syringe 2 parts epoxy( more than 5 min)

[ddl]

bob i use etex for wooden baits,and 2 tone will be just for spinnerbait and touch up . were did i say that i will chose one more than the other about their forgiveness ? i was just telling a fact .

[BobP]

You didn’t and I’m sorry.  But I know there are some guys who may read where Epoxy X  is more forgiving of measurement, so may buy it and get sloppy about measuring equal volumes.  That’s a mistake.  Epoxy hardens by a chemical reaction at the molecular level.  Too much hardener or too much resin means some of that part will not get into the reaction.  Then, the epoxy will either not reach its best hardness or will tend to yellow more quickly.  Same problem when the epoxy is not mixed thoroughly enough.  We’re all trying to get the best topcoat we can.

[ddl]

yes my bob.you react the good way.  i have recently seen  purely wrong things posted .i didn't react but i should.this board is like a book andi know someone somewhere could end with a lot of waisted money,by the fault of the guy that suggest bs  and by the fault of all the guys that didn't say a single word when they were aware that is was not true. we all want to sound like a good jack ,but at the end it's stupid .

 

[Musky Glenn]

My $.02, I use Bob Smith's slow cure epoxy and pour from the 4.5 oz. bottles into what looks like equal size puddles of epoxy and hardner. I stir the two puddles together with the same brush I am going to coat the lure with. I do this on a clean 4"x4" sticky sheet that I make notes on by the phone. Sure ain't rocket science, but it works for me. I don't measure anything.

[Tuna]

You did $.02, so I'll up it a penny. Have any of you mixed your epoxy, then dumped it on aluminum foil? I know it removes bubbles from FlexCoat (rod building).

[BobP]

I mix Devcon Two Ton in a small jar cap covered with tin foil.  Don’t know if the foil helps expel bubbles since it’s the only way I’ve ever done it.  I mix with a plastic strip from an old credit card and really go to town on it.   After vigorous mixing I add a few drops of denatured alcohol and mix that in.  It thins the mix slightly, extends the brush time by about a minute, and expels bubbles.  I also brush with a fine bristle flat nylon artist’s brush which tends to pop any remaining bubbles as I apply the epoxy.  Set any remaining epoxy aside in the foil to check hardening progress.

that’s my routine and it has worked for18 yrs without a failure, in cold and hot garage conditions, 45 to 90 degrees.  Your routine may be different but you need to find what works for you and stick to it.  Good measuring and mixing are the keys.

[Chuck Young]

You know those cups that come on the top of liquid cold medicine? They are great for mixing epoxy. The #5 plastic that they are made of is epoxy-phobic. Epoxy does not stick to it. Once the left over epoxy hardens, you can pop it right out. 

My wife has a $200 dollar a week Nyquil habit - so I have plenty.  JK

My old disposable paint brushes get the hairy end chopped off and become stirrers. I like mixing with a round stirrer. Sharp edges cause bubbles. I can spin the round thing against the side of the cup to make sure that all the epoxy gets mixed. 

Sorry Glenn, but I would never mix with the brush I am going to use for coating. There is a lot of dead space in between those bristles. The only way to thoroughly mix with one is to press hard on the bristles so hard that you are then abusing your brush. Even then it is iffy. 

Edited May 23, 2018 by Chuck Young
grammar

[Musky Glenn]

No problem Chuck Young, this site is all about giving choices that work in our own situations. I failed to mention that I use those cheap nylon brushes and dispose of them each mix. I have picked up many good points from your post and look forward to many more. Good luck to all.

 

[MonteSS]

I have said it before (and prob already in this thread). Get a small digital scale from ebay for about $10.

For baits like a 1.5 sb I put medicine cup on the scale and zero it. Add 11g resin and the add 10g hardner till scale reads 21g. Mix about 2 mins with a popsickle stick. Perfect every time and very simole.

[BobP]

I used to use the “equal size pool” measurement.  I also used to buy Devcon double syringes for 2 bucks at Walmart.  They aren't 2 bucks anymore and Walmart doesn't carry them.  I don’t use either method now because when it’s cold in the garage, the resin and hardener in Devcon have very different viscosities and using either method can result in different volumes being dispensed.  You can solve the problem by warming the components in a water bath before use.  But I’m lazy.

[Chuck Young]

Using epoxy in the bath is a great way to stick to a regimen of hygiene. 

[Chuck Young]

It is probably way overdue, but i just bought a $10 scale on E-Bay.

[Matthew P.Paul]

there are these 2 coatings gives a light glossy finish doesn't yellow

this one is xylene based and has quite a smell recommended to be used with good ventilation does give a thin glossy coat  

http://www.anglersworkshop.com/Trondak/Trondak-Perma-Gloss

or there is this one that is water based urethane based gives a slight vinegar smell have tried this one on Ice jigs and worked as well as the perma gloss

http://www.anglersworkshop.com/RodDancer/Threadmaster-One

for mixing epoxies for perfect mix you should really use these  as the resin and hardener yes are different in viscosity but need to be measured equally  for a good hard finish

http://www.anglersworkshop.com/Flex-Coat/Flex-Coat-Color-Coded-Syringes

Edited June 1, 2018 by Matthew P.Paul

[ddl]

i have never play with urethane ,i like the lures that have been made with urethane .it's really thin but not as durable as epoxy.did you dip or airbrush it ?

[Matthew P.Paul]

I tried both ways and the dip method worked best leveled nicely and you could remove the excess drip if one formed  I use the rod dancer on fly rods to finish the wrappings is a tough as the finish on the blank when dry  but still flexible so that it doesn't chip or crack. hope that helps.

good fishing

[Tuna]

Here's the one I use. Have two. Measured three different items on both scales. Matched.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/0-1Gram-Precision-Jewelry-Kitchen-Herb-Electronic-Digital-Pocket-Scale-2000g/371961704005?epid=500505603&hash=item569aa52e45:g:U2sAAOSwQ7hazUnJ

[ddl]

u2 tks

[MonteSS]

This one has worked well for me. Remember use a tiny bit more resin then hardener.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AWS-1000g-x-0-1g-Gram-Digital-Pocket-Scale-Powder-Jewelery-Gold-Silver-Coin-Herb/273223750546?epid=19014628941&hash=item3f9d679392:g:8WIAAOSwJo5bAEhw

[Matthew P.Paul]

you see the difference in the weight even though it isn't a lot just a bit  using a scale he syringes eliminate the difference as they are of different viscosity and still occupy the same  amount of space that is why using a graduated  syringes take the error out of mixing epoxy Flex coat has a couple videos on mixing the perfect batch  and they recommend using  syringes they make the stuff so why would you want to do it any other way.

it is like a pound of sand vs a pound of feathers which one takes up more space.

here is a link to Flex coat web  learning center  lots of good info

https://flexcoat.com/learning-center

Just a few more things when mixing in a cup roll the cup and hold the stir stick to the side you get like a folding action and your epoxy flows over the edge of the stir stick or spatula and drags the every thing to the side from the middle.  the little cups  are  I get mine at the Pharmacy  cheap by the 100

if you get a lot of bubbles in your mix  just give it a flick of a bic lighter and I do mean just a quick kiss of flame they instantly pop

Edited June 1, 2018 by Matthew P.Paul

[Chuck Young]

Monty, that is the exact one I got. 

[eschoon]

My guess as to the reason for weighing out a small bit more of one component than the other is that one is actually heavier. The product containers may say the same ( ex. 4.25 oz.), but is it in fluid ounces or weight ounces? Fluid ounces is really a volume and not a weight in any liquid with a different density than water. Therefore when using syringes or graduated cups to measure, you are measuring in volume and not weight.

[Tuna]

Can't believe this thread has survived this long. I always weigh, add a bit of 91% Iso  Alc. to achieve a thinner coat, stretch working time and have the ability to coat more baits. Have not had one fail to cure out in 35 batches, about 340 baits coated. Mix how you choose I guess.

Edited June 15, 2018 by Tuna