Paint still tacky after 5 days

[redgems]

My retired painter friend painted some cast parts for me using Acrylic Urathane with hardener and parts are still tacky after 5 days.
Is this normal? or did we do something wrong?
Parts are drying in a shop with about 75-80 degrees daytime temps.45-50 nite time.
Thanks in advance,Tony
 

[glennster]

Something is wrong. The paint should be ready to buff the next day under air dry conditions.
 

[Stephen Newell]

Yea, Something is wrong. The first thing that comes to mind is perhaps the paint and or hardener that was used was too old. At this point while it's still sticky I would try to chemically strip it off. It might eventually dry but it won't be a durable finish so I would get it off. It's kind of a when in doubt throw it out idea. A solvent made for hot weather will make urethane take a lot longer to dry in cool weather but 5 days is too long for even that.
 

[CNKS]

You should be able to handle it the next day. Some hardeners have an opened period of as little as 2 weeks. I have a product called Bloxygen which expels most of the oxygen in the container, close it quickly and put it in the refrigerator. Still good for a long time. It is either old hardener, or your painter did not use enough of it or did not use it according to instructions.
 

[redgems]

CNKS and all thank you for your help!
I think he did not use enough or not used properly.
What do I do? do I wait it out ?or do I strip it and start over. Other then being soft it looks great.
Tony
 

[souNdguy]

even the 'cr@p' i use is next day handleable.

soemthing went wrong in the mix, or timing / catylist used.
 

[Dick L]

I had some small parts do that a few years back and did a late night bake in the kitchen oven. A coupla hours took the sticky away. Didn't catch a tongue lashing until morning. Took a coupla hours to figure out what cause the smell.

Ya mig be able to rig something out of the house with a salamander.
 

[glennster]

at this point, the deed is done. you can either strip it and re-do, or try and get some heat on it and see if it will cure. if you can get it in a small shop, get a propane torpedoe heater in there and get the temp up to 80 or 90 degrees for at least couple hours. then turn the heat down and let it set for half a day and see what you get. i would stay away from a diesel or kero heater at the solvents are still coming out of the paint, and who knows what will happen with the fuel oil on the finish.
 

[David G]

Urethane takes a different hardener than enamel. I would expect something is wrong. My paint is dry to dust within an hour, and movable the next morning.