I think Tom may have mentioned this procedure once before. I wanted to make sure I have the specifics down correctly. If I put a few ball bearings in the plastic flexcoat type mixing cup and use a ferrite magnet on the bottom of the cup to use as a magnetic stirror, mixing the two parts...does this work well? I was even considering using a small rectangular shaped magnet in the inside of the mix and one on the underside outside the cup to mix the ingredients....Am I on the right track?

Question 2- Anyone ever try mixing in powdered glitter into the epoxy? Got some pictures you can send me? Any recommendations on what type of glitter I should get? I would assume that you want a very very fine powdered version./???

The glitters should be very fine; normally called "embossing". They work great in clear finish although a 2nd coat is usually needed as a few of the buggers stick out and can be felt. Sure doesn't work in marble, though, as the color of the marbling completely covers and masks it. It can be "huffed" onto the surface of the marble and a 2nd coat over top of that later.

Putter
Williston, ND

You don't even need a ball bearing - a simple swizzle stick held stationary while the cup rotates works well too. Cement mixer idea appeared on another popular rod building periodical 8-10 years ago. Works o.k. but.......let me just say I don't use it anymore.

Lou

The mixer that was outlined in RodMaker hasn't been covered before. The article gave some very specific instructions on how to do it so that it worked as advertised. The angle of the cup, rotation speed and size of ball bearing are all very important. They make the difference between a completely bubble free, crystal clear mix that sets perfectly, and one that might set up, or might not.

If you have the article, you may want to read through it again. It will definitely give you a perfectly clear mix.


...........

I built an epoxy mixer after reading the article in RodMaker and it works great. I still usually end up with some bubbles but that's because I am rarely able to remove the two parts from the bottles without there being at least a bubble or two in the syringe. I have holes drilled in the caps for the syringes and invert the bottles slowly but still get bubbles, unless my workroom is really warm. But the mixer is really better than trying to stir it by hand, IMO.

I'm fortunate...I've never had a bubble problem.

I mix my flex coat light on a piece of aluminium foil.....2-3 minutes with a wooden coffee stirring stick that I rescue from coffee prison at 7-11. Stir and turn the two parts..using the side of the stick.

I then put it on the rod...

there are bubbles in the epoxy...but they all go away as the rod turns.

If I fear I have a bubble on a wrap..I blow on it during the turning process...but I rarely need to.

Maybe I'm way fortunate...or maybe the stirring on a flat surface helps...but I don't have a problem.

Keith

I'm still in the stone age when it comes to mixing epoxy finishes. I mix in plastic cups with popcicle sticks (until clear using flexcoat), then pour out on foil and remove any bubbles by blowing over the top with a straw. Once applied, I check for any signs of bubbles and if needed, remove by using the straw to gently blow on the wrap.

Have found the less I mess with it once on the rod the better the finish.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds