Which epoxy products designed to coat thread wraps have the most forgiveness for deviations from a precise 1:1 component mix ratio?

Hi,

I use AFTCOTE and it is very good in that regard.

Capt Neil Faulkner

this does not directly answer your question but mixing ratio problems can be avoided by always mixing a full batch. with flexcoat lite i use a full syringe for each of a and b and carefully make sure the syringes are accurately filled. also NEVER take the material out of the mixing cup and apply directly to the wrap. there is always a chance you will pick up some poorly mixed epoxy from the side of the cup. it will not harden. after mixing till water clear pour it out onto a flat foil surface and pick up from there. this also seems to give a longer working time. using this technigue i have never had a failure.

Diamondite is supposedly very forgiving according to Tim with Swifty. However, I am 110% with Larry on this one. Mix it with ALL the precision you can possibly muster, mix it properly, pay attention to time and temperature. Be consistent and be diligent. Once you have a reliable system with whatever finish product you select AND whatever system you develop ... repeat it EVERY time and don't let anyone sway you.

Why are you looking to not be precise? Pulling up a measured amount into a syringe takes very little effort. Why would you not want to make all attempts to do the best work you possibly can, when the cost comes to about two bucks for syringes and the time comes out to maybe a minute or so to let air bubbles in syringes settle out? Finish is cheap. Do what the directions tell you, and it will work perfectly.

I use one ounce graduated measuring cups (they are cheap and reusable). remember most of these epoxy type finishes. well do this, if you add to much hardener they well never set up, if you add to much resin the set up time is shorten. when mixing mix slow and try to fold the mixtures to gather and do not whip it. Once the mixture is mixed look for serrations or swirls, there should be none. let set for one minute., then pour the finish in to a aluminum container or a sheet of aluminum. Let the mixture level out and not build up into a large glob. The aluminum well slow down the cure working time. I mix a full ounce.
Good Wraps Bob

Captain Faulkner:
Thanks for answering my question. I'll give AFTCOTE a try.

Phil
All the epoxy systems packaged for our rodbuilding industry will have the same forgiveness ratio. There will be a very slight deviation from this rule of thumb to be found among the many various brands, but the deviation is so slight that it is impossible to detect it without submitting to very hi tech instrumentation, certainly no mere human observation could detect. In general you have ABOUT a 5% deviation in the measuring of the individual parts before you run into trouble. The one exception to this 5% is RODBOND, where we purposely built in a much larger forgiveness ratio, so one can merely eyeball the mixing ratio and never run into trouble.
Ralph

Ralph:

Thanks. I have used a considerable amount of rodbond on reelseats and grips and have been more than satisfied with its strength, ease of use, and ease of mixing. I suspected that epoxy brands for thread wrapping are pretty much parity products. Your confirmation of this fact is a disappointment, however. The hardness, resistance to discoloration and drying time of thread wrap-epoxy products also seem to be very similar. If a more forgiving product, maybe a 10% tollerance of mixing variance, were to be introduced it might well take over the market.

Phil,

Just mix larger batches and you're almost assured of staying well within that 5% margin for error. One of the worst things folks can do is pinch pennies on the quantity of epoxy they mix - the stuff is very inexpensive and having to recoat or tear down a rod because you fouled up the finish is the result of being penny wise and pound foolish.

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