Product Description
From the Aircraft Spruce website: In early 1996, Composite Design Co. developed E-Z Poxy to provide a replacement epoxy system for Epolite (Safe-T-Poxy) which is no longer produced by Hexcel. The E-Z Poxy series of laminating systems utilizes one resin and your choice of three hardeners for varying pot life and viscosity requirements. The E-Z Poxy systems offer the same handling and physical properties as the discontinued Epolite systems including ease of use, long pot life, rapid cure for demold or process continuation, and superior room temperature curing properties. Excellent for use in sport aviation, marine, and industrial applications.
E-Z 83 hardener is equivalent to Safe-T-Poxy standard hardener, E-Z 84 is equivalent to Safe-T-Poxy II hardener, and E-Z 87 is equivalent to Safe-T-Poxy slow hardener. E-Z Poxy products should not be mixed with materials produced by other epoxy manufacturers.
Product Specifications
From the Aircraft Spruce website:
| E-Z POXY TECHNICAL DATA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| E-Z POXY RESIN SYSTEMS FROM COMPOSITE POLYMER DESIGN | |||
| E-Z 10 Epoxy Resin | E-Z 84 Aromatic Amine Hardener | ||
| E-Z 83 Aromatic Amine Hardener | E-Z 87 Aromatic Amin Hardener | ||
| E-Z 10 Resin (Viscosity 1500 cps @ 77F) with: | |||
| Hardener | EZ 83 | EZ 84 | EZ 87 |
| Mixed Properties: | |||
| Mixed Viscosity cps @ 77F* | 1300 | 800 | 1500 |
| Viscosity Hardener cps @ 77F* | 410 | 140 | 830 |
| Pot Life @ 77F | 2 hours | 2 hours | 5 hours |
| Tack Free @ 77F | 4 hours | 8 hours | 8 hours |
| Cure Time @ 77F | 24 hours | 3 days | 3 days |
| Mix Ratio by Volume | 100/47 | 100/47 | 100/47 |
| Mix Ratio by Weight | 100/44 | 100/44 | 100/44 |
| Physical Properties Tg (F): | |||
| R/T | 151 | 151 | 142 |
| P/C* | 196 | 196 | 196 |
| Elongation % | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.14 | 1.13 | 1.14 |
| Linear Shrinkage @ 23C (4 days %) | .10 | .10 | .10 |
| Tensile Strength PSI: | |||
| R/T | 8,200 | 8,100 | 8,400 |
| P/C | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Tensile Modulus (PSI x 10 -5) | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Viscosity may vary +/- 10% | |||
| Post Cure for 2 hrs. @ 150F | |||
Packaging Weights
EZ-84 is typically sold in quarts, half gallon, gallon, and 5 gallon sizes. Aircraft Spruce currently offers all of these sizes.
| Description | Part No. |
|---|---|
| EZ EPOXY EZ10-1G RESIN | 01-00245 |
| EZ EPOXY 5 GALLON RESIN | 01-00246 |
| EZ EPOXY EZ84-1/2G HARDENER | 01-00248 |
| EZ EPOXY II EZ84-2-1/2G HARDENER | 01-00250 |
| EZ EPOXY II EZ84-5G HARDENER | 01-00252 |
Directions for Use
Temperature is critical for epoxy chemistry, and is often stored in a hotbox. It's best to maintain the part and the epoxy above 70 degrees Fahrenheit or so (see also post-cure). Measure the needed volume in the appropriate 44:100 ratio (by weight) or 47:100 (by volume). Most people choose to get a ratio pump such as Michael's, though you can get ratio-dispensing jug, or use a high-accuracy scale.
Good mixing is critical for epoxy work, but not that difficult. I find it easier to to mix with a tongue depressor with the end cut off square (with a pair of old, dull scissors) so I can scrape the sides and floor of the cup liberally. I typically mix for approximately 30 second to one minute, depending on the volume I've dispensed. I typically wet the target part, and then the lay-up fabric (usually on plastic), and keep the excess in the mixing cup to verify that the proper hardness has been achieved the following day.
Safety and Handling
Here are the manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheets.
Media:EZ-83_84_87.pdf
