Hey guys, I'm getting ready to glue a handle & reel seat to the blank tonight and I've got some of the RodDancer ultimate gel 15 minute 2 part epoxy. I wondered if you guys had any tips or tricks for getting equal amounts to mix since you can't exactly use a syringe with this type of stuff. Just eyeball it? I mixed up a test batch the other day just eyeballing it, and it seemed to set but after a few hours it was still a bit rubbery not hard like I expected. Maybe that's normal for this stuff? It's my first time using a paste/gel style epoxy so I'm not entirely sure what to expected it did seem to separate from the foil and mixing stick fairly easily which has me slightly worried.

Thanks guys!
Josh

I use a cheap set of plastic measuring spoons, the kitchen type. Wipe clean with DNA or Acetone to keep clean. The paste epoxy portions are not nearly as critical as wrap epoxy.

Most of the gel type epoxy will harden to the point of not being sticky, but will continue to exhibit a bit of flexibility. They won't feel "hard as a rock" although they're plenty hard to do what they need to do.

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Close is good enough....gels and paste epoxies are very forgiving on ratios.

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Super Tight Lines......Don

Thanks guys!

Even the fast drying epoxies I leve them to dry overnight

better to have it COMPLETLY dry then have it move in a cool shop and then IT DRYS -- Now what - ya redo the seat handle - grips ????

That is a Real wast of time

Bill - willierods.com

bill boettcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Even the fast drying epoxies I leve them to dry
> overnight
>
> better to have it COMPLETLY dry then have it move
> in a cool shop and then IT DRYS -- Now what - ya
> redo the seat handle - grips ????
>
> That is a Real wast of time

Bill,

I totally agree. Like I mentioned I just did a test batch to see how it would out. When I peeled it off the foil, the side felt a little slimy like I either hadn't mixed it well enough or I had the proportions wrong. Just wanted to double check before I started gluing things together wrong and had to redo it all.

I go to a store that sells school supplies and get a box of popsicle sticks A lot in a box
I then cut in half and mix with them I also use them Split in half longwise to mix finish Works well

Watch for splinters

Bill - willierods.com

THe 15 minute epoxies are misleading. Like all epoxy glue and finish, the time it takes for them to set up varies wildly based on teh temperature. I can still move parts i glue with 15 minute epoxy an hour later, my shop is probably 50 degrees though. In the summer when it's 90, it's good to go in 15 minutes.

THe 15 minute epoxies are misleading. Like all epoxy glue and finish, the time it takes for them to set up varies wildly based on teh temperature. I can still move parts i glue with 15 minute epoxy an hour later, my shop is probably 50 degrees though. In the summer when it's 90, it's good to go in 15 minutes.

When mixing, I stir it up, then "smear" it out thin, then scrape it back up, then stir, then smear again. I repeat this several times, and this method seems to be a fast way to really mix it thoroughly.

When I think it's mixed, I do one last smear, and then scrape it into a pile. This gets rid of most of the bubbles, although they don't really matter when bonding grips and seats.

Happy mixing!

-TH

Eyeball is usually good enough, but if you are really concerned, you can get some disposeable plastic spoons (picnic spoons) and use 1 for Hardener, 1 for Resin then toss them out when done.

I like popsicle sticks for mixing and applying

The rod dancer product is good stuff. I find that eyeballing the globs works fine, but I spend a good amount of time mixing on a flat piece of foil. I use a motion like spreading peanut butter on bread and go back and forth in both directions until thoroughly mixed.

The roddancer 15 minute paste "kicks" more thoroughly at around the 15-20 minute mark, much like 5 minute epoxy. Other quick setting pastes have a much slower and gradual kick and will have to cure longer. I use this product when gluing cork rings and am on the lathe 30 minutes later. Same with grips and reel seats. I can put the rod on the lathe about 30 minutes after clamping with high confidence.

Terry