If you store your finish at room temperature, 70 - 72 degrees, there really isn't much of a need to warm it, If needed, holding them in your hands as you did, or tucking them under your arms is a good way of warming them. The resin is thicker than the hardener, but once you mix them together the heat of the chemical reaction will help thin the mix. As others have said, 2 minutes of continuous mixing is good for getting a good thorough mix. Any more than that and you're wasting pot life time.

You didn't say one way or the other, but if you are pouring your mixture out into an aluminum foil dish prior to mixing, I would suggest you start to do so, as it provides a couple benefits. One, it lets the finish spread out more so the heat being generated by the chemical reaction isn't helping to cure the finish as quickly, so it buys you pot life. And two, as the finish layer is thinner, it lets any bubbles in the finish rise to the top much quicker and easier.

I use little aluminum dishes I get from Mud Hole to pour my finish in. After pouring it in the dish, I let it stand for a minute or so to allow any bubbles to escape. With the rod positioned in my wrapper with the guide feet up, I take a tooth pick and dip it into the finish and then onto the top and sides of the guide feet so it has a chance to soak in and fill the tunnels. Once I have all those done, I go back and start doing the wraps. And yes, applying finish at slow rod dryer speeds is excruciating to me, which is one of the reasons I got a power wrapper, But that doesn't help you.

I have never tried applying finish by turning the rod by hand, but I think I would prefer it to applying it at 6 - 9 RPM rod dryer speed. Don't worry about putting it on smoothly or about trying to get the perfect amount of finish on, You can get rid of excess finish once you have the wraps coated. And while it certainly helps to get nice straight finish lines at the ends of your wraps, those can be accomplished later as well. Get the finish on and threads well coated while the finish is still workable for applying it. After you get the wraps coated put the rod in your wrapper either guides up or guides down, and let it sit without it spinning. The finish will start to sag. Let it sag and wick off the sags with that spatula you were talking about. After wicking off the sags. Turn the rod 180 and let it sag again, and repeat the earlier process. Once you get the wraps looking nice and smooth you can start the rod spinning and drying.

When you start spinning it take some paper towel and fold them into quarters with nice sharp creases. Take whatever solvent you are using to clean things up with, I use isopropyl alcohol, 92% or higher, and I get the folded edges of the paper towel wet with alcohol. I then just hold the edge to the blank to clean and straighten the finish at the end of the wraps. I invariably get some finish climbing the guide feet so I will stop the rod from turning and just wick that finish away with the edge of the paper towel.

I have quite a few folded and ready to go, Once one edge is used I go to a clean one, Unfolding and refolding the towel in use at the time, or just getting a new one. And as Marc said, if you need to mix another batch, mix another batch.

The big thing is don't try and be too perfect with it when putting it on. Get it on and you can let it do its' thing and straighten everything out as it does.

Thanks for all the input yall... I started typing this a while ago and got pulled from my laptop so I forget what I was going to say haha.

@MARK - I wasn't thinking GEN 4 will solve my problems, I just happen to have some and was going to see how that one feels but don't have anything to coat with it right now so I was wondering if a layer of the Flex Coat would be an issue.

ROGER and Steve - I may very well try both those better brushes and a credit card and see how each suits my needs.

@DAVID thanks for the tips, I'll definitely be using those going forward. You pour from the mixing cup onto tin foil/aluminum? Could you just mix on the tin foil?

With respect to the comment by David about using alcohol to clean up the finish on wraps.

I am extremely cautious about using alcohol or any other solvent around finish.

Simply put the epoxy finish as shipped is designed to be used with no addition of any kind.

If one gets chemicals of any sort mixed in with the epoxy - the chemical composition changes and it MAY affect the finish.

Also, I am very reluctant to use any paper products around uncured finish because of the possibility of leaving paper fibers in the finish.

But, if someone has a method to have great rods with the products that they use, then by all means carry on.

Best wishes

ED,
I have been working with 2-part adhesives and paint over the years for a very long time.

For a long time I had no allergic reaction at all so I never worried

However, after a few years of exposure, I have become very allergic to the hardener in two part paint. I have no issue with the pigment, but I have significant issues with the hardener.

As a result, if I ever use the 2 part epoxy paint, I will use it only in the out of doors with a gentle cross wind blowing to essentially eliminate any possible inhalation of the vapors. I have found that if I do make the mistake of breathing the vapors, I will be ill to the point of being bed ridden for a week or more.

So, yes - one can become sensitized to almost anything. It may be an odor, a chemical, a dust, pollen, hair etc. But, if you do become sensitized, you are likely to remain so, for the rest of your life.

The very best solution is to simply stay far away from that item to which you have become sensitized.

If you are in a situation where you do need to be around or with a product to which you are allergic, you will often need to wear full rebreather respiratory gear to protect your body.

But, the average person who has become allergic to a material just stops using and stays far away from that product to fully protect your body and the effects on the body due to that particular allergic item.

Best wishes

No, you don't want to mix your finish in a foil dish. You want some depth to the finish as you're mixing it. Having depth and the finish contained in a smaller area makes mixing more efficient, and makes it easier to keep your mixing utensil inside of the finish.

When you're mixing your finish you want to avoid introducing air into the mixture. You don't want to whip it or stir it quickly, there is just no need for that. Mix slowly making sure your mixing utensil never leaves the edges of the finish. What I mean by that is if you turn your cup slightly sideways while mixing, which most of us that mix by hand probably do, then you don't want the stir stick to leave the finish. When you scrape the sides of your cup while stirring, scrape the side that is covered by the mixture. Simply rotate the cup while stirring to allow you to scrape the rest of the side of the cup.

There are definitely things about rod building where once you get familiar with the process, you may be able to develop some short cuts, and finish is definitely one of them, But not at this point in your development. Don't be in a hurry to make things easier. Doing so often makes things harder.

As far as what Roger said about the use of alcohol and paper towels. Both are understandable comments. But neither have ever given me a problem in any way. As he said, if something works for you .....

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I'm using the blue shop towels instead of regular paper towels. I mixed another smaller batch of flex coat for a craft project for my wife. It stayed usable significantly longer.

I think the initial measurements were maybe about 1/4-1/3 off a CC off from each other with a 3 CC each goal. But idk if that was really the problem since I just pushed the syringes to 8cc for the craft project mix, only about a CC each plus that 1/4-1/3 difference and it had a much longer pot life. Last time I held them in my hands for a bit to warn them before mixing - that's the only difference.

I mix my epoxy in the foil dishes, by tilting it slightly so I have the mix working well as i stir it for 2 minutes. Works well for me, and not having to use two utensils and transfer.Mixing in the shallower container keeps the mix from heating greatly and shortening pot life.

Or, use a mixing cup to mix finish for 2 minutes and then apply all of the finish in the next five minutes and you have no issues and minimal fuss and bother.

Be safe

I don't mix by time, I mix by looks then pour out on flat foil lined trays. replace foil for next rod.

Kerry, may the gods of Looking bless you and watch over you.

BUt, for myself I prefer the use of a stop watch. No judgment on whether the epoxy is mixed or not.

Thanks Roger