I have read about dryer motors RPM not making any difference in the finished product but was surprised to find there are differences. I used a 40 rpm-18rpm and 10 rpm dryers, using the same thread , same room conditions and equal portions of Threadmaster epoxy mixed separately for each rod. The rods [fore grip wrap] dried using the 10 and 18 rpm motors turned out to be very good. The rod with the 40 rpm motor looks like a dried lava flow and will have to be sanded and recoated. I’m not sure why this happened like it did but found the results interesting. Guess I’m going to retire the 40 rpm motor. I guess I can recoat this rod later in the day without any problem or preparation, can’t I???
Ken Blevins

It may simply be a matter of centrifugal force. The faster something turns, the more inertia is created causing directional force away from the center of rotation, and therefore high spots in your finish.

If you're going to do any sanding you'll have to wait about 3 days before you can do that. Sanding it too soon means it'll just roll up and clog the sandpaper. It's hard to sand epoxy until it's gotten very hard.

..........

I have encountered two types of epoxy irregularities since going to a motorized turner for the drying process.

Ripples seem to form if I apply too much epoxy, especially on a long wrap, then place the test wraps on the dryer without removing the excess. The ripples will form slowly but are very obvious by the end of the drying time. Removing sagging excess epoxy avoids ripples. Of course your always want your rod to be level.

What I would describe as a lumpy appearance may occur when trying to stretch your mixed epoxy to cover just one or two more guides, or a ferrule wrap. At this point the epoxy may be a bit stiff and won’t rotate/distribute well around the wrap on its own. Moving the rod to the motorized dryer and starting turning will cause this lumpiness to be retained.

To avoid retaining that undistributed lumpiness I have started/stopped my motors about every minute for about the first ten minutes. I alternate between guides up and guides down. Under its own weight even a stiff epoxy will sag a bit while the blank isn’t rotating. That first ten minutes of what amounts to hand turning allows the epoxy to distribute and flatten out. Then turn on the motors for the rest of setup time.

Hope this helps.

Jeff Shafer

Jeff Shafer

I agree with your observation. If it turns too fast the thickened molten mass will not move fast enough to self level.
My dryer motor is in the 16-18 rpm range and it works well for me as long as my material does not get to stiff.

I may try that start stop meathod at some point to see how it works for me.

Mike

Mike,
Another benefit is that if your epoxy is a bit heavy it may become obvious while stopped. I first pause with the guides up so any sagging drops away from the guide feet, not up onto them.

Jeff