Hello guys.........I have used flex coat brushes for a long time......I like being able to throw them away. The last two or three batches I bought have been shedding badly.........Is anyone else having the same problem?......I am sure Roger at Flex Coat has no control over the brush manufacturing or this would not be happening....... His products are of too high of quality. I buy the yellow brushes in the hundred pack.........Also, if any of you guys would recommend a good throw away brush......P. S. I am waiting for the Rod show to get someone to show me the ins and outs on using a spatula. I still think my finish works better for me with a brush but I sure would like to use a spatula more.........Thanks in advance


Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

I use a mcdonalds coffee stirer....works great for me. havnt used a brush since.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information,which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance--that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
- Herbert Spencer

Go to the craft department at Wally World they carry decent brushes in packs of 10 and packs of 30..

I haven't had a problem yet.


<*)))><

Big John

Some are shedding more but I started using Scott's method and it works well for me..

Ernie

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Michael's has a nice selection of re-usable brushes. You can get a pack with assorted sizes to fit whatever job you are doing from hairline to 3/4 inch wide. They clean up well with acetone, just make sure you get the ones for acrylic paint not water base.

I get a 20 pack of brushes at the dollor store for a buck. I buy out the whole pegs worth.I have my friend look for them also and he uses some from time ti time and mentioned some of the bristles fell out and was gluing them with a dab of epoxy. It was a different brand than I usually buy for a buck as there were not 20. I only have had this problem once and saw the stray bristle and removed it.

As for a spatula, its more the tool you don't use, you just drip a big drip on one half the thread wrap and one on the other half, let it be and move on to the next guide, coming back a LITTLE while later to see if there are any thin spots and even things out. Spatula come in many shapes..also thread picks (dental tools) I like the pointy spatulas and lay them on edge to get an even distribution of epoxy to spill over the threads and onto the blank for a nice perpendictular clean epxoy line. I like the dental picks to do the same on the inside of double foot guides if the feet are isolated without a connective underwarp where it can get tight near the tunnels.

John,
I use the Testor's modeling brushes. I get them in a three pack (different sizes) and throw them away after each use. I use them for CP and finish and they run about $1.00 per pack. They never shed bristles either. Randy.

The manufacturer that we have been buying brushes from has been having problems. We have one person sit and inspect every brush and reject the bad ones before packaging. We have found that some bad ones still get past this inspection and apologize for the frustration it is causing.

If anyone has a number of brushes that are not up to our normal standard please contact us for an exchange. Call 512-858-7742 to exchange brushes.

Thank you,
John Anderson
Flex Coat

I have not used throw away brushes for years. I use good quality nylon art brushes when I need to use a brush. I pay between 15 and 20 bucks for my brushes. Why spend good money on high end parts? An be a cheapskate on brushes? As a general rule I use spatulas. I got my spstulas from Ralph OQuinn and Joe K. As for the brushes I use a mixture of dish soap water and denatured alcohol to clean my brushes. I have a couple of brushes that are close to 5 years old. Just my two cents!
Good Wraps Bob

I used to use the Flex Coat brushes but found them to be too limp to move finish around with. Someone on this site said to try the Plaid (brand) Shader brushes in the craft section at Walmart. They're firmer, come in all sizes, reasonably inexpensive, and provide the best application I've tried with a brush. And I just clean them with Acetone and they're ready for the next job.

I find the Flex Coat brushes to be plenty stiff to move epoxy around with. A spatula works well and I used one for quite a while. Currently I have moved back to the FC brushes simply because I like 'brushing' the epoxy around a little at times. YES I KNOW THIS ISN'T RECCOMENDED!!! I just find it works ok for me...especially when dealing with large OD blanks (big saltwater stuff) and underwraps. I let so much epoxy drip off that I usually end up with a thin coat and any bubbles that 'might' have been introduced by the brushing simply pop and go away to bubble heaven. Not to mention I don't normally see many bubbles get introduced by moving the epoxy around with a fully loaded brush.

I have noticed some bristles falling out here and there with the FC brushes. But I also see that when using art brushes that use hair. Those pieces of hair can be easy to miss. They don't look good when left to cure in an epoxy guide wrap! The FC bristles are easy to see if they jump ship and stick to a wrap.

Just my thoughts. I kind of like the throw away brushes. The least mess I have to clean up the happier I am!

Jay

I do not use hair brushes. I use nylon. As for bristles coming off. You can fix that by applying a little finish near the base where the brisrles are attached to the handle
Good Wraps Bob