Mixing epoxy - My weapon

OAC · Post by **OAC** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:27 am

I just didn't want to hi-jack falls journal thread.

For your convenience The thumb is cut out due to a "nasty" accident by the time of this picture. (It wasn't that bad but it looked awful)

a.badner · Post by **a.badner** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:18 am

is that an egg beater?
hha
i put an large alan key from ikea (haha main tool for ikea products) in a drill press chuck and use that to mix epoxy.
works fine.

powderho · Post by **powderho** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:27 am

I didn't mix my epoxy with a drill for a long time. It was laziness that drove me too it. I kind of think its safer to mix by hand; there's less of a chance to mix in air bubbles. Most epoxy at my work is mixed by hand. Some is mixed with a low-speed industrial mixer though. One of my teachers from back in the day claimed the only way to mix was by hand. Your mixer looks like it could really fold air bubbles into the mix. Maybe it doesn't matter much with a bladder press at 50 psi, but with a vacuum mold setup, maybe the air bubbles won't be able to escape. I've actually been wondering about this quite a bit.

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:24 am

Yeah, I still just hand mix as I'm very conscious of adding bubbles to the epoxy. So far, so good.

OAC · Post by **OAC** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:31 am

Yes, it produce quite a lot of bubbles, but they escape pretty quick. But it mix well!

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:35 am

I use that one.

Same one we used in production. So much air is mixed in with the epoxy that it turns white immediately. I have never had an air bubble after layup and all of my boards have been bomber. The only thing I've worried about is the little bit of moisture being mixed in since our air is so humid here, but it's never been a problem.

I would NOT recommend this technique to anyone using less than 50 or so psi for pressing.

skidesmond · Post by **skidesmond** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:47 am

How do you clean off the mixer? Let it harden and then chisel it off? Just curious. I still mix by hand. I'm pressing under 50psi.

OAC · Post by **OAC** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:30 pm

In my case it just runs/drips off.

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:30 pm

I let it build up for a few boards and then chip it off. You have to be careful when you're laying it up that you don't get any chunks in your resin.

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:37 pm

I keep a quart container of MEK to put my rollers in after epoxying, just cover with a cut out top...if I was using that stirrer, I'd leave it in there too. Never a mess, always ready. I wish the rest of my life was that simple

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:50 pm

so you use a roller?

I tried that on the edges, vds, and top sheet for the last board. I used a 3" wide paint roller. It worked o.k. but I was thinking a rubber roller would work better.

something like this

a.badner · Post by **a.badner** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:59 pm

oh a roller would be nice.

speed ball made a polyethylene roller for screen printing, its just too wide for skis...

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:26 pm

O yeah, IMO these are the shit

http://www.mcmaster.com/#7722T15 actually, the 3/4" x 3 though...that's the wrong number. As EricW says "I may or may not be drinking" haha.

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:36 pm

cool tool.

Thanks brazen, I think I'll give those a shot.

falls · Post by **falls** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:42 pm

I saw a mixer the other day that was just a dowel with 4 screws screwed into the end to do the mixing.
Seems like using the drill you would get epoxy all over the drill?
(I use my hands a fair bit for smoothing stuff out

)

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Mixing epoxy - My weapon

Mixing epoxy - My weapon