Thread: epoxy filling and stabilising

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

We use Techniglue at work in 6L packs, they make smaller packs as well. No mask required, as long as there's ventilation.

Be careful mixing up large quantities, the chemical reaction is exothermic and large batches can get VERY hot very quickly; haven't seen it self-ignite, but I have had one lot start smoking. Fill large voids in stages and don't leave and leftovers in a lump; spread it out to help keep it cool.

All sound advice, Elan, although I am a little more cautious than you. My mate has real trouble from his hyper-sensitivity, mine is mild, but twenty years ago I used to swim in epoxy and clean me with acetone. Do not do as I done!

If you use a flattish tray then it is less likely to heat up. I have also got out of the area real quick, when the heat train started....

If you layer up the epoxy, fletty, a rule of thumb is that epoxy bonds chemically with itself up to 24 hours and it bonds physically after 48 hours. A mixture or either in day two. Defines your speed horizon.


Cheers

Graeme

Originally Posted by shanesmith80

Also I don't recommend using cheap plastic cups to mix in, Like Elan also said it heats up and it will melt the cup, How did I find this out you may ask?.

I tried to mix some once (only) in a styrofoam cup and the acetone in the epoxy disolved the cup, instantly. Now I always pre-test new cups with the solvent that I am using - acetone or MEK.


Cheers

Graeme

Silicone moulds you can get from kitchen shops work well for me. Let the unused portion dry and just turn it out of the mould.

Cheers
Bevan

Woo Hoo, another adventure on the Fletty Train.
I've used Bote-Cote, very similar to West Systems. I only mixed up small amounts at a time using plastic cups from the supermarket.
I made some test cups using water and weighing them to get the proportions right. I think BC is 2:1. I them made a graduated marker that I could use to mark each cup before I poured the epoxy in. seemed to work ok.
Although, you have the pumps so please disregard this information. May be useful to someone else though. I was making a stitch & glue canoe so lots of small batches.

Originally Posted by fletty

I presume there must be something feasible between cheap plastic cups and H's Royal Doulton?

I've been using discarded (and cleaned) yogurt pots.

Paper cups also work -- what you want is something cheap and disposable.
for smaller quantities -- i.e. less than 6 oz -- paddle-pop sticks or tongue depressors work a treat. I can get the latter in packs of 100 for less than 10c each.

Hello Fletty,
If you try Megapoxy, Thornleigh, I am sure they can help.
We regularly buy our stuff from there. Go to their website. They also have
a message box where you can ask questions etc. Hope that helps. Drillit.

Thanks Drillit,
I went to Pac man's suggested supplier, Fibreglass Australasia, mostly because they are close and they were very helpful. As I noted earlier, they were very supportive and even asked me to send photos/WIP because they "often get woodworkers in asking for advice"....... !
fletty

The key word was south western Sydney. If he had of said north I would have said Megapoxy

All pretty good advice here Fletty but just one more small point. With the West system plungers just make sure they go fully back up between pumps. Sometimes they just need a little help.
Cheers, Ian

Originally Posted by Nanigai

All pretty good advice here Fletty but just one more small point. With the West system plungers just make sure they go fully back up between pumps. Sometimes they just need a little help.
Cheers, Ian

And quite thorough clean-up with acetone or MEK after each use.


Cheers

Graeme

Have you burnt the shed down yet?

Not often you come across pictures of Fletty in his workshop.

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Originally Posted by Lappa

Not often you come across pictures of Fletty in his workshop.

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..... and that was taken on a GOOD day!

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Have you burnt the shed down yet?

I haven't had the opportunity to set fire to anything yet. We have overseas visitors staying this week so it's been all hands to the pump to prepare. Having been given total domestic approval to get a lot of outstanding jobs done, I've been on home duty rather than shed joy. By tonight I'd finished MY bucket list and that should give me months of shed joy without the interruption of homework?
Now, I don't want to challenge Repliconics 'scamander' thread but my day and bucket list were also interrupted by a bird or more specifically by a mother duck and 12(!) ducklings.

image.jpg

Mother Duck had been quietly nesting at the back of the swimming pool and I guess it's a measure of my house pride that I hadn't noticed?
The visitors arrive tomorrow and I am under threat of extremely painful retribution IF I offer barbecued duck for dinner!
Epoxying starts next Sunday!
fletty