What is Selleys Araldite Extra Time, and where should you use it?

Selleys Araldite Extra Time — titled Araldite Extra Time 60 Minutes Epoxy on its technical data sheet — is a strong two-part epoxy that provides an extended working time of 60 minutes for complex or multi-assembly jobs. It dries translucent and holds up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on a clean, abraded steel surface.

The working time is the whole point of the product. A fast epoxy gives you a few minutes before it becomes unworkable, which is fine for gluing a broken handle and useless if you are assembling several parts at once, working over a large surface area, or needing to align something precisely before it sets. Extra Time trades speed for an hour of adjustment.

The one thing to understand before choosing it: an hour of working time also means a long wait afterwards. Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 6 to 8 hours, and maximum strength is reached after 24 to 72 hours.

Technical specification

Property	Typical result
Technology	Epoxy, two-part
Set time	60 minutes
Usable life of mixed glue	1 hour at 20 °C
Colour	Dries translucent
Initial bond time	6–8 hours
Maximum bond time	After 24–72 hours (longer in colder weather)
Holding strength	Up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on clean, abraded steel
Temperature resistance	Up to 80 °C
Packaging	200mL tube

Indicative data only, not intended for the preparation of specifications.

What the key numbers mean in practice

Sixty minutes of set time and a mixed glue that stays usable for an hour at 20 °C are the same figure seen from two directions. It gives you time to dry-fit an assembly, apply adhesive to several joints, and work through them in sequence — the situation where a five-minute epoxy forces you to mix batch after batch and rush every joint.

The temperature qualifier matters. One hour is quoted at 20 °C. Epoxy cure is temperature-driven, so a warm workshop shortens that window and a cold one lengthens it — which is also why the data sheet asks you to allow for longer bonding times in colder weather.

150 kg/cm² is quoted on a clean, abraded steel surface, and that condition is doing real work. Epoxy is a rigid adhesive that relies on both chemical adhesion and mechanical key, and abrading the surface gives it something to grip. The same epoxy on a smooth, unprepared face will not approach the quoted figure. The surface preparation instruction — abrade, clean and dry — is not a formality.

Temperature resistance up to 80 °C, and the bond softens above that. The useful detail is that the softening is reversible: strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal. So brief excursions above 80 °C are not necessarily fatal to the joint, but sustained load at high temperature is a different matter.

The gap between 6–8 hours and 24–72 hours describes the difference between a joint that will hold itself together and a joint at full strength. Hold the join in place with tapes or weights during the first period if necessary.

Where to use it

Araldite Extra Time fixes a range of surfaces such as:

• Wood
• Metal
• Masonry
• China
• Glass
• Leather — pre-test to determine suitability
• Rubber — pre-test to determine suitability
• Most plastics, but not PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene

It sits in the epoxy glue range as the long-working-time option. Where the job is a single small repair and you want it done quickly, Araldite Rapid or Fix & Go Araldite 5 Minute are the faster products in the same family.

How to apply it

Surface preparation

Abrade, clean and dry the surfaces. All three steps matter, and abrading is the one most often skipped.

Directions

1. Pierce each tube with the spike found in the top of the cap.
2. Dispense equal parts of both liquids onto a clean disposable surface and mix both parts together thoroughly with a spatula. Do not use the plastic blister to mix the product.
3. Leave the mix for 5 minutes and mix again before applying. The mixed glue will remain usable for 1 hour at 20 °C.
4. Apply the mixed glue to both surfaces of the job, then bring them together.
5. Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 6 to 8 hours. Hold the join in place using tapes or weights if necessary. Maximum strength is reached after 24 to 72 hours.
6. Replace the caps on the correct tubes to prevent cross contamination.

Two steps in that list are easy to dismiss and worth respecting. Mixing twice, five minutes apart, is not padding — a two-part epoxy that is unevenly mixed cures unevenly, leaving soft patches through the bond line, and the second pass catches material that was not fully incorporated the first time. And getting the caps back on the right tubes is the difference between a usable pack and a solid one: resin cap on the hardener tube contaminates it and the tube hardens. The caps and tubes are colour coded to help.

Limitations — where Extra Time should not be used

• Will not bond PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene plastics.
• The bond will soften above 80 °C, though strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal.
• Allow for longer bonding times in colder weather.
• Pre-test on leather and rubber to determine suitability.
• The product may discolour if exposed to UV. Worth considering for anything on show outdoors or on a sunny windowsill.
• Not suitable for flexible materials, and suited to rigid plastics rather than flexible ones (product page). Cured epoxy is rigid; a substrate that flexes will work the bond line apart.
• Do not use the plastic blister to mix the product.

Clean up and storage

Clean up uncured Araldite with acetone. Once cured, epoxy has to be removed mechanically. Store in a cool, dry place.

Hazard classification

Both halves of the pack are classified as hazardous under Safe Work Australia GHS 7, and they are not classified the same way. Part A — the resin — carries the signal word Warning. Part B — the hardener — carries the signal word Danger.

Part A (resin)

• Skin irritation — Category 2. H315: causes skin irritation.
• Eye irritation — Category 2A. H319: causes serious eye irritation.
• Skin sensitisation — Category 1. H317: may cause an allergic skin reaction.

Part B (hardener)

• Skin irritation — Category 2. H315: causes skin irritation.
• Eye damage — Category 1. H318: causes serious eye damage.
• Skin sensitisation — Category 1. H317: may cause an allergic skin reaction.

Both parts are classified as Dangerous Goods under the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road & Rail and New Zealand NZS5433, as Class 9 (Miscellaneous), UN 3082, Packing Group III — proper shipping name Environmentally hazardous substance, liquid, N.O.S. (bisphenol A epoxy resin, bisphenol F epoxy resin). It is a marine pollutant under the IMDG Code. Poison Schedule S5 (Caution).

What is in it

Part A — resin

Chemical entity	CAS number	Proportion (w/w)
Bisphenol-A epoxy resin (oxirane, 2,2'-[(1-methylethylidene)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxymethylene)]bis-)	1675-54-3	>60%
Bisphenol-A epoxy resin	25068-38-6	1–10%
Bisphenol F epoxy resin	9003-36-5	1–10%
Non-hazardous or below reporting limits	—	Balance

Part B — hardener

Chemical entity	CAS number	Proportion (w/w)
Fatty acids, C18-unsaturated, dimers, polymers with tall oil fatty acids and triethylenetetramine	68082-29-1	>60%
1,3-Propanediamine, N'-(3-aminopropyl)-N,N-dimethyl-	10563-29-8	1–10%
Triethylenetetramine	112-24-3	1–10%
Non-hazardous or below reporting limits	—	Balance

The classification that deserves the most attention is H317, and it appears on both parts. Sensitisation is not the same thing as irritation. Irritation is a local response that settles once the material is washed off; sensitisation is the immune system learning to react to a substance, it is generally permanent once acquired, and thereafter a far smaller exposure — a smear on a fingertip — can set off a reaction that the first exposures never did. Epoxy resins and amine hardeners are among the best-known causes of this in trade work, and the exposure pattern that causes it is not one dramatic spill. It is repeated casual contact: wiping mixed glue off a finger, holding a joint closed bare-handed, pressing squeeze-out flat with a thumb, job after job.

This product gives you more of that exposure than its stablemates do, simply because of what it is for. A five-minute epoxy is unworkable almost immediately; Extra Time stays liquid and reactive for an hour, so on a multi-part assembly the uncured adhesive is in play, on the bench and on your hands, for far longer. The hour of working time that makes the product useful is also the hour in which the hazards above are live. Once the epoxy is fully cross-linked it is an inert solid — the classifications describe the liquids, not the finished joint.

The two halves are not equally aggressive, and the difference runs opposite to most people's intuition. Part B, the hardener, is the one that causes serious eye damage — the irreversible Category 1 classification — where the resin is only Category 2A irritation. That is consistent with what is in it: Part B is a polyamine system, and polyamines are alkaline. The Selleys safety data sheet reflects that gap in the protective equipment it asks for, listing safety glasses for handling Part A and a face shield for Part B. If you are only going to put eye protection on for one step, put it on before you pierce the hardener tube.

The Class 9 listing is about the environment rather than about you: bisphenol-A epoxy resins are toxic to aquatic life, which is why the pack ships as an environmentally hazardous substance and a marine pollutant. The page above tells you to clean up uncured Araldite with acetone. Do that into a rag and put the rag in the bin — not down the sink, and not into a stormwater drain. Cured, scraped-off epoxy is solid waste and is not the problem; uncured resin rinsed into water is.

Protection

• Eye protection — safety glasses for Part A; a face shield for Part B, which can cause serious eye damage.
• Gloves — nitrile rubber, suitable for intermittent contact. The safety data sheet notes that glove construction and local conditions vary and the final assessment is the user's.
• Clothing — overalls and safety shoes for Part A; overalls, apron and rubber boots for Part B.
• Ventilation — natural ventilation is adequate under normal use. Avoid inhaling vapour, mist or aerosols.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while using it; wash hands before doing so. Wash contaminated clothing before reuse.
• Storage — cool, dry, well ventilated, out of direct sunlight and below 50 °C, away from food, oxidising agents and sources of heat or ignition. Keep tubes upright with the caps on.

First aid

Exposure	What to do
Eyes	Hold the eyelids apart and flush continuously with running water for at least 15 minutes, or until the Poisons Information Centre or a doctor says to stop. Then go to a doctor or hospital.
Skin	Effects may be delayed, so act immediately. Remove contaminated clothing and flush the skin and hair with running water for at least 15 minutes, or until advised to stop, then go to a doctor or hospital.
Inhalation	Remove the person from the area without becoming a casualty yourself. Loosen clothing, let them sit or lie however is most comfortable, keep them warm and at rest. Seek medical advice if effects persist.
Swallowed	Rinse the mouth with water. Do not induce vomiting. Contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre.

If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre — 131 126 in Australia, 0800 764 766 in New Zealand — with the container to hand. Selleys emergency line: 1800 220 770 in Australia, 0800 220 770 in New Zealand.

Common questions about Araldite Extra Time

How long do I actually have to work with it?

The mixed glue remains usable for 1 hour at 20 °C, and the set time is 60 minutes. Warmer conditions shorten that; colder conditions extend it.

What ratio do I mix it at?

Equal parts of both liquids, dispensed onto a clean disposable surface and mixed thoroughly with a spatula.

Why mix it twice?

The instruction is to mix, leave for 5 minutes, then mix again before applying. Thorough, even mixing is what gives a consistent cure through the whole bond.

Do I apply it to one surface or both?

Both. Apply the mixed glue to both surfaces of the job, then bring them together.

When can I use the item?

Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 6 to 8 hours. Maximum strength is reached after 24 to 72 hours.

How strong is it?

Up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured, measured on a clean, abraded steel surface.

Do I really need to abrade the surface?

Yes. The surface preparation instruction is to abrade, clean and dry, and the quoted holding strength is stated for an abraded steel surface.

How much heat will it take?

Up to 80 °C. Above that the bond softens, but strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal.

Will it stick to plastic?

Most plastics, but not PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene. It suits rigid plastics rather than flexible materials.

Can I use it on leather or rubber?

Pre-test first to determine suitability.

Will it yellow in sunlight?

The product may discolour if exposed to UV.

My tube has gone hard. What happened?

Most likely the caps were swapped. Placing the wrong cap on the wrong tube causes cross contamination and the tube hardens — the caps and tubes are colour coded to prevent it.

How do I clean it up?

Uncured Araldite comes off with acetone.

What size does it come in?

A 200mL tube.