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Pre Post epoxy tips techniques tricks tools

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Rui

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I've got loads of advice.......but the plugs on my spinner just now look worse than anything above.....which is just more proof that epoxy will humble you.

 

For what it is worth here is what I've learned.

 

1) brand matters. Etex, system3, devcon all result in problems. Devcon yellows and is very thick/heavy, Etex is the easiest but ends up soft, System 3 gives the thinnest hardest result but is by far the worst to work with ( when it is good it is very, very sweet and when it is bad it is awful). S3 is very slow drying as well so you need a spinner. West system is another brand I've not tried. Very hard epoxies like bar coat products can crack when the plug absorbs water.

 

2) Paint incompatibilities cause trouble. Paints contain surfactants to improve surface sheen/leveling and some cause adhesion issues. Trying to avoid this by "scratch coating" with a clear spray before epoxy can make things worse. Cooking the plugs to heat set the paint and drive off residual surface chemicals helps I think, but not entirely with some colors. I've only used Createx so I'm unsure about the behavior of other brands.

 

3) Mix is important. Small amounts (enough for 10 plugs say) are best done by weight (and be aware that weight ratio will not likely be 1:1 or 1;2 since the two components have different weights for the same volume. Mix with metal rather than wood (the crushed handle of an acid brush works well) as wood absorbs the hardener more than the resin. Mix for several minutes....time yourself. Add the resin to the hardener, not vice versa (I forget where I learned this but it was from a technical bulletin).

 

4) Contamination is everywhere. Don't use medical syringes they have silicone in them. Wipe out new medicine cups with alcohol. Clean your brush with alcohol. Wear gloves, clean them with alcohol, and keep your handling of plugs to a minimum.....never touch without clean wiped down gloves on. Clean your grommets with alcohol.

 

5) Build a spinner, enclosed if possible. Heat it with light bulbs and a rheostat, don't get greedy on the temps at least until the epoxy has partially set.

 

6) Use wide artists brushes and clean with alcohol before use as well as after use. I leave them soaking in alcohol between runs if doing a number of plugs over several days. Acid brushes are awful with thinner epoxies.

 

7) you can recoat up to 24-48 hours (depending on brand) without sanding. After that you are better off to sand lightly with fine paper or scotch pad than wipe clean with alcohol.

 

8) protect your lip slots with folded index cards but don't forget to remove them as soon as the epoxy begins to thicken.

 

9) pass your plugs over a flame to break the air bubbles before putting into your spinner (or while they spin) but don't get too close or the epoxy will singe). A clean flame like an alcohol lamp or torch is better than a sooty flame like a candle or match. Some guys supposedly use heat guns but I'm skeptical of this and have not tried it.

Great write up...loads of great info in there

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x2, all good info.

 

To rehash what I did before epoxy. here goes:

Paint is a mix of Createx and Auto Air, and the plugs hung in the house for a couple of days after painting. Pretty standard for me.

 

I use etex, and I almost always assemble before epoxy, just the way I've been doing it for years, and it usually works for me. Even quantities of resin and hardener, as measured by one of my kids spoons from kindergarten. Time honored, dozens of batches done this way. Mixed well, scrape the cup, a small amount of very fine glitter in there.

 

I use frikkin acid brushes and have been putting up with the crap that comes out of them, but I'm going to switch to the wide artist brush and just clean it when I'm done, I already do that with a smaller brush that I use on Siwash hooks and flags. Too much crap and hairs coming out of the acid brushes.

 

I use a tying vise to hold the plugs and then move them to the spinner after they're coated, just gives me more room to work than on the spinner. I also blow on them thru a straw if I feel the need, usually I don't need to. After the first one is done, start the spinner and do the second, etc.

 

When all 6 are done and spinning, stare at them for too long and if I see something amiss, I'll try to make it right, but once I walk away, I stay away. The method above usually works fine, but there was that one time that one of the plugs fell and got tangled up in the rest of the plugs. Epoxy is very sticky stuff  :mad:

Edited by Ed White

"Can You Hear Me, Doctor?"

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x2, all good info.

 

To rehash what I did before epoxy. here goes:

Paint is a mix of Createx and Auto Air, and the plugs hung in the house for a couple of days after painting. Pretty standard for me.

 

I use etex, and I almost always assemble before epoxy, just the way I've been doing it for years, and it usually works for me. Even quantities of resin and hardener, as measured by one of my kids spoons from kindergarten. Time honored, dozens of batches done this way. Mixed well, scrape the cup, a small amount of very fine glitter in there.

 

I use frikkin acid brushes and have been putting up with the crap that comes out of them, but I'm going to switch to the wide artist brush and just clean it when I'm done, I already do that with a smaller brush that I use on Siwash hooks and flags. Too much crap and hairs coming out of the acid brushes.

 

I use a tying vise to hold the plugs and then move them to the spinner after they're coated, just gives me more room to work than on the spinner. I also blow on them thru a straw if I feel the need, usually I don't need to. After the first one is done, start the spinner and do the second, etc.

 

When all 6 are done and spinning, stare at them for too long and if I see something amiss, I'll try to make it right, but once I walk away, I stay away. The method above usually works fine, but there was that one time that one of the plugs fell and got tangled up in the rest of the plugs. Epoxy is very sticky stuff  :mad:

 

Man that sucks Ed. I too have gone away from acid brushes. Now i use a purdy xl medium stiff 1" brush. I had it new laying around so figure i would try it. So far no complaints.

When I'm done i clean it in alcohol and put it back in the case it came in. Keeps dust off and ready for next time. 

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as bad as it might sound, before clear coat, I have been washing plugs with orange Palmolive dish soap, drying them with paper towels and then checking for lint or dust left from the towels. It has been working very well.

 

To get the bubbles out I have moved to blowing through a straw on the plug instead of a torch and been happy about that(except when I blow spit on the plug...)

 

Are you using water based paints? If not i guess that would work but sounds like a lot of dust and lint would be left behind. 

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Are you using water based paints? If not i guess that would work but sounds like a lot of dust and lint would be left behind.

 

Not water-based; it rarely seems to produce dust/lint(that would show up in the finish at least) though I do look for it. maybe it is a waste, but you can get away with it.

"If you know that and you don't know anything else you know more than if you know everything else and you don't know that."
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  • 3 weeks later...

I was going to start a post on this and saw this post.

 

I went through all of the epoxy hell above before starting BC plugs with Corey. In fact we never would have started selling plugs if we hadnt gotten a tip from Big Don. Thank you Don!

 

Component Systems -  6 very light coats - work on other stuff in between

use a coat hanger to hang em

Learn to Swim...

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Dust is really a problem I'm having. Are most guys drying in an inclosed spinner?

 

I believe most are using acid brushes. I feel something better is out there but we have not figured it out. I wonder is this small foam brushes would work.

One tip I've read was to take needle nose pliers and crimp the area the holds the bristles. Seems to help but i still get bristles in my finish.

I use foam brushes..

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If you touch the painted plugs before epoxy you will get separations in the epoxy. The oil on your hands is not epoxy friendly. I wear throw away gloves when handling plugs after paint or wipe them down with alcohol before epoxy!

Time is the best teacher, but unfortunately it will kill it's pupil!
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I was going to start a post on this and saw this post.

 

I went through all of the epoxy hell above before starting BC plugs with Corey. In fact we never would have started selling plugs if we hadnt gotten a tip from Big Don. Thank you Don!

 

Component Systems -  6 very light coats - work on other stuff in between

use a coat hanger to hang em

 

Thanks for the info.

What issues were you dealing with and what makes this epoxy so good?

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1. PUSH the bristles into your plug. Sometimes, when people see dry spots in their epoxy, they think it's the result of oil. I thought that too. Now I make it a point to apply more pressure when coating. I've pretty much been problem free since. I know it sounds obvious, but you're not painting the mona lisa, give it a little force. Sometimes when you go too light, you cover the area with epoxy, but it doesn't hang on. 

2. With a glove, run your fingers through your brush several times and LOOK for loose bristles. If it extends past the others, don't trust it. Pluck it. 

3. After mixing epoxy for a few minutes, walk away for a few minutes. 

4. Work next to a bright bulb, it will help you see things overhead flatter lights do not. 

5. A hairdryer on low:warm does wonders for bubbles. As a last resort, carbon dioxide from an exhale. 

6. Work in smaller doses. Nothing is worse when your epoxy starts to stiffen up when your on your last few plugs. Mix a new batch 15 or 20 minutes after your first. This way, when your batch starts to take form, you've already got a bubble free batch of epoxy ready to go

7. BBQ skewers are your friend. They are great at mixing, and serve as a pen-like object when your trying to get epoxy into tight quarters. It can also be cut several times and reused, so there's very little waste. 

Edited by JimmyJam
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  • 1 month later...

1. PUSH the bristles into your plug. Sometimes, when people see dry spots in their epoxy, they think it's the result of oil. I thought that too. Now I make it a point to apply more pressure when coating. I've pretty much been problem free since. I know it sounds obvious, but you're not painting the mona lisa, give it a little force. Sometimes when you go too light, you cover the area with epoxy, but it doesn't hang on. 

2. With a glove, run your fingers through your brush several times and LOOK for loose bristles. If it extends past the others, don't trust it. Pluck it. 

3. After mixing epoxy for a few minutes, walk away for a few minutes. 

4. Work next to a bright bulb, it will help you see things overhead flatter lights do not. 

5. A hairdryer on low:warm does wonders for bubbles. As a last resort, carbon dioxide from an exhale. 

6. Work in smaller doses. Nothing is worse when your epoxy starts to stiffen up when your on your last few plugs. Mix a new batch 15 or 20 minutes after your first. This way, when your batch starts to take form, you've already got a bubble free batch of epoxy ready to go

7. BBQ skewers are your friend. They are great at mixing, and serve as a pen-like object when your trying to get epoxy into tight quarters. It can also be cut several times and reused, so there's very little waste. 

Very good tips 

1. i experimented with cutting the bristles on a acid brush real short which made them really stiff. Probable the best epoxy I've ever layed. Maybe the bristles being so stiff it made me press harder?

3. One thing that really helps me is mixing for about 4 minutes and letting it sit for 15 minutes. Just before applying to plugs i blow through a straw to pop any bubbles that are left. 

5. I use a heat gun on high. Seems to work well for me.

6. Good tip since i like to wait 15 minutes before applying.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I will say, I tried the nitrile glove technique with applying the epoxy by finger, and that was painless!  I will be doing all my lures that way from now on.  clean no mess and just dispose of the glove when done.  Another tip i can give is I use the Starbucks green Stoppers to mix my epoxy.  They are made of plastic and don't cost me anything, just pick a few up when you get some coffee.  Also another tip is if your mixing cup is getting warm, that is a big clue that you are probably on the last lure to be able to coat, it will start getting tacky soon. 

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