Having some problems with tackiness in FC lite, using syringes for accurate measurement, pouring out on foil after mixing and not over heating with the hair dryer.

Only thing I can figure is it's too cool in here for finishing at 65-70 degrees.

Classic coat hi build works just fine inder the same conditions

No, 65 to 70 degrees is not at all too cool for finishing and even at temps below that your epoxy would still set up tack free after some amount of time.

If the finish is tacky, either you have not given it sufficient time to fully set tack free (a day or so) or it's been inprecisely measured/mixed.

............

i personally wouldn't use a hair dryer but that shouldn't have any bearing on any tackiness. how long has it been given to dry?

eric
fresno, ca.

here's an example. at 85 degrees my threadmaster is hard in under 4 hours (sometimes 3). drop down to 70-75 degrees and that time increases to about 7.

Jan,

Make sure you're mixing with a FLAT instrument, if you're using a round object, the likelyness of the two parts not being folded together properly are the cause if you have waited the proper length of cure time already.

DR

I've experienced the same thing. Only once though. I believe it was an "operator error." I've been much more careful mixing since that time and not had a repeat. The way I fixed my mistake was to wipe the surface with acitone. I did it with my fingers, as the acitone will "eat" latex gloves ( If you try this, wash hands with soap ASAP). I waited a day to allow drying, then did another coat of flex-coat. It worked!
Bill

In 99.9% of the time it is operator error. When it come to measuring Flex Coat finishes. No matter what the room temp. is I always open the bottles and place them in the microwave for about ten to 15 seconds. I use graduated measuring cups. Finish is cheap. So I mix a one oz. mix. I always pour my hardener in first, then my resin. One thing to remember is if you get to much hardener in, the stuff well never set up. to much resin and it well set up faster. I always use a popsicle to stir. I do my mixing in the measuring cup. Mix for at least three minutes, making sure there is no serration lines in the mixture and the mix is clear. Let the cup set for one minute an lightly blow across the finish. This well break some of the micro bubbles. Now pour the mixture on to a flat foil surface. I put my foil into a coffee can lid. Once the finish is on the foil I tilt the lid to spread out the finish., let the finish sett for thirty seconds so it well level out. Then look at the finish for micro bubbles lightly blow on the bubbles to break them Now start laying finish. At a room temperature of 70% I have well over a ½ hour of working time, more than enough time to do a 9 foot rod. If the finish starts to set up mix a new batch.
Good Wraps Bob

Jan,
When I first started building rods, I had the same problem.
The proportions were right, the temp was right, but the finish ended up tacky.

After talking to a few other folks who didn't have the problem, I was told the solution.

TIME

i.e. mixing time.

I mix the finish in a 2oz plastic cup with a square ended wooden stick.
The key thing is time. i.e. I now mix - looking at the clock - for two minutes.
Even though I often think that it is well mixed in a shorter time, I continue to mix every single time for 2 minutes.

I know that folks talk about mixing on foil or a flat surface to cut down the heating effect and thus prolonging the time, before starting to cure. However, I really don't feel the need to mix on a flat surface, but continue to mix in the plastic cup.
I also use gentle heat if needed to thin the finish if needed as well as to eliminate any bubbles that might happen to appear in the finish.

Try increasing your mixing time to two minutes and see if your tacky problems don't go away.

Take care
Roger

I had a rod that would not dry and it remained tacky for two weeks. How disgusted I was!!
It was an improper mixture using measureing spoons. I now use only syringes and do a 3 cc mix. I then use an epoxy mixing machine, ( Sponsors on the left) i have had no problems since. Knock on wood. lol
I also put the epoxie and hardner bottles in a cup of hot water for a couple of minutes.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

DR,
what's the theory behind using only round items to mix?? I have never tried it. I have ALWAYS used wood craft (popsicle) sticks, flat plastic stirrers from MacDonald's or for small amounts, flat wooden toothpicks. No problems yet (about 20 years, off and on)

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!!

Measurement was not an issue as I used the syringes and I agree it's probably operator error not the Flex Coat, this rod sat for 7-10 days and just never hardened up like it should have. I mix with a spatula until the batch goes water clear again and then pour out on a foil square so any bubbles go away and the batch doesn't over heat and set early.

I've used this batch on Tiger wraps before and had good results so this recent failure kinda surprised me, only thing it could be is just I didn't quite mix it enough even though it was clear.

Thanks for the replies. :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2008 08:21PM by Jan Zeiters.

roger, i don't recall anyone suggesting to mix on a flat surface like foil. almost everything i've read suggests pouring out the mixture onto foil AFTER it's been mixed. just a small detail i wanted to address.

jan, how much of each part did you measure out in the syringes? 1, 2, 3ccs?

eric
fresno, ca.

3cc ea, total batch 6cc

I mix my epoxy with craft sticks that I buy by the thousand box and use them almost exclusively but on occasion if I have a used Flex Coat brush laying around I'll use it to mix my finish. I don't think it being round as stated above has any effect on mixing epoxy as long as you pay attention to what you're doing, use the brush to scrape the sides of the mixing cup and mix for three minutes or so. I've used them countless numbers of times and have never had an issue with my epoxy not hardening.

Lance

Mike,

It's the better "folding" of the two parts thats created by a flat instrument that does a MUCH better job at mating the two checmicals together. Resistance and moving product.

Lance,

Try this:

Take one of the white Flex Coat round little stirring sticks and stir 3cc of finish 50 turns one way. Then do the same with Mikes flat popsickle stick. You'll see for your self at that point. Neither will be fully mixed, but one will show much better mixing. 50 turns the other way and one will be close to fully mixed and one will not. Round things do NOT mix/fold well, think about other items used to mix things. Ever seen a round shovel, hoe, cake mixing spatula.....and so on.

Flat is where it's at. :-)

DR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2008 09:56AM by Duane Richards (DR).

I mix with a popsicle stick split in half. Thin yet still flat.

i'll go a step further.......if your finish will not "set up" without using syringes to measure, then it's time to switch brands. i've never had one rod with tacky finish since ive been building and i dont use syringes at all.

question:
i'm considering getting a mixing machine because there's better things i could be doing than stirring for 3 minutes. how long does it take, lets say 2 drams of finish, to completely mix with one of those machines?

i actually have an extra one of these lying around:
[www.mudhole.com]
and i was thinking about just taking the motor part and putting it on an angle to make an epoxy mixer



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2008 11:22AM by Lance Lapeyrouse.

Hair dryers can be both a friend or a foe, depending on the wattage of same. I use one routinely, to help 'pop' some entrained air. But, on low, not on high. High will send the resin off the rod, category 4, into the closest wall.

I'll run the dryer on high (pointing it well away from the rod) for a little bit, to heat up the element, then go to low, so the soft wind is nice and hot, for the first few seconds, before the element cools off. I'll just repeat going to high, then go back to low again. The resin will remain on the wraps with the low air speed.

I think it's also in this thread, whereby the wraps can be saved, with a thin coat of 'good' resin applied over the tackey wraps. I've needed to do that a couple of times back in the day, where I either got the proportions off, or did not mix long enough.

Eric,
You are right. My mistake.
Mix in a cup, then pour out to extend the setup time due to less internal heating.
If it works, go for it.
I do agree, especially if you have a large batch of finish mixed, by spreading it out in a thin layer, you really cut down on the internal heating and thus retard the setup time.

Take care
Roger

No mater how you mix make sure there is no serration lines in the mix. The mix must be crystal clear.
Good Wraps Bob