Guy,
This is my first post. I’ve been coming to the board for a long time and found a lot of helpful information.

One topic I need some with is the use of Flex Coat syringes.

What is the best method to fill, clean and store these syringes?

David K. Cockerham

Drill a hole in the cap of the finish and hardner to fit the end of the syringe, stick them in, tilt bottle upside down, fill, store WITH syringes in holes you drilled, upright of course.


DR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2008 11:44AM by Duane Richards (DR).

David,

No need to clean the inside of the syringes. I used to simply clean the outside with alcohol, then put them in a zip lock bag to keep them clean between uses.

I have since started drilling a hole in the tops of my finish caps and leaving the syringes there between uses. Drawing finish is much easier this way as you turn the bottle upside down and pull out the plunger, just like you would fill a medical syringe. This lets you get almost every drop no matter what size bottle, without drawing air bubbles into the syringe. With the syringe tips inside the finish caps, I don't have to worry about contamination between uses.



(sorry Duane - Typing at the same time...)

Mark Griffin
[]
C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2008 11:40AM by Mark Griffin.

Drill bit size 5/32" ... thought I would save you the trouble of figuring it out.

Like the others, I drill a hole in each cap just big enough to tightly fit a syringe tip into. Invert the bottles and draw out the amount of finish you want and squirt into a mixing cup. Stick the syringe back into the cap and draw back an inch or so and place on a shelf until next time. When the bottles run dry take the caps/syringes off and place on new bottle. Never have to clean the syringes and you can't mix them up or lose them. I've been using the same syringes/caps for at least a couple years. Quick, easy, no mess, no fuss and consistant, no brainer measurements every time no matter how little you mix.

One tip, though. Use the syringes that do NOT have the little black rubber on the end of the plunger. They can dry out, compress, get stuck or come loose.

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!!

Just like all the above.

I love this site!

Drill a hole in the cap. What a simple brilliant solution. I have been sticking the syringes down in the bottle to load. I figured after the next use or two it will be too low for me to do this and would have to use smaller bottles, or pour into a cup to load the syringe. Nope the drill and the 5/32 bit will be taking care of this.

Like others, I keep my syringes loaded and seperately stored in zip lock bags. I have been wrapping the end in tape just in case there were some leaks. But after the next load will be storing stuck in the cap.

Eddie

only thing I do different from the above is that I use the yorker caps instead, but same principle

I seem to do this a little different then the previous contributers. I stopped using the syringes many years ago and what I do is really quite simple. I use the caps of the Flexcoat bottles to give me an equal measurement for part A and B and pour it into a mixing cup and it works fine for doing the guides (8 or more) .I will repeat this for my but wrap which will run about 14 inchjes . I get a perfect measurement every time and no need to worry about clean up of syringes.

personally I don't like to use syringes anymore..I use the yorker caps..syringes to me are just on more thing to get misplaced. the hole in the cap is good idea..but to me its just as easy to get an accurate measurement with a yorker cap

Dave

Yorker caps give measurements?

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

Thanks guys.

I going to try drilling holes in the bottle caps.

Tried the syringe approach for the first time yesterday and was very pleased. The pharmacist at our local Walgreens gave me two for free. They are plastic, and I believe non-silicone, but the unique feature they come with an insert with a hole on top. All you do is push an insert into each bottle of finish and hardener. No drilling in the caps is necessary.

I had a hard time finding free clear plastic cups for mixing, I'm cheap. The young gal pharmacist at the Walgreens pulled me aside and said to check out fast food resteraunts. They sometimes use the small plastic cups at the condiment stations. She said she and her friends use them for Jello shots!! Couldn't find any of the plastic cups so I actually bought a shot glass. Being it's made of glass it's easy to tell when the finish and hardener are properly mixed and I just clean it up when I'm done. No more small cups to throw away or clutter up my workspace.

Good luck

That sounds cool! My wife works at a drug store and her best freind is one of the pharmacist there too. I will see if they carry the same syringes.

Just a warning! I'm all for saving money, but the problems that can be caused by many syringes not suited for building can way more than offset the cost of spending a couple bucks for a set of syringes from a vendor on the left that you KNOW is not going to cause you any problems and the fact that one set will last for years.. 100 mixing cups cost $3.95 from a sponsor. They also can be used many times over, if you desire, by just leaving the excess finish cure in them and keep using until it's too full.

Peace of mind is woth a couple bucks to me versus screwing up a rod with a LOT of time/work into it.

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!!

Using syringes designed for purposes other than rod building
can & will come back to bite ya. One may find a set that either
works fine or works fine only AFTER some cleaning in a solvent
but the gamble IMHO of screwing up a rod on the final step aint
worth the risk. Even the time to "test" a new unproven set is to much
considering the very minute cost of the "real deal".

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