epoxy

[BlueNinja]

I've HAD IT with this stuff. Every time I go to use it, i get a spill someplace or another. All of the spills so far have been outside, but someday I will probably stumble and get epoxy INSIDE the house.


The pumps on my bottles have a downward-pointing nozzle. This epoxy is US composites, which means it is really un-viscous (ok, I don't know any other words except for watery). Does anyoen have any suggestions on preventing drips? I am using a wooden-handled q-tip now to stop teh drips, but dangit this is not enough. Just doesn't pulg the nozzle.


If nobody has suggestions on how to stop this, i'm not using epoxy for a month or so. I am sick and tired of this, and had it up to here.


O <- This is here.
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/ l \
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[teflonrocketry1]

Use the plastic cap from bottle with a similar point. Look for ones from an old bottle of CA or even a tube of calk that might fit. I use aluminum foil around the areas where I work with epoxy. Have you tried wraping aluminum foil aroung the dispenser tip? You could even custom cast a cap for the dispenser using silicone bath tub calk.

Bruce S. Levison, NAR #69055

 

[Stymye]

could the pump be building up pressure in the can? try loosening the cap after using to vent the pressure, I'm just guessing

 

[r1dermon]

no worries, denatured alcohol cleans it up like a champ!! lol....i've never had any problems, and its not like there are bountiful alternatives...

 

[BlueNinja]

"To reduce exposure, use special gloves (nitrile rubber or nitrile butatoluene gloves) to protect the hands. Rubber gloves do not help as the resin penetrates through the glove in 30 seconds. Vinyl and neoprene rubber are not totally protective."


Is that part about rubber gloves right?

 

[cls]

lately I've been using white vinegar to clean up epoxy. can't beat $2/gallon

I sure hope the part about gloves isn't right though because I have been using vinyl gloves for a few years!

 

[BlueNinja]

It scares me too. when they say rubber, do they specifically mean latex or just any rubber? I've been using latex for the past few epoxy applications, and if I get any on my gloves I usually throw them away pretty quick, however I don't think I quite had a 30 sec turnaround time...... yeebees.

 

[Stymye]

epoxy soaks into latex

 

[Neil]

Chuck out the pumps and use little plastic spoons to measure, or maybe just a postage scale.

Put the empty paper cup on the scale, and hit the "tare" button, so it returns to "0" and only weighs the epoxy. Add 10 grams of hardener. Then add 30 grams of resin, so it says "40". Mix for 1 minute. Apply epoxy. Just use a palm sander or chisel to take out the drips after they dry.

 

[Neil]

I use Nitrile (I know Ispelled that wrong...) Gloves btw. Works great.

 

[sandman]

I use a LOT of epoxy to build boats.

Every boat I've ever built is permanently outlined on my garage floor with drips.

I keep my epoxy cans with the pumps (West System) inside a heavy cardboard box with the nozzles over the inside...never out.

I never take the cans out of the box except to refil them and to occasionally change the box.

 

[BlueNinja]

Originally posted by Neil
Chuck out the pumps and use little plastic spoons to measure, or maybe just a postage scale.

Put the empty paper cup on the scale, and hit the "tare" button, so it returns to "0" and only weighs the epoxy. Add 10 grams of hardener. Then add 30 grams of resin, so it says "40". Mix for 1 minute. Apply epoxy. Just use a palm sander or chisel to take out the drips after they dry.

I'd like to do that, but I'm such a klutz I would probably be pouring the resin, it would probably slip out of my hand and ALL over the floor. Then, there's the expensive postal scale to worry about. Again, i don't know if that would work as well as pumps- the pumps are 1oz each, so you really are getting a 3-1 volume ratio. The 2 parts may have a different density. If it works well for you, fine, i have doubts about my own dexterity with that system. I use the pumps so I don't have to pour that 2lb bottle or however much it weighs. I measure 2.5ml of hardener and 7.5ml of resin. works fine every time in that it hardens, drips are another thing.

 

[Neil]

Invent a robot to do it for you?

It works for me... Just give it a try. If the bottles are too heavy for you, you can pour some into empty (and dried and cleaned) plastic water bottles (just use your pumps to do that. Do it over a newspaper if your worried), so you can get a better grip on it and you dont spill, then just use the postal scale method i outlined above.

They only cost about $15-$20 at Wally world, and they are definetly worth the investment.

 

[llickteig1]

BN150 you are correct . . . most epoxy hardner and resin are of different densities so a strict 2:1 or 3:1 (whatever the volume proportion) weight proportion would not accurately measure the mixture.

You can devise a test sample to determine the exact weight proportion and use that factor. It is indeed simpler and definitely more accurate than volume measuring. I used some syringes to measure and weigh the test samples. I just use my triple beam balance to do the measuring at the calculated ratio.

The pumps are the easiest way to dispense the goo, but indeed the drips are problematic.

As far as corralling the drips, I keep my bottles in a medium-sized box with crumpled newspaper around them which keeps them upright and in place. I also have a little sleeve made from paper towels and tape that I slide over the pump spigots after use. Things get gooey, but at least they stay where I want them.

HTH, --Lance.

 

[Neil]

So THATS why I had that hardner left over once I was done with the resin...

Still hardens up pretty well, though... I guess ill just have to add a little more hardener next time...