Men, I'm old school rod builder. I've read good reports on this forum about this product. I received my RB yesterday and have never seen epoxy in a cream form before. My question is, since syinges cannot be used, how do you guys mix it in equal parts? What in? Is it forgiving if not mixed 100% equally? Thansk, Cap'n

I've seen guys use syringes. Big veternary ones. Some guys use measuring spoons. But quite honestly it is very forgiving and you don't need to get a perfect ratio. I use a spatula and mix by eye. I've never had a batch not set up. I always keep my left over sitting out so I can check its hardness to know when the rod is ready.

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Just go by eye Fred it is pretty forgiving, I used small measuring spoons and they where too messy and you always had to clean them up afterwards. I use Rod Bond when I make pilot bits (flexcoat style arbor bits) and usually I am only mixing a very very small quantity and they always dry rock hard and cop some real hard work reaming cork grips with them and never had the expoxy soften even when they get quiet hot.

I use popsicle sticks. Just put equal emounts on some thing and mix - very forgiving -

I used to use the measuring spoons also, then learned it wasn't necessary, and like Bill, I use popsicle sticks, two for each use, eyeball it, blend on a piece of aluminum foil, throw everything away away after, though I leave the foil and sticks out overnight to make sure everything cures (it does). Good stuff.

I mix on my printing paper

Agreed on the popsickle sticks. Just put a blob of each on a mixing palette. I use whatever I have laying around...usually a piece of cardboard box that I had parts shipped in. Really easy stuff to use.

Jay

I use the large veternary syringes because it is an easy method to store the epoxy and apply similar amounts for mixing but as all are saying the ratio for mixing Rod Bond is not as critical as it is for epoxy finishes.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Personally I use a stainless steel measuring spoon. They are fairly easy to clean up. Now I will warn that I use acetone to clean them up with. After reading some previous post's on the dnagers of acetone I may change that. It sounds as though you you don't have to be super precise on the measuring though. I have also heard of people using a large syringe. You can just load it up, and store it in the syringes. Sounds like you really have to try to mess up with this stuff though. Aswith any epoxy I would follow the rule of leaving the leftovers out to dry. It is alway s nice to know you have a cure.

I get my Rod Bond mixing utensils at McDonald's. I call the plastic knives, Mac Mix Stix.

All you need to clean up whatever you use to measure Rod Bond is denatured/rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. Stay away from acetone it is bad stuff!!

Bob

From the man who knows the most about this product:

Ralph O'Quinn in Rodmaker 5 #5

"One of the reasons that paste epoxies give many people trouble is that they mix them wrong. We never stir the paste epoxies in an open cup as we do with other liquids. Paste epoxies are ALWAYS measured out onto a flat surface. A small piece or cardboard works fine. ....take the spatula and sweep both portions across the cardboard surface as though you were spreading butter on toast. Scrape up the spread out mass, than spread out again. Do this 3 or 4 times and you have a thoroughly mixed, bubble free, paste adhesive ready for doing its thing."

FYI

Joe Milligan

Are you guys talking about U-40 Rod Bond?

yup, U40 Rod Bond. i too, like clyde, use leftover plastic utensils, generally the knife form, sometimes spoon, or i break off the end of a fork, or those REALLY cool inventions, the spoon/fork hybrid thingie. i should use popsicle sticks i gues, more environmentally friendly, but at elast i'm reusing the plastic stuff, and how environmentally friendly can small amounts of rod bond be anyway?

i just eyeball amounts of each and spread over and over for a minute or two on flattened foil.

eric
fresno, ca.

I use the measuring spoon method, it has worked well for me. Then I mix on a piece of cardboard that is covered with Aluminum foil. So far so good.

Tony

Popsicle sticks. Buy them by the bag. One for each part. Eyeball equal amounts of each and the last stick is used to fold the two parts together on aluminum foil. The stick is then used for the application. When I'm done with the sticks, they lay on any unused on the foil and get thrown away when hard.

I also use popsicle sticks, I mix it on cardboard. I have lots of that from the orders I get. Have yet to have a problem with it. I use it for assembling reel seats and puting them on the blank and I also use it for glueing cork rings.