thesheriff1 Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hey guys - Finishing up some baits and am having trouble with Etex still being tacky after a couple days. I know this has been discussed before, but I wanted to share my process to see if you guys and see any flaws in my system. I always put the two containers in warm water before mixing, and then mix thoroughly. When I measure out I always use a touch more hardener, so it's not quite an exact 1:1 ratio. Brush the epoxy on and breathe on the lure to get rid of the air bubbles and then put on the rotisserie. After 10-15 minutes I take a torch to them and try and remove any other air bubbles that may have popped up. Then the lures rotate for a day or so....will letting the lures sit untouched for a few days help the hardening process? Sometimes they turn out hard, other times it's tacky...pretty hit or miss. I never cover the rotisserie to protect from dust or anything, I do run a dehumidifier in the basement. I was thinking of trying out some True Coat in place of Etex, anyone have experience with it? Any tips are appreciated! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingerBaits Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 You need to mix it exact as a 1:1 ratio. How long are you mixing it for? Temp that it is curing at? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesheriff1 Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 I always just add 1 more gram of hardener when on the scale. So like 9g epoxy and 10g hardener. On average I mix it for 4-5 minutes (I'm careful to wipe the stir stick and remix). I only do 2 baits at a time so there's not a ton of epoxy to begin with, it fills a little condiment cup about 1/2 full. When it is close to the 5 minute mark there are lots of small air bubbles and it almost becomes frothy. It's always looked like this for me, can this be right? I'd say average cure temp would be 65 degrees... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingerBaits Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 I would suggest mixing them exact as it is not like fiberglass resin where the more hardener you put in the quicker it cures. Try that, also etex likes it 70+ degrees for optimal curing. I have a incandescent bulb in my turning box on a thermostat control and usually cure it at approx 80 degrees. One other thing that could be playing an issue is if your etex is a little older. You can tell if it is a little older when one of the bottles starts to get a slight amber tint to it. I have had bottles right from the store come like that, so I always check it before i buy it. If it is brand new, both should be clear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 When I had that problem, this is what the tech at Etex told me to do. Mix up another batch, exactly 1/1 by volume, and recoat the tacky bait. It will solve the problem, and save the bait. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesheriff1 Posted February 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Thanks for the guidance - I'm guessing it's a combination of old Etex (bought a year ago) and the ratio/curing temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killntime Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 The directions say volume not weight (syringe or marked cups) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Agree with the above 100%. Do you think the hardener and the resin weigh exactly the same per volume? I don’t know. So recommend you get a couple of epoxy syringes and use them instead. If the manufacturer says to measure equal volumes, follow their direction. They formulate the product so that, if you follow the directions, there will be the proper amounts to form molecular bonds with no unbonded part left over.. If you don’t, there will be an excess of one part that never gets bound and voila, sticky epoxy. You also have to mix very thoroughly to get the hardener and resin in contact at the molecular level. A couple of minutes of vigorous mixing ain’t too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted February 14, 2018 Report Share Posted February 14, 2018 Mix 1:1 do not add more hardener it will affect the mixed batch. Let the mixed batch sit for 8-10 min before brushing on your baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 I agree with above too but even when i used syringes I had problems until I actually timed how long I mixed. I found If I use syringes and mixed at least 5 minutes taking my time and getting it thoroughly mixed it worked fine. Shoot now I mix decoupage(i get the one at home depot or lowes by the gallon) all by weight 1:1 and in large batches sometimes up to 10 oz and never have an issue as long as i mix it good. I do not really use it for lures anymore I use it for making micarta knife handles 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 19, 2018 Report Share Posted February 19, 2018 It's been years since I used Etex, so I forgot to mention that I would mix it well, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then use a hairdryer on the bottom of the mixing cup to help the bubbles rise to the surface and burst. I'm guessing that the extra time it took to get the bubbles out helped to let the two parts fully mix. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Slog Baits Porc Posted November 13, 2020 Report Share Posted November 13, 2020 I have the same issue as the original post on this thread and have the exact stirring, waiting time between stiring, and heating process. My baits are just the tiniest bit tacky. I add the smallest bit of extra hardener to account for loss when pouring the hardener into the resin. I don't want to add another coat of epoxy as to not mess with the action and weight of the bait. Can I just use an alcohol whip or something to remedy this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 I was told by a tech at Etex that it should two equal parts by volume, and it should be very well mixed. She said that, if the first coat stayed soft/tacky, I should mix up another batched properly, and recoat the bait. That worked for me. I used epoxy syringes from Flexcoat, and I heated the two components first with a hair dryer, so they would measure and mix more easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted November 19, 2020 Report Share Posted November 19, 2020 When I first saw this post I thought, "must not have mixed long enough, I've read about this before." Then I went and mixed up some Etex and coated some baits...this morning when I checked them they are all tacky, so I thoroughly read this thread and am VERY grateful. Thanks all for the tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basscatlildave Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 E-Tex needs to be really close to the 1 to 1 ratio. I have wiped it with Acetone to help it dry when tacky. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Epp Posted November 21, 2020 Report Share Posted November 21, 2020 I just made a heat box (drying box?). I might do an "Instructible" on it, but it's pretty simple. Line a box with foil, cut a hole a little smaller than the diameter of a shop light, cover the edges of the hole with heat duct tape, run wires across the box, hang baits, turn on light, wait, wait, wait... The incandescent bulb heats the inside of the box causing paint, epoxy, ect. to dry faster. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
