After mixing epoxy by hand for over 35 years with little problems I got a mixer, BIG MISTAKE. Put a coat on a rod the other day and it set up fine. Second coat three guides were still tacky and the rest set up fine. Third coat similar result. Should take note of my own advice - If it's not broke, don't fix or fiddle with it, stick with what you know and what works for you.
Now this rods got four coats of high build, two of which aren't set up properly, far from ideal.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

The mixer did not cause your problem. How you used it might have.

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Thats exactly what I think. Although I have not had any problems without the mixer, have not had any with it either. Almost has to be human error factor.

Ron Weber

i have had a lot of problems with this new venture of rod building but using my epoxy mixer has never been one of them . i have used it from the very first mix and have never even seen one bubble in my finish, it is so easy i will never mix epoxy any other way.

Don't feel bad. I had similar results each of the three or so times I tried my mixer, Seems like a no brainer on using it but to me was more effort than it was worth with poor results. Again, that was my luck. I just mix by hand now- pretty foolproof.

Col;
How long did you let it mix? Mine mixes for 5 minutes, I use a timer and I have never had any problems.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

If you could explain the procedure you used, maybe someone could point out an error you might have made. I am barely more than a beginner myself, but the mixer has been foolproof. My mixer comes with a cylindrical piece of stainless steel with a gip wire that acts as a stirrer. I clock it at 4 minutes and it comes out fine.

Guys,
Proceedure - carefully measure resin and check for bubbles in the syringe which can upset the measurement, put into mixer, same for hardener. First two batches I let mix for 4 minutes which is then same as when I mix by hand and watch the ball go round, turn and fall. After the problem with the second batch I let the third one mix for five minutes and made sure I only applied it to the rod from the centre of the cup. The fourth coat which I mixed by hand has set up fine. The only difference I can see is the mixer. John mines got a stainless steel ball unlike yours.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

The ball shouldn't be going "around." We pointed this out in the article. It should stay in the bottom of the cup, not moving past 90 degrees. If it goes beyond that, you need a heavier ball.

Problem solved.

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I used it a couple of times, for me it's much faster and easier to mix by hand. I didn't have any tacky guides, but when I popped the cured finish out of the cup there was some finish that was very tacky. To each thier own, if people lik eit, great, if not no big deal jus tmix by hand, not really that much to stress over.

I've been using a mixer for two years with no problems. However, I due heat the outside of each bottle with a hair dryer for 30 seconds to warm them a little. That seems to reduce the chance of any bubbles being drawn into the syringe. When I start the mixer I also heat the outside of that cup for 30 seconds. That solves the problem of the ball sticking to the inside of the cup and I use a 1/2" steel ball bearing. It's not always needed but I'll usually use a straw and blow onto the inside edge of the cup to ensure all the epoxy is blown into the path of the mixing ball and is completely mixed. Three minutes and it's ready.

Thanks,
Chad Huderle

Huderle Custom Rods
Prior Lake, MN

I have found that the steel cylinder will sometimes not stay in the bottom of the cup if I'm trying to mix a very small batch of finish. When this happens I just add one or two drops of alcohol and presto, the cylinder does its job. "Just able to spin the cylinder" is also the perfect consistency for finishing in my opinion (using our finish of course).

-The Batson TEAM
BatsonEnterprises.com

Hi Gents,
Thanks for the responses. Tom's probably correct in his assessment but when you buy something you don't expect to have to do develoment work to get it to work properly. Didn't like the look or feel of a few of the guides including the stripper so I just stripped them all off and except for three guides the epoxy was still very tacky underneath. The last coat has only been on 24hrs so it hadn't hardened completely but I suspect what was underneath may have prevented it from hardening properly. All the tacky epoxy came off easily with my fingernail and some Isopropanol. Now for some unnecessary rebinding and the epoxy will be mixed by hand as I haven't got much confidence in the mixer even if I get a bigger ball.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Our article was based on the unit we provided instructions for building. I don't have any experience with the commercial units that were based on our article, but if the mixing ball isn't heavy enough you won't get a complete and proper mix in the 4 minutes or so stipulated.

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Col,
If I ever have a coat of finish not cure, I strip the guides and start over.

I use the analogy that uncured finish is like building a house on a shaky foundation. Yes, the house may stand, but hit it with a storm and it will go down every time.

I rather think that putting another coat of finish over uncured finish is like that. i.e. it can look and feel fine on top, but it is still shaky underneath.

I am sure that there are others who have had uncured finish, put another coat over the top and have been satisfied with the results.

Be safe and have your finish always cure to your satisfaction.

Roger

I had to bend the legs on the bottom of my PB mixer so the steel cylinder stayed at the bottom of the cup like it was supposed to. Out of the package the cup was held too flat and needed to be tilted up more. Now it mixes flawlessly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2011 05:43PM by Joe Robertson.