What laminating epoxy do you use on the sleeve? I have the West system 5 min epoxy and it did not work very well. After putting flex coat 5 min epoxy on the core and sliding on the sleeve, I let it dry. Then mixed the West 5 min epoxy and applied on top of sleeve. The epoxy did not apply smoothly and it ended up being foggie. I reapplied a 2nd coat to fill in gaps that were missed on first try. Still looks really bad. I have followed the steps laid out in RMM about this but with not good results. Should I be using a different mixer of West epoxy?

I don't think the article suggested using any 5 min. epoxy. If I remember correctly the article includes that info.

Hi Brad, The epoxy for laminating the sleeve is West System 105 and West System 207 is the UV resistant hardener. I think you want to use a epoxy that would be at least a fifteen minute epoxy to glue the sleeve to the core. I have used fifteen and twenty minute epoxy to glue the sleeve to the core. Five minute epoxy does not give you much time at all to position and glue the sleeve to the core. Have a great day Rich.

The article that Andy Dear wrote says to use high strength low viscosity laminating epoxy (west systems or similar). Not sure if that is the 5 min or not.

Brad, the term epoxy is a geneic term referring to a large number of compounds formed from resins and amines. In rod building we use two different types. First we use adhesive epoxies to "glue" parts together. Some have a short potlife such as a 5 minute epoxy and some have much longer pot life. Andy Dear's five minute epoxy is an example of a short potlife adhesive epoxy. Trondak's Rod Bond is an example of a an adhesive epoxy with a long potlife.

Second, rod bulders use epoxy finishes to seal and protect the thread wraps holding the guides on. These have a lower viscosity than the adhesive epoxies. For coating the sleeve on the foam core grips you need this kind of epoxy rather than an adhesive epoxy described above I hope this helps.

Mike Blomme.

I have the laminating resin that US Composites sells, it worked great for me. What is everyone using to adhere the carbon sleeve to the foam core? That was the only part of Andy's article I still dont understand.
THanks

I use West Systems 207.

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Tom,
Perhaps I misunderstood part of the article. One step includes applying a quick cure epoxy to the bare foam grip and then sliding on the sleeve and tightening. Later you use the laminating resin to wet out the skin. Do you use the 207 for both steps or I am missing something obvious.

I think there is more than one way to skin a grip. I had good luck using a 60 min set time epoxy to adhere the sleeve to the foam core. I used west 105 resin and 205 hardener over the sleeve. I used the 205 b/c my old man has a hole in the water he fills with money (sail boat) and he had 205 on hand.

The 205 is a bit yellowish. However, it was not the type recommended. I think the article stated that the 105/207 could be used to adhere the sleeve to the core. I have used the 105/205 with fiberglass to fix a hole in the above mentioned boat. We did not use any other form of epoxy to adhere the fiberglass sheet to the boat. Additionally, the west system dvd (60 minutes of boring) makes no mention of using a "standard" epoxy.

If I had to purchase resin and hardener, I think I would look to another brand. West is good stuff, but pricey. It is sold to boat people in marinas. That's like buying a hot dog at a ball game.

I use 207 for all steps other than final glossing, for which I use Helmsman Spar Urethane. My personal method was in the last issue, Volume 11 #1 in the Q&A column.

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Thanks Tom,
I read the Article and Q&A I must have missed that though.