I have always applied rod finish over the factory woven graphite grips. Has anyone else had the epoxy go on fine and then put it in the drying box and it develop HUGE bubbles by epoxy standards? This is a first. I have done it this way for awhile and this has never happened before. Thankfully, it sands down pretty good and can apply the urethane still, a few minor imperfections. It did this twice in a row.

Dean -

No, I have not had that happen....especially if the epoxy went on bubble-free. Spitball: Maybe the CF material was not wetted out completely when it was made and had more air-spaces within the fibers? I've not experienced the sudden appearance of bubbles on a CF grip. At any rate, as you mentioned, it is relatively easy to sand down.

Something changed from your previously successful attempts....or else you would get the same results, right?.

What are your thoughts on what changed?

I did switch to a different brand of epoxy, I will need to look when I get home and see what my epoxies are (gong through older epoxy first). This batch of grips was NFC and most of my previous ones were CFX, so could be a reaction there. But, unfortunately that is 2 variables to sort out.

Epoxy was nice and smooth, then after turning for awhile, big, huge bubbles. Used heat to try and pop them, but they would return. Definitely bubbles, I think this picture was after I tried to pop them with heat or a needle.

It all worked out, just never had this happen before.

Pretty scary. Whats the Xmas lights for?

Looks you got it hot. No need to heat epoxy. Let it do what it was designed to do.

.........

Maybe got too hot, but every grip and rod I have built has been dried in that exact box with the Christmas tree lights. It usually brings temps
up to the 70-80 range. My shop is usually around 60-65 except in the summer when it is whatever Michigan summer weather dictates.

Bubbles are air in the grip and/or the finish. When heated, the air expands. If it happens early enough in the process, those bubbles usually escape. A little later when the epoxy has already reached a certain stage in the setting process, the bubbles may still escape but the epoxy will not flow back into position. Maybe you had a timing issue on this one or more trapped air than usual.

..........

Is it a bad idea to apply PG instead of epoxy on these grips?

I only use PG on these foam core carbon fiber grips. Tried epoxy once and didn’t like it. So, for me I will use PG or no coating at all.
Norm

I tried a few with no coating and did not like that. The texture holds grime pretty good.

My first ones I did with just PG. They were fine but do not pop like the epoxy and PG. PG does
not fill in the texture.