I just used U40 Rod Bond for the first time. I loved it! No drips, no mess, very easy to work with. No i'm not a spokesperson for U40 I just think its great. For those of you who havn't tried it, TRY IT! One quick question about how others measure it. I used what looked like equal amounts when dipped out with a stick.

jim
I use measuring spoons

You should at least shoot for a perfect 1:1 mix, although it has been formulated in such a way that it provides you with much greater leeway in this area than do most thread wrap finishes. I do not know exactly what margin of error has been built into it, but the formulator (Ralph O'Quinn) realized that an exact measurement of something of that consistency is not really possible. Thus some margin of error is built in.

I obtained a couple of very large syringes from a hobby shop. I pack one with the hardener and one with the resin and just squeeze out the amount I need. It works well and cuts down on the fuss of having to open the jars and spoon some out each time I need some. If you go this route, just make sure you get syringes with large needles/tubes/openings.

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Tom - are there any special precautions we should be taking when obtaining these syringes. I know ceertain syringes designed for the medical field have a lubricant that will contaminate epoxy - I assume the same applies for Rod Bond - type epoxies?

Most of those sold at hobby shops or woodworking, Monojets, ect., are made for applying adhesives and you won't have any problem with them. If you are concerned, just remove the plunger and clean it with alcohol and reinsert it.

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Same yourself a lot of work and buy 2 sets of cheap measuring spoons. Mark one set for the hardener and one set for the resin. Use exact level (scrape of excess) measurements.

Don't let the Rod Bond fool you. If you guess at it, it will bite you in the rear end same as liquid can.

I use medical measureing cups works well for me
Bob

I measure the rod bond only by using an artist spatula. I lay down roughly equal amounts side by side and then butter them together untill mixed thoroughly. This is all done by eye, not by perfect measurement. The spatula is great tool for picking up the glue and spreading it as thin as you like. As show by Ralph at this years conclave there is a built in margin for the amounts to be mixed. This is also one of the great qualities of rod bond. He just takes a dab of part A and then places a dab of part B of similar size along side and mixes. I have been using this method since Ralph first introduced me to Rod Bond. Never had a failure.

Bruce Young
Landing Gear

I think what Mike is referring to is you can use eyeballing thousands if times and just once go a little to far over and end up with a bond that is not as good as normal and could lead to failure,the extra couple of minutes in trying to get a more even mix could possibly at some time save some agravation
John

Measuring spoons will force you into measuring the same amount every time.

Also, you will overtime be able to determine exactly how much you need to mix up for each different application. I wasted more U40 than I care to admit before I went to measuring spoons.

You must also mix U40 properly. You have to mix it until there is no color varience in the glob and then go a little more.

Kardol is also a good paster epoxy.

Mike
Your alleged troubles with rodbond is not due to inaccurate portions, but rather it is due to inaccurate mixing. You never under any circumstances MIX a paste adhesive. You spread it out over a flat surface like you spread butter on your bread. The two portions will be mixed thoroughly with about three or four sweeps across the surface. If you try to mix it like a liquid--i.e. stirring in a cup or some such shenigans, you will NEVER get it properly mixed. This I know from many years experience and many a test specimen.

In research work on rodbond I have varied the percentage of the components upwards to 20% on each component. At 22 or23 percent with either component, it now will show sighn of improper cure, insufficient shear etc. 20% is a huge difference in mass, any eyeball capable of tying a guide on a rod, is more than capable of eyeballing two adjacent globs within 4 or 5% of each other. Stay within about 10% one way or the other and none of your hundreds of test specimens can be found to differentiate from one another.
Measuring spoons, measuring cups, syringes, etc are not necessary, although they most certainly do no harm. A lot of witch hunting has been done on paste adhesives because of trying to mix them like a liquid. I put a dab on a piece of cardboard, put another dab of the other component right next to it -- take a good look to see if they are ABOUT equal, sweep them across the flat surface a few times, scrape the mass into an area where it is comfortable to work from. and do not have the least bit of trouble and I probably use more rod bond than the average 10 of you out there put together.
Ralph

Ralph, the definition of 'mix' is "To combine or blend so that the constituant parts are indistinguishable".

I didn't say anything about how I 'mix' the paste. I do in fact, 'mix' the paste the same way as you describe you do it using a piece of cardboard and a spatula. Give me just a tad more credit than thinking I would 'mix' the paste like I would 'stir' a liquid.

If you want to tell your customers to 'eyeball' the 'mixture' that is most definitely your business. The gentleman simply asked for other ways to measure it. I prefer to measure it in exactly equal parts.

In addition, if you are going to give directions on the use of your product, at least be consistant. The EXACT directions from the side of the Rod Bond container are as follows:

DIRECTIONS
1. Place equal parts by vol. of each component into a suitable mixing container.
2. Blend thoroughly for about 2 minutes at temp above 62 degrees.

As for whether my comment was 'alleged'.....The very first seat that I attempted to attach using Rod Bond never set up. I used the 'I guess it looks right method' (rather than using your exact directions), spread on cardboard and combined using a spatula. I then went to mixing equal parts in a medicine cup, scooping it out onto cardboard and mixing with a spatula. I now use measuring spoons which work for me. Do not think that all problems with your products are 'alledged'.

Most of us know that the mix ratio has been designed to coincide with this being a paste type (I'd rather say a gel-type) epoxy and thus the ratio does not have to be an exact 1 to 1. (If it did we might all be in trouble.)

And I know that Ralph is giving the purest and strictest technical info on the product here. But I get cold chills when I think about all the people who hear that you can be off by such and such an amount and still get a good cure. Too many people take this to mean that it doesn't matter. Before you know it, they use this same rationaile on their epoxy wrap finish and well, you know what happens.

It's good to always shoot for an exact mix. The beauty of the product is that you can be off 5% (maybe a bit more - I was going to say as much as 10%) and still get a good cure and good strength. But you don't want to advertise this too much - information like this has a way of getting misinterpreted and spread the wrong way!

By the way Ralph, the version of Rod Bond that you did that came out sort of "sticky" might not have been good for rod building tasks, but for other household and boating uses it is fantastic. Items stick in place and stay there while they cure. I'd hate to put a rod grip on with it but it's great for assembling skeleton reel seats or putting rod holders on plastic kayaks. Works great on automotive hubcap plastic centers. I could go on, but let's just say you could have a great product for the home hardware market with the "sticky" version.


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Sounds like a simple case of misused terminology. No hard done and it seems like everyone is doing it the right away even if they use different terms to describe the same blending operation.

Tom,

What next, you going to ask Ralph to make something to water seal your basement?

Bill Doherty

For anybody who does not get the joke, go to Home Depot and look for Trondak Aqua Seal.

That's not a bad idea. But what I'd really like is something that will stick to a plastic kayak. The "sticky" version of Rod Bond is fair at that task, but not perfect.

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