2 pack won't set

[Dignity]

I had to replace a runner on a rod which I duly did and I thought that while I was at it I would clean up the rod a little and use the 2 pack rod varnish on the whole thing. Now it looked great but it hasn't set, it is still a little tacky, the 2 pack is about 5 years old so I gather the hardener must have gone off. I don't know the brand as there is nothing on the bottles, is there anything I can do to set it as it has now been 3 weeks or can I go over it with some thing to clean it off.

[RFARREN]

get some new epoxy and clean the rod with prepsol before applying

[Stuart]

Whats a 2 pac varnish, you can get a 2 pac, or, varnish which is a one part. If its a one part varnish and it hasn't set, then maybe the solvent in the varnish has evaporated. If its some sort of two part mix and it hasn't set, then my guess is you haven't mixed the ratios correctly.

[Dignity]

Stuart, it is a two part mix and I used a graduated pipette to make sure it was correct, after all this one was a simple 50 - 50 mix. I have used it previously and it always worked although recalling the last time I used it, it did take longer to set so I suspect that the hardener has gone past it's expiry date. I don't often use it, I did buy some more last week but when I opened it the hardener had actually gone hard, so i took it back to the store and the owner checked the date when he got it in and it was only October last year so it seems the shelf life must be getting shorter. This was the Erskine brand from memory.

[Dignity]

Rfarren, is prepsol about the only thing to remove the tacky stuff, I have plenty of lacquer thinners but haven't tried that yet.

[RFARREN]

you can try thinners, but it might be a bit harsh
try a small patch first
prepsol might not totally remove the patially set epoxy but it will make the new stuff level out better
you may need to sand and recoat after the 1st new coat as well