Does anyone out there use the pumps that Flex Coat sells for use in their larger bottles of finish?I just recieved a pair and was wondering about reliability of measurement amounts.Will they keep primed after each use?They have a means of locking them in the down position.Should they be kept locked down between uses?These sure seem handier than syringes if they work right.Thanks in advance for any info.

I've used the smaller ones and was very happy with them. They stayed primed and I never locked them in the down position. I'm now using a different kind of finish and the pumps don't fit, but after reading it here, I drilled holes in the caps that were just barely big enough for the syringe tips and just leave them in their little holes when I'm not using them - no mess at all and it's a free fix.

The pumps work, but if not used often enough they will lose their prime, especially after they have been used for a few months. I think a sort of buildup forms in the check valve portion of the pump, because once cleaned they will work fine for some time before a repeat performance. I never left mine depressed though, so maybe that is a fix for losing prime.

West Systems Epoxy also sells a kit that includes several sized pumps. These work well too, but with similar performance.

I put the regular caps on the bottles of finish in the lathe, and cut neat round holes in them to fit the pumps. I used the flex coat pumps in two other brands of bottles by cutting similar holes in the caps for a nice tight fit.... I continued to have problems from time to time, so I stopped using them.

I now use large syringes to draw finish from the bottles.

Lou

I've used the pumps for about three months now. No problems yet! So far very accurate measurements.

I've never had the confidence in them to trust them on finishes although I've used them years on adhesive. They work fine. Onlyl problem I've run into is that the resin tends to thicken in cooler temps and doesn't end up pumping quite as much as the hardener pump does. This could be disaster on epoxy finish.

So, if you use them for epoxy finish, keep those bottles/pumps in a warm place - no cold basements or garages. If you do, I think you'll be okay.

........

I have three of the gallon dispenser units and had to get heaters for them to keep the stuff from forming lumps in the bottom. Three pumps on the handle fills a one ounce medicine cup with 30cc's of resin and hardner. I have had these units since the early 90's and have nothing but praise for them. I have a static mixer that I use for my encapsulated grips which eliminates air bubbles usually generated from stirring the mixture Jesse