I've used the Flex coat rod builders epoxy with great results for rings, handles, seats and such, they have a 5min version that looks like the same thing only faster.

Has anyone used/use this product much and comments? Will it hold as well as the longer time cureing version?

DR

You will find that you don't have enough time to assemble the handle on the rod with the 5 minute epoxies. You have to rush to put things together, then things seem to get a bit messier than when you take your time. I have seen it happen where you end up not being able to get your cork slid all the way into place because the epoxy sets up.

I use it on Tips (easy to remove wiyh heat) and building ramps up to reelseats, split grips, etc. barely have enough time for that. Like Mike said, to fast for most things (at least for me)

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I don't think the fast cure is as strong as the slower curing version.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Duane,
I have used the Flex Coat 5min. epoxy for a lot of years on both cork and reel seats. I actually like the fact that it is fast and I do not have to wait for it. It may not be as strong as the longer setting epoxy, I do not really know, but I think that it is plenty strong enough.

DR:

With the cut down reel seats and little (or no) cork that you're typically using, 5 minute might be just the thing for you. I've only used it on tip-tops, so can't speak for it's effectiveness elsewhere. However, if you have a nice snug dry fit for all your components, sounds like it might work great. Personally, I've been so impressed with Rod Bond that I'm willing to wait the 24 hours for it to set before moving on to the next job.

It might be worthwhile for you to try it on one of your own rods, fish the rod hard, then report your findings back to us. I can see a situation where I might have a very short turnaround time, and the 5 minute might be just the thing to make it all happen...?

Andrew,
you're dead on why I wanted to give the 5min a spin. There are several applications where I believe it will work well for me and speed my time up conciderably.

Most of the time from what I understand? the slower the dry time the better the adheasion of the epoxy. That worry is what made me create this post.

Emory, thats good to know, I'm going to give it a try on a couple of my own and see how it goes.

DR

If you plan to use it on tips which will fish in below 32 degree temps....I've had each rod built for this application the tip tops came loose. 5 minute is brittle and banging the rod around when it's freezing will result in the tips coming loose.

I've also melted 2 rod tips, and so have others I know trying to remove 5 minute epoxied on tip tops, so I dont' agree that it is easier to remove. Especially comapred to high temp hot melt glue.

I use it for ALL my reel seats! NEVER had a problem. I have no patience to wait around for a reel seat to cure!
You just have to make sure everything is in place before you start.
That means cleanup supplys-EVERYTHING. Make a dry fit first to make sure you get no suprises ;^)
Once you start there's no going back- you can't make mistakes.

"I've also melted 2 rod tips, and so have others I know trying to remove 5 minute epoxied on tip tops"

Billy,

Sounds like you should have FROZEN those tips off instead of heating them. :)

DR

I've used 5 minute Araldite epoxy for reel seats, butt caps and tips for all my rods and have never had any sort of failures at all. My dad has been using 5 minute for over 20 years with a variety of rods and its never failed. Keep in mind that we don't build any standup game fishing rods, but we do build surf rods that cop a hammering on the beach and rocks.

Tom K has mentioned several times that the epoxy we use is more than strong enough for our intents (I guess as long as surface preparation has been adequately done - which is the key to good adhesion), so I'm guessing that the 5 minute stuff should be fine for most people.

Also keep in mind we live in Queensland in Australia where our lowest winter temperature hits about 5 degrees celsius only (summer, it can get over 40 degrees celsius!), so we never have any freezing weather which may affect some epoxies. We do have very humid weather sometimes and the epoxy stands up to that perfectly fine.

I am on the other end of the epoxy bell curve, I guess. I prefer to use a two hour- two part epoxy to have time to exactly fit grip & reelseat parts together, then clamp. I'm slow because when I hurry I make mistakes. When I'm putting 1/8in. thick cork rings together into a fly grip I like to glue up the whole grip instead of 5 or 6 rings per mix. I prefer to clamp firmly enough to leave no visible glue lines unless I've colored the epoxy. Also the high temp. version of hot glue is fine here in Alabama for tips as long as I/we don't abuse the rods by leaving the out in the sun in 95%+ weather to bake. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

I use the 5 minute put-up, in a system, using the slower cures.
My glue clamp extends from zero out to 48" using a highly modified caulking tube clamp. If
I did everything all at once, the reel seat would squish into the rear grip, and the foregrip would walk way down on the threads of the seat.
If I am in a hurry, and need to clamp all three sections of the project in the same day (rear cork, reel seat, and fore grip) I'll pre-glue the first ring with the 5, do slow cure almost to the end, and finish off the rear's corks with 2 rings of five minute, and clamp. 6 minutes later, I can pull the clamp, as the *5* is now the clamp, extend to the next increment, and do the seat. It's friction fitted to the rear grips, by way of tight arbors, and isn't going anywhere.
The first ring of the foregrip is then 5-minuted on.
I can now extend the clamp to the next increment, and do the rest of the foregrip.
In about 6 hours, all the slower resins are set up, then it's on to the lathe.
No failures to date. I've been chirping away at this in my small town for quite a spell, (1983) and if I was bad, I'd be looong gone.