Greetings to one and all
Rejoice, for I bring you tidings of great cheer.
The problem of LS Supreme hardener turning brown in the bottle on the dealers shelve, is a thing of the past All the data is in - and the program is complete. Production quantities are being manufactured at this writing.

I was bound and determined to maintain ALL the unique properties of LS Supreme while researching this problem. It could have been resolved by merely changing one raw materiel, but that would have changed some of the properties that have made LS Supreme so unique. In maintaing the orginal properties, we managed to add another one that is -I believe- a first in our rodbuilding world.

While making up some of the hundreds and hundreds of specimens so necessary in this kind of program, I saw the possibility of adding a feature that so many of you have cried for, for many years. ie, longer pot life. The effort to achieve that property has been very very successful. You now have a pot approaching a full hour. Thats right, some 60 minutes at 68deg F. It actually begins to thicken at about 45 to 50 minutes, and the last 10 or 15 minutes is more like LS Supreme HI-Build, but is very useusable. Once it begins to thicken, the action accelerates so that the tack free time and final hardening is about the same as it always has been. ie, about 6 0r7 hours to tack free condition. Actual times are very difficult to predict because of the wide difference that epoxies exhibit with merely a degree or two difference in temperature.. I have been unable to check these actions vs time, at southern temperatures that reach 100deg F, but rest assured the working time will be at least twice anything else out there under the same conditions. Some of the field testers that have assisted us in this program will no doubt make some observations come summer time.

Another bonus from this program is the very valuable asset that we now can have TWO different finishes with two different properties, using a common resin. You can take the new LS Supreme hardener, and the Hi-Build hardener and use either of them with the same resin. You will get the LS Supreme properties, using the LS Supreme hardener , and the HI-Build properties using the HI-Build hardener. We are thinking of offering a kit which contains a bottle of both hardeners, and one bottle of the resin. I intend to make up a few experimental kits and bring them to Hi-Point to get some opinions on the subject.

So there you have it. The extra long pot life will give all you newbies and novices, plenty of time to putter around learning how to finish a guide without the necessity of mixing up another batch. For the Pro -- you can now mix up one batch which will last you through 6 or 8 rods without the necessity of mixing up another batch.

I want to give public acknowledgment and a heartily thank you to the field testers who assisted me on this program. Without you, it would have taken another year of lab testing. LS Supreme is back. The same bubble free, crystal clear, easy to apply coating it was before the awful browning revealed its ugly head. The Hi-Build remains the same. A true one coat system with a 25 minute pot life and as crystal clear as the Supreme.

Hope to see Uall in Hi-Point. Be sure and drop by the U-40 booth and ask me to show you the new LS Supreme, we will be demonstrating it, along with the other U-40 products.

Ralph

what is the problem when it turns brown? my bottle of hardener is brown but it hasnt effected anything that i can see...it still comes out clear in the cup and on the rod

lengthening pot life! man i do the drip wick turn and i have to babysit it for about 3 hours before it starts to thicken enough that it doesnt sag anymore haha

if you offer the 1 bottle of resin with both hardeners will the bottle of resin be enough to use up both hardeners?

i love LS Supreme its def a great product keep up the great work!

Brown hardener really doesn't affect the finish in terms of cure or performance, it just spooks folks when they crack open their bottle and see something that isn't clear. It's more of a public relations problem than a performance problem. Rod builders want epoxy that stays clear in the bottle - it boosts confidence and improves sales.

Unless you're using yours on very light colored thread or white rod blanks, you can keep right on using it. It's fine.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2007 09:05AM by Tom Kirkman.

I second jon edwards - I don't even look at the color of the material in the bottle. Of more concern to me is the yellowing of the material as it ages AFTER it has been applied to the rod. Of concern to me too is the the finish wetting and thread penetrating characteristics, but dislike water-like consistency. Prefer a material that has some cling to it and not have it drip off while its being applied.

Lou

Will it be designated new or LS2? It would be useful to know which mix we get. Will the resin and hardener be available separately? It would be nice to buy bulk resin and quantities of hardener by preference.
Thanks, -JOHN

I agree you you Tom. I used some dark amber LS Supreme on the SCIV that I put up in the photo section recently. [www.rodbuilding.org]

I could see a slight tint when I poured it out on the foil but at that point it is many times thicker than a guide wrap finish.

I'm looking forward to longer pot life with the new stuff!

Chuck

Ralph,
How will we know whether we are buying the new or the old stock? Will it be labeled differently? When can we expect it on suppliers' shelves?
This is pretty nifty news! Thank you.
Tight lines,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!