I have read many comments here cautioning against using solvents to clean a blank, to avoid problems with epoxy thread finishes. My question is, what can I use to clean a blank before I am ready to apply epoxy for threads or decals? I am an amateur builder and I touch the heck out of my blanks from the day i purchase them, through laying out guides static loading and then test casting. I assume my blanks have some contaminants from dirt to fingerprint oils, etc., on them by the time I want to start putting epoxy on. What can I use to clean them?

Also, by "solvents" I assume we are talking about isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol, which are the only two I have in my shop.

Thanks in advance.

Isopropyl alcohol should be all you'd need as long as your hands were reasonably clean while you were handling the blank.

And unless you have extremely oily fingers, even that may be unnecessary.

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

Bob

I lightly wipe blanks when received with isopropyl. Thereafter I wash my hands before entering my work area and about every two hours thereafter. I'm certain there is some oil transferred from my hands to the blank and thread during the build but it has thus far not been an issue.

What has been a problem is the wife dusting furniture and using Pledge. Walked away from the work area for just a moment, unwittingly touched something that caught some Pledge over spray (I think it was the TV remote), returned to the work bench without washing my hands, and I had a problem.

Just wash your hands, wash your hands, and wash your hands.

I assume I am average dirty

U-40 brush cleaner. But nothing beats hot dishwater and a clean cloth.

I just use latex work gloves that way I don't get any oil on the rod or thread. Before I started using gloves I used painters tape to remove anything.