I have used the new LS2000 twice so far and both times I got bubbles and an uneven finish. And yes I did follow the directions to the tee. But I have not given up hope yet. I'm in the process of building a 40 rpm finishing set up. Maybe the higher rpm will make a more level finish and the centrifugal force may make more bubbles come to the surface and pop. Any suggestions or comments?

Thanks,
Steve

First, get some LS Supreme. Is has better overall qualities than the 2000. Bubble release should be almost automatic. After you mix the finish, pour it out onto something or into something which maximizes the top surface area. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so, during which time nearly all the bubbles should come out. Those introduced during application should continue to release for about 30 minutes. It is fine to manually remove any that you see with the edge of your brush, spatula, or toothpick.

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Sorry for the typo, but I am using the Supreme. Did all the things you mentioned. I had better results with the 2000 but will continue to try to "master"(yea right!..lol) the supreme.

Steve

Steve,

Both the LS2000 and the Supreme have worked well for me. Here is what I do. I use little one ounce medicine cups (obtained from medical supply stores) to mix the epoxy in. After mixing, let it sit in the cup for about 3-5 minutes. You can actually see the bubbles dissapate.

Now, the next part sounds a little strange. I like to eat yogurt and have found out the flat plastic lids are perfect to pour the epoxy in after it sits. The lids have a edge, so if you mix a large amount like 3cc it doesn't run all over the place. I try to pick up the epoxy at the edge of the epoxy mass with my brush. Seems to work great. No bubbles when it is finished and is level. Also, I found once it is applied to the rod and starts to level out. Don't mess with it. Let it turn for at least six hours and everything seems to come out OK.

Hope some of these suggestions will work for you.

Tony

I'm beginning to wonder if "bubbles" that some have had problems with are actually "fisheyes" from contaminated containers, brushes, or things used in applications of the finish. Some cups and plastic have a silicon release agent that can contaminate the mix and cause small gaps and spots that could be mistaken for a bubble spot on the surface. Most production plastic has this silicon on the surface and will give you fits. Oil or any other junk that gets in the finish can make a mess. Just a thought......I'm sure most of you are aware of this but some may not be. Thought I'd mention it just in case some may be overlooking the possibility or oil or other contaminates on the finish or thread.

Once I used some WD 40 spray across the room from my rod bench and contaminated some thread and other objects I use for finish. Ruined two or three jobs before it occured to me what I had done. The mist sure travels. I had to trash several spools of thread and brushes. Bug spray, cleaner, and other similiar stuff can do the same job.

Put on another coat of supreme with the 40 rpm motor and the finish came out lots better. It was a lot more smooth and less bubbles. Still getting a bubble here and there though but over all it did do a lot better with the higher rpm. Looks like the speed is a key factor in getting a good finish with the new Supreme.

Steve

Before to many of you start out on a witch hunt take heed. The post above I'm sure was intended to be helpfull, but it is misinformed and is the type of misinformation that leads to so many witch hunts. Please be advised that none of our plastic cups have a silicone release agent, and the statement that most of our production plastic have a silicone on the surface is erroneous and misleading. Silicone is practically never used in the plastic industry -- it is expensive, and just isn't necessary. Silicone is absolutely NEVER used as a release agent in the manufacture of our plastic cups. As an epoxy manufacturer I have utilized just about every conceivable mixing medium that is available. Early in the game it was necessary to research the plastic cup industry as this is one of the more universal mixing mediums in existence. My only caution to you is to always use the polyethelene/polypropolene cups and stay away from the Styrene cups. The styrene cups are not contaminated, but they are much to fragile to be dependable, and are not the least resistant to any solvents. If you can crush a one ounce plastic cup in your hand it is styrene. You can double your safety and be assured of always getting the proper mixing container if you will obtain your mixing cups from one of our rod supplies businesses. I use plastic cups about a dozen times a day - on the average-. There is a big difference in appearance between a fish eye and a bubble. Anyone who has seen both should have no difficulty in determining which is which.

Although silicone's are bad news when inadvertantly subjected to surfaces that are to be finished or bonded, they do get a bad rap from our industry. Recently there was a post to the effect that ;masking tapes contain silicone in the adhesive and are a cause of contaminants. This, of course, is absolutely asinine. But it is equally asinine to think that a manufacturer of plastic mixing cups would contaminate his cups with silicone when his mission in making the cups is to mix things in them.

Ralph

Since some of you are having troubles with U40 finishes and some of you have been kind enough to give me helpful advice when requested, let me tell you what I use to mix and apply my finish U40 finish. First I want to say that I have had excellent results with it. I also am sure there are other finishes out there that also perform well. First as I have said before, I use a double ended Stainless spatula. all I have to do when finished is to wipe it off with Alcohol. next I mix my finish (after I have measured it with the syringes that I have epoxied in the top of my finish caps. No more getting finish on the barrel of the syringes that I have to wipe off. I mix my finish in one of those stainless little cups that some restraunts serve Tartar sauce or syrup in. these also are wiped out with a paper towel and alcohol when I am finished with that phase of putting on the finish. next I pour the finish in a shallow tray lined with Reynolds wrap. I line the tray as follows. first I got some shallow trays that I got food in from one of those diet places (couldn't tell from looking at me) the sides are no more that about 3/4" high and they are about 5" x 7". I take two of them that are the same size (and will fit into each other) and put a piece of foil (big enough to cover the trys with an extra 2" or more hanging over the edges) between the trays and push one tray down inside the other forming the foil to the inside of the tray. Next with the trays still together I fold the foil hanging over the edge down arround the sides. I have a bunch of these trays so I make up a bunch of them and put them in a plastic bag to keep them dust free. I pour the finish out on one of these trays to let the bubbles rise and break as well as keeping me from accidently getting any unmixed finish (if there happens to be any) from the mixing cup. I then apply the finish right away (with my spatula) if I am saturating the wraps with the first very thin mixture or wait if it is the second coat that I want a little more viscous. I have used other finishes and have had good luck with them, but since I like to try new things (within reason) I used and have stayed with the U40 products. my proceedures for mixing and applying the finish should work well with any of the two-part finishes. All of the items I use to mix and apply the finish are reuseable except the foil (which I use for several applications before I discard) and I only have to buy a new roll of foil every once in a great while. I think if you follow this method you shouldn't have any problems. the next thing is cleanlyness and as dust free as possible. that is why I do mine in my computer room where dust is not a welcome thing. Any sprays etc. are done else where.

Kerry

Sorry Ralph, didn't mean to upset you about the silicon thing. By "production" I meant plastic cups acquired from other than rod builder supply places. I have used medical syrenges and found them to have some sort of residue that contaminates finish. The same with some plastic cups from the grocery or drug stores. It may not be silicon but it sure will cause fish eyes. My message was intended as a possible problem for beginning rodcrafters. You're right, most of us know what a fish eye is and what a bubble is. Maybe some don't.

Capt. Harold,

The likely culprit in those syringes you bought was not the plastic syringe itself, but the lubricant on the rubber plunger. Medical syringes are not a good bet for mixing finish, as you point out.

I commonly use two types of syringes - the ones supplied by Flex Coat, which do have rubber plungers but are not treated with anything that will harm your finish, and the syringes from U-40 which do not contain rubber plungers, but rather have a one-piece plastic plunger which guarantees no lubricants are needed.

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ALL medical syringes are lubricated with a silicone oil. The rubber piston is larger in diameter than the plastic barrel, and is immovable unless lubricated. Never use any of the medical syringes for rod work. It is possible to take a medical syringe, remove the rubber piston, clean it of the silicone lubricant (if you know how), lubricate it with a non contaminating lubricant (if you know of one) and use for rod building. It is much simpler to buy your syringe from a rod supply business and be safe. The Flexcoat syringes contain a rubber piston which has been lubricated with a non-contaminate, the U-40 syringes contain no rubber piston therefore no lubricant at all. Just stay away from medical syringes.
Ralph