I have a serious problem on my hands and could really use some advice.

I mixed up a batch of new Flex Coat and started to apply it. I got two guides done then all of a sudden it started thicken up on me. The result was the next 3 guides I did were a complete mess. The stuff was hardening extremely fast. The first guides I did took 3 hours to set up and the last guides took 15 minutes and where dry!! Something went seriously wrong. I used heat to try and salvage my efforts but to no avail. Now I need some advice on removing the guides so I cant start over again. Also is there a better finish out there other than Flex Coat ? Maybe something that is a little thinner ?


Please Help!

Flex Coat is a great wrap finish and is almost foolproof. The fact that some of your guides took longer than others to set up, and I assume were coated with epoxy from the same batch, tells me you didn't do something right.

Measuring and mixing are very critical in regards to how well our epoxies set and cure. Please do a search here on this board to uncover some tips that will be helpful to you.

Flex Coat has a pot life, at normal room temperature, of about 25 minutes or so. How long did you spend on those first two guides? If you're spending more than a minute per guide, you need to reconsider your application technique. Get those wraps covered quickly - move along. You can come back after the bulk of the finishing is done to touch in bare spots or smooth out lumpy areas.

LS Supreme has more pot life than any other finish I know of and that might help you a bit. You could also mix up two batches of Flex Coat, one after the other, if you just can't get more than a couple guides covered before the stuff starts to thicken.

To removed the guides, go to the FAQs page and read up on removing and rewrapping. It's no fun, but not hard to do.

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

I am not sure but does the heat not speed up the chemical reaction of the epoxy and make it harden faster.

not sure but I think it might.

Re applying heat: Yes, increasing temperature increases the rate of the chemical reaction, in this case, hardening of the epoxy. A rule of thumb, and a good one for most chemical reactions, is that the reaction rate approximately doubles for every 20-degree (F) increase in temperature. Don't confuse this effect with what happens temporarily when you heat the epoxy while it is still in a liquid or semi-liquid state. It will become for the moment less viscous and flow better; this is a physical, not chemical change. Meanwhile, the chemical change is proceeding inexorably, and you are speeding it up by the heating.

Mike, You can also warm up your bottles or syringes in warm water before mixing to help thin flex coat alittle. But the warming prosess will make it set alittle faster. On the other hand it's easier to work with so you can get the job at hand done faster. It's a catch 22 you see. It sounds to me like you didn't have equal parts or you didn't mix properly. I stir slowely 20 times in each direction scraping the sides each time I switch directions until the epoxy turns clear again and then I stir another 40 times in each direction. Mix it really well slowley so to not add bubbles and use a metal object to stir with. Also always mix more than you need. Tom k. in his book recomends never mix less than 3cc at a time, that is good advice. Also if it starts acting funny stop with the wrap you've just completed so you don't have a Big Mess.

Mike,

Sounds to me that you mixed a good sized batch in a cup. If you leave it in the cup it will set up faster due to an exothermic reaction, the chemical reaction causes heat. Best to spread it out on aluminum foil anfter mixing, or mix on the foil in the first place. When you spread it out you will extend the pot life.

I'm with Tom on this one, sounds like your mixture may have been off or not fully mixed. Also something to check is that you got the proper type of Flexcoat, make sure you didn't get sent Rod Builder Epoxy instead of Rod Finish. There is a big difference as I found out, the hard way. Make sure what you order is what you get before you use it.

Put the two bottles of Flex-Coat in your shirt pocket while finishing up to start mixing and applying Flex-Coat.(30min.or so) This will warm Flex-Coat or LS-Supreme ror that matter, just enough.

Sorry, don't forget to pour mixture onto foil to put on guides.