Hi Barry

 

Ordinarily you don't want to have anything other than a plain casting of resin, however what you have done is also potentially a good thing too.  The reinforcing laminate does alter the hardness quite a bit.  Many manufacturers will give a range of hardness with some layup in it but it isn't a "pure" test of the resin since void content, fiber type and fabric weave all play a part. Not to mention that the ball on the tip of the tester will get different readings if it comes down on the intersection of a pair of fiber vs. the interstices which would be mostly resin.  The castings you have with laminate  in it isn't particularly useful unless you made up some representative laminates to test.  These could have some use, particularly if compared to resin castings.  But the pure resin casting will give you the truest confirmation of adhesive properties.

 

Dan Newland