Etex problem

[dannyplug1]

I am having trouble getting a good finish on my etex. I measure two of the cups so I know I have equal amounts. do you pour one into the other or do you mix each into a third cup? I would appreciate any tips. also if you are not happy with the hardness of the finish can you re etex the plug, or can you use something like sally Hansen's hard as nails (I use it on fly's with epoxy heads that don't cure right and it fixes the problem. Thanks for suggestions or tips

[iamskippy]

I use Kids medicine syringes and mix in the same cup by volume, however prior to that i just dumped them into one of the 2 cups.

Can you explain a little more about what you dont like about your finish as i am sure i can help, i have had some tough times but now my finishes are flawless and rock hard.

[eskimo]

I've been having much better luck laying off the heat. I try to get the small space I use to around 70 and dry and go from there. I use to use light bulbs to increase the temperature but I think it creates more bad than good.

I use small portion cups (M&D's) and once I'm 3/4 through mixing I dump it into another cup. I've also had trouble when working with small amounts (5cc). I try to work with at 15-20cc.

[steve1874]

Originally Posted by iamskippy

I use Kids medicine syringes and mix in the same cup by volume, however prior to that i just dumped them into one of the 2 cups.

Can you explain a little more about what you dont like about your finish as i am sure i can help, i have had some tough times but now my finishes are flawless and rock hard.

I can attest to this

[ThrowingTimber]

1. M&d's has small mixing cups (shot glass sized)
2. decide how much you plan to use. Sharpie the line in place. If using say 15, mark the 7.5 line and the 15. It helps because the units of measure go clear as epoxy is added. Just like 3rd grade science measure at the meniscus. remember the sides will be higher, but you look dead nuts center of the curve.
3. Add resin. Clean off bottle top and store resin.
4. Add hardener. Clean off bottom top and store resin. (I put them away immediately after use this way I cant add the same one twice )
5. look at a clock and mix for approx 3-5 minutes. Walk away, see the bubbles hit them in the cup with a lighter. bubbles pop. Apply finish.

Yes, you can re-coat a lure. Best bet is to lightly scuff the lure, that's going to create a real nice chance for some mechanical adhesion. Dont bother with sally hensens. Think of the area involved in a fly's head, now think of the surface area on a lure. Yep, lure is more. Just recoat the lure with your properly mixed and measure epoxy.

Also do not think you are smarter than the average bear and weigh out your resin and hardener, as they are to be measured by volume and not weight.

The resin and the hardener do not weight the same. measure and mix in 1 cup. by mixing in 2 diff. cups you are creating an off balance mixture. If you measure part a in a cup, and part b in its own cup. now you dump them each into cup c. Are you 100% cure you got every measure of a &B?

now we take resin A add until 7.5 at meniscus, now add resin b until 15 at meniscus. Pretty damn sure theyre both in there pretty accurate. Mix, let settle, kill bubbles and apply.

Run a thin bead of crazy glue at the base application brush so you never have to worry about bristles falling into your finish.

[O.D. Mike]

Great break down victor, I use the same principles on 1-5.

I went to HFT and picked up the small bottles, easier to handle, squeeze bottle, and cap. http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of...aps-66170.html

Re-coat, use a grey Scotchbrite, your just taking the shine away, no deep gouges.

I like the medicine syringe idea Skippy!!!

I stopped using a flame to knock down the bubbles and started using a heat gun. With that said before you start applying the resin use the heat gun to evacuate all of the dust out of your spinner.

[ThrowingTimber]

If you're going to go the syringe route. Get the ones flexcoat makes, those are for rod building and they do not contain any silicone that will potentially fisheye your finish. CMS carries them, they're like $1.95 a set. Most others use silicone to lube the plungers inside the syringes.

[chefchris401]

Etex How To, my version

I start by soaking the bottles in a bowl of very hot tap water.

While those are soaking, I get my work area ready, I put down newspaper so i can just throw the whole thing away after.

I do the flip method, so I put a rubber coated paper clip on each end, with a twist on each end so they stay on. I bend the other end Into a "c"

The epoxy should be nice and warm and it will be a little thin. Which helps it mix better and lay flatter

I always mix 2 TBS in a batch and use clear cups, I don't use syringes. I always pour the black cap first to 1 TBS, let it settle to make sure it accurate measurement.

Then I pour the white cap on top of the other epoxy, it will push into the other epoxy and start the mixing process.

I mix for 4 minutes, I stir one minute clockwise, then counterwise. Making sure to scrap the sides and not mix too fast, cause you will get a lot of bubbles which are a pain to get rid of.

This is the "plate trick"

While your mixing the epoxy, use a 6" ceramics plate, add some water and microwave the plate for 1 minute. Let the water sit on the plate til your done mixing.

Dump the water off. Dry the plate and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. You should be able to feel the heat thru the foil, it should be warm or slightly hot, not enough to burn your hand.

Pour the epoxy onto the plate, making sure to get all the epoxy out of the cup.

The warmth from the plate will help the epoxy spread out and thin out, it also helps it cure faster.

I get 5 to 6 plugs per batch of epoxy, and I only have to flip the plugs two or three times.

The results are super smooth epoxy with no bubbles and even coverage.

Hope that helps.

Another option is to add some pearl or glitter into the epoxy. I prefer the pearls as they don't require a second coat of epoxy, like some of the glitters.
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[Mugz]

I too use the same shot sized cups to mix in.....but I use a cheap scale from HF to weigh the 2 parts. Sometimes I will even warm the etex bottles in hot water to thin it out a bit....and to start the curing process quicker once mixed. I have never had an issue with it curing rock solid.........except when I realized my etex was way over the expiration date. Might be something to check out. Especially after I had left the bottles out in the garage over the winter. Oh well....

[Eric Roach]

So many process variations, goes to show many ways to reach the same end.

Here is my process for coating one lure, which is the same process I use in rod-building:

1. Using denatured alcohol & Kimwipes, clean brush, mixing cup, tips of syringes, mixing cylinder, foil cup and needle.
2. Let E-tex sit in warm water bath to slightly thin.
3. Draw equal amounts of E-tex parts with syringes (3 cc each), and squirt into mixing cup. I make sure and wipe the side of the cup with the syringe tip to get that last, tiny bit into the mix.
4. The mixing cylinder goes in the mixing cup, which then goes into the epoxy mixer. The mixer is turned on -- I set a timer for 5 minutes.
5. Once mixed, cylinder is removed and cleaned.
6. Epoxy is poured into foil cup.
7. If there are any bubbles at all, they are lightly hit with a small butane torch.
8. I take care to not dab the brush into the epoxy when picking it up to apply -- dabbing adds bubbles.
9. Once applied, I hit any lingering bubbles lightly with the butane torch, and I pick out any dust hairs on the surface with a needle.
10. The lure goes on the spinner.

Misc. Comments

• The foil cup dissipates heat which extends pot life.
• I use a butane torch to eliminate bubbles instead of a heat gun because I feel the gun blows around too much dust.
• I use Envirotex spray over any iffy paints (e.g. Rust-Oleum Colorshift and some metallics) to give the E-tex epoxy a compatible surface. I also use the spray if I mixed paint brands or solvent bases.
• My spinner has lights as a heat source, but I do not turn up the heat until the E-tex has spun for 8 hours or so. I've messed-up some finishes by applying too much heat, too early.

[iamskippy]

all the processes are great but what is the ultimate problem that you're having
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[ThrowingTimber]

He was measuring A into one cop. B into a second cup. then pouring the measures into a third cup, throwing off his mix.

Now hes got it straight to measure a and b into the same cup, and mix.

[Nebe]

If you use a tall narrow cup, it will
Kick the epoxy way too fast and even cause it to smoke. Always use something wide and low.
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[smac]

I pour 1/2 oz of each part in two different 1 oz cups. My work bench is level and I just eyeball the levels and make sure they are even. I do warm both bottles before mixing . Pour one into the other, mix, pour back into the other cup. Mix for 2 minutes, add some glitter if desired , mix a little more.

I use acid brushes and a heated spinner box. No bubbles no dust boogers.

[chumbucket]

Very good info here!
I carefully pour resin into small medical cup to first measure.
I very carefully pour hardner into medical same cup to second measure.
E-tex is a 50/50 1:1 mix so they must be exact and in one cup.
Mix with flat ended Popsicle stick and really scrape those sides and bottom.
Pour final mix into those flat alum.round rod building trays and scrape everything you can out of that medical cup. Quick re-mix in the tray and apply.
(good info to clean everything with some Denatured Alcohol before starting even if everything looks clean. Those acid brushes sometimes have oil all over them)

[N.ShoreFisher]

I do the warm bath, eye ball then I use one of the epoxy spinners from PacBay. I found it helps me. Acid brush on and into heated spinner box.