What's the secret to using Proline 4500 without getting it on everything?!

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majordude

majordude

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Instead of a tube with a tip (like Z-poxy) or a squeeze tube like JB-Weld, Proline's stuff is in cans.

How do I get it out, weigh it, and return the excess to the can without getting epoxy drizzle everywhere? :confused2:
 
Trick question!
The laws of physics dictate that if one is using P4500 in any way, it WILL "get on everything".

My own rigorous testing of this has shown it to be true 100% of the time.

s6
 
i come away with a bit on me one way or another as careful as I try to be. I have the greatest success pouring or spooning base epoxy into cup already on scale bringing it up to target weight. I often use a chopstick for the hardener letting it drip into base until final weights reached. Bamboo chopstick to stir mix . after being so careful- somehow a few drops magically transfer to my hands while applying... messy stuff but fillets are amazing.


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Oops!

Just got it on my forehead....
 
Last edited by a moderator:
+1 on using syringes and a scale.

I use the West Systems syringes for hardener (don't recall the mL size) and a generic 30mL syringe for the black goo. I cut the ends off both tips to widen the opening (mostly to make sucking the stuff up in the first place easier).

It is a bear to load the syringes but once you've got them loaded things get easy. I sit the mixing cup on the scale and tare it, shoot in some hardener and weigh it, tare the scale and add 5.5x that amount of resin, and mix like crazy. Easy peasy.

(and then of course I get it on everything - wish I could help you with that part LOL)
 
I got squeeze bottles (mustard/ketchup) and poured it into them from the cans. It was a little messy doing that but only once.
 
I use a spoon to scoop it from the resin can.
I mix it in wax paper cups with a tongue depressor.
The hardener I carefully pour in slowly; a little at a time as it's being weighed on a scale.

JD
 
Transfer the resin and hardener to squeeze bottles before using. A ketchup bottle works great. A travel size shampoo bottle works great for hardener
Once transferred, set a cup on scale, pour one, do math, pour other, mix like hell. Pour carefully, wipe errors with gloves finger dipped in alcohol.
A week later, notice drops on clothing that you didn't notice before. Place those clothes in "shop clothes" pile for rest of eternity.
See! Easy!
 
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The one on the left is my 4500 resin. Hardener I left in the can, I just dip in a BBQ skewer and drizzle. it's easier to handle than the resin.

15393462659_e0a39230be.jpg
 
I have my hardener in an 8ml squeeze bottle and decided to kept the resin in the tin due to its higher viscosity. I use a large popsicle stick to dip and drip the resin onto a piece of tinfoil doubled up, sitting on my 1/100th gram scale, zeroed out. I typically use it for fillets, just did two this evening, which take about 5g of resin which I measure first, then zero out on the scale and .8g of hardener. Once done I clean up my sticks and spoon, which is what I use for shaping the fillet, place the dirty paper towel in the tinfoil, throw it in the bin and no mess.

Using epoxy efficiently has been a challenge for me until I started weighing my left over. Before I did this I probably mixed up at least 200% of the required amount now I am down to about 15%-20% wastage.
 
DizWolf said:
The one on the left is my 4500 resin. Hardener I left in the can, I just dip in a BBQ skewer and drizzle. it's easier to handle than the resin.

15393462659_e0a39230be.jpg
Click to expand...
The one on the left is a Sam Adams bottle-looks like I need to get busy-thanks for the tip!
 
I've always kept mine in the containers they came in....I use a Popsicle stick to guide out the resin and just pour the hardener out of the container. Poured right into a Dixie cup on the scale. Patience works for me to keep things clean

Preston
 
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pnobile said:
I've always kept mine in the containers they came in....I use a Popsicle stick to guide out the resin and just pour the hardener out of the container. Poured right into a Dixie cup on the scale. Patience works for me to keep things clean

Preston
Click to expand...

+1. First put the popsicle stick with the container on the scale and zero out. Use the popsicle stick on the goo (resin) and plop stick and all into the container on the scale to get resin weight. Then calculate the 18.2% (1:5.5) required hardener and zero the scale. Then drizzle out the resin slowly from the can until you reach the calculated weight. Then use the popsicle already in the container to do your stirring. This method results in accurate mixing and little mess.
 
dixontj93060 said:
+1. First put the popsicle stick with the container on the scale and zero out. Use the popsicle stick on the goo (resin) and plop stick and all into the container on the scale to get resin weight. Then calculate the 18.2% (1:5.5) required hardener and zero the scale. Then drizzle out the resin slowly from the can until you reach the calculated weight. Then use the popsicle already in the container to do your stirring. This method results in accurate mixing and little mess.
Click to expand...

That's not a bad idea!

But I still think I'll have more drips and drizzles than an old man. Sigh.
 
The real secret as to how you can use epoxy without getting it everywhere is to get somebody else to do it for you, at their house.

Barring the above; wear “rubber” gloves, old clothes and do it outdoors with a drop cloth under you.
Cover all the patio furniture the BBQ and any plants within shouting distance; hide the women and children. Chain-up the dog.
Mask off any part/s of the rocket you don’t want the epoxy to get onto/into, even if the rocket is six feet long and you are working on the fins, best cover the other end.

What you have to understand is that epoxy wasn’t invented it was bred. It is the result of a botched bio-warfare experiment that escaped the lab. It is intelligent, it has plans, things to do and those plans most definitely will not coincide with yours, which is why it is always trying to get away and thus epoxy tends to get places you would never think it could under normal conditions.
 
boomtube-mk2 said:
The real secret as to how you can use epoxy without getting it everywhere is to get somebody else to do it for you, at their house.

Barring the above; wear “rubber” gloves, old clothes and do it outdoors with a drop cloth under you.
Cover all the patio furniture the BBQ and any plants within shouting distance; hide the women and children. Chain-up the dog.
Mask off any part/s of the rocket you don’t want the epoxy to get onto/into, even if the rocket is six feet long and you are working on the fins, best cover the other end.

What you have to understand is that epoxy wasn’t invented it was bred. It is the result of a botched bio-warfare experiment that escaped the lab. It is intelligent, it has plans, things to do and those plans most definitely will not coincide with yours, which is why it is always trying to get away and thus epoxy tends to get places you would never think it could under normal conditions.
Click to expand...

Yeah. My last experience with something that wasn't hobby poxy... (30 minute Z-poxy in a beautiful 4oz squirt bottle with a no drip tip)... almost turned into a HAZMAT situation. I got Aeropoxy ES6209 on everything but the part I wanted it on.
 
majordude said:
Instead of a tube with a tip (like Z-poxy) or a squeeze tube like JB-Weld, Proline's stuff is in cans.

How do I get it out, weigh it, and return the excess to the can without getting epoxy drizzle everywhere? :confused2:
Click to expand...

Murphy's Law at work here, ladies and gents.
 
ziggle3 said:
Lots of gloves, lots of masking tape!
Click to expand...

+2 on this.
I will go through multiple sets of gloves when working with Epoxy. I use the cheap blue gloves from Harbor Freight. Two pairs at a time that way you can strip off the yucky (Technical term meaning covered with epoxy) ones and still work or you can put on a clean pair.
 
Sailorbill said:
+2 on this.
I will go through multiple sets of gloves when working with Epoxy. I use the cheap blue gloves from Harbor Freight. Two pairs at a time that way you can strip off the yucky (Technical term meaning covered with epoxy) ones and still work or you can put on a clean pair.
Click to expand...
Does the old trick of shaking some baby/talcum powder into a paper bag so you can reach in and dust your gloves to soak up the epoxy not work with Proline?
 
o1d_dude said:
Does the old trick of shaking some baby/talcum powder into a paper bag so you can reach in and dust your gloves to soak up the epoxy not work with Proline?
Click to expand...

I have never heard of that one. I just use the multiple gloves because it is easier for me and the gloves are inexpensive. To be honest I have never used Proline, just Aeropoxy, Hobby Store brands, and J-B Weld.
 

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