Epoxy Issues

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

So here is my issue...
I have tried two different 2 part epoxy's now and each time it's setting up in under a minute?

Last night I refurbished an old favorite Rapala that was quite large and it's totally ruined... from the time i put it into the cup, mixed it quickly at applied it. we are talking less then 2 minutes total and it was melting my cup and turned rock hard....I had to apply epoxy three time to try and get something smooth and it failed.

Is there an Epoxy that gives a working time of 30 minutes or so?

(stores in my area: Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target, Shopko, Fleet Farm, Menards, Ace Hardware, Tru Value.)

Things to note: I am doing this in my garage and it's been over 90° for 2 weeks, which is why i think it's cutting the "kick" time in half.

 

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/gallery/sizes/14722-rapala-refurb/large/

[cadman]

_{First of all I have never heard of epoxy melting a cup.  Next you need to tell us which epoxy(ies) you used, so we can help. I have been using Devcon 2 Ton (30 minute) for about 10 years and never had any issues. There is also a 5 minute do not buy that. Devcon 2 Ton (D2T) is self leveling. I use it on lead jigs and just love this stuff. Cures really hard, however on really white paint, D2T has a slight amber tint to it, however you can't tell on any other colors. Now my experience with D2T is that it goes on easier when it is warmer outside and levels faster. So your 90 degree temp days should not be a problem. If you apply it on crankbaits, you will have to put the crankbait on a lure turner, to keep the D2T from sagging or running. Other than that, it is a very good epoxy. Also you can put a drop of denatured alcohol in the mix, to make it more fluid, and more spreadable for a longer working time. If it takes you 30 minutes to coat a crankbait, you are taking way too long. I am thinking that you might get 20 minutes working time with D2T.}

 

 

_{There is also a product called E-tex.  Envirotex lite. It is used for bar tops. It is a lot clearer than D2T, is more runny, needs multiple coats and in my opinion the final product does not have as a hard of a finish as D2T.}

 

_{You can usually buy all the epoxies I mentioned from Hobby Lobby, or Ace Hardware. Also you can get D2T at a really good price from Tower Hobbies on the i-net, and they have the 9 oz bottles.}

 

_{This is just my opinion. Others will have more info for you.}

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

The first one I used was gorilla glue brand, Second one i am not sure, i got it from hobby lobby but it's about the same (syringe style). I will look for D2T. any suggestions for purchase?

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

Another thought. has anyone tried chilling the epoxy? to increase work time?

[S Hovanec]

Typically, every 10° increase over 70° cuts the pot life in half.

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

Yikes....

[cadman]

The first one I used was gorilla glue brand, Second one i am not sure, i got it from hobby lobby but it's about the same (syringe style). I will look for D2T. any suggestions for purchase?

 

Ace hardware or on-line.

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

Thanks Bears Fan

[cadman]

Another thought. has anyone tried chilling the epoxy? to increase work time?

 This is how D2T or most epoxies work. First of all you have to mix two equal parts, whether you measure it or do it by eye is up to you. If you do not mix it well, your epoxy will become tacky and never fully cure. If this happens, you can mix another batch and apply it over the first one. Remember the more epoxy you put on the more you may have issues with your crankbait running true, especially if the epoxy is not evenly distributed around the entire crankbait. So you should use a lure turner to get an even coating.

 

Now here are the pros and cons of D2T epoxy.

 

As soon as you mix the two parts of the epoxy together, you get a chemical reaction, where they start to heat up and start to cure(harden) That's why you can't take 30 minutes to coat your crankbait, as it will be very hard to spread the epoxy evenly with a brush.

 

So if you keep your epoxy on the cool side, it will slow down the curing process giving you a longer working time, but the epoxy will be harder to spread on your crankbait

If you keep your epoxy warm, it will flow better, but once the two parts are mixed, the warmth of the room and the heat of the mix will give you a shorter working time, but will be able to be applied faster.

 

So all in all, no matter what you do, if you use D2T 30 minute epoxy, you will not get an hour to apply it if it is really cold, and you will not get an hour of working time if it is too hot. There is a trade off here.

 

So my suggestion is to make sure you have all your components and supplies ready, and then epoxy your bait as quickly as possible and cover all exposed areas. Practice makes perfect.

[cadman]

Thanks Bears Fan

 Just an FYI, but the Bears suck with Cutler, we need a good quarterback. I still like the Packers. Definitely a dynasty team.  Favre and Rodgers, some excellent quarterbacks. Go Pack.

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

Ok sounds good. Yeah when I mix it well, I start applying right away, I don't let it sit at all.
From now on. I am going to paint in the garage, and clear in the climate controlled basement (73°) which should help until i can get some D2T.
Thank you very much for your reply's, they are very helpful!

And now that I know you are not a Bears fan...we can be friends again hahahaha!

 

[cadman]

And now that I know you are not a Bears fan...we can be friends again hahahaha!

 

 

I give credit where credit is due. I never thought that the Bears are really a great team over the years. Packers on the other hand, have had many excellent quarterbacks and an overall solid team year after year.

 

I see you fish Winne, I only fished it once, however I fish all the S.E Wisconsin lakes by the IL border. If you have any other questions feel free to PM me, and we can talk via phone, if that works better for you.

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

IF you get a chance, take a trip north to Beaver Dam. and fish Fox Lake....8+ inch crappies all day and all the bass you can catch. As for Winnebago..it's been fantastic the past three years for Walleye. any color fliker shad behind the boat at 2mph will land you your limit any day of the week.

[Crank Bait Nut]

X2 With Cadman ,

 

I Don't Use A Lure Turner and Know Guys That Don't As Well , That's From Knowing How To Apply A Thin Coat All The Way Around.  I Put Two Coats Of Devcon 2 Ton , 30 Min Epoxy On All My Custom Baits.

 

I Posted A : How To Use Devcon 2 Ton , 30 Min Epoxy Here On This Site , The Credit For The Write Up Goes To A Guy Name "Skeeter" From Another Fishing Site.

 

Mike

[cadman]

 

I Don't Use A Lure Turner and Know Guys That Don't As Well , That's From Knowing How To Apply A Thin Coat All The Way Around.

 

Mike

 

You are absolutely correct. A lure turner is not needed, as I don't use one on my jigs. However like you mentioned, you must apply in thin coats, and watch what you are doing. I just put that in for many guys that don't have any experience with the use of epoxies, and always seem to get sagging epoxy or teardrops forming.

[Wisconsin Bass Man]

Side note. went to True Value and purchased 6 packs of D2T 30 min

[cadman]

Side note. went to True Value and purchased 6 packs of D2T 30 min

I assume you got the syringes. Can I ask how much you paid per pack.

[BobP]

With a 30 minute epoxy like Devcon Two Ton, you have about 3, maybe 4 minutes of brush time before it begins to get too thick to brush easily.  Measure it accurately and mix it really well for about a minute before brushing it on the lure.  Never use quick cure 5 minute epoxy to topcoat a bait.  It cures too quick to level out properly and it tends to turn an ugly brown pretty quickly when exposed to sunlight.  Lots of guys use Devcon Two Ton because it has a good consistency for brushing and it cures pretty quickly, so you don't have drips or sags after about 45-60 minutes.  Etex and other "table top" or "decoupage" epoxies work just fine too but they contain solvent which slows the cure time way down, so require much longer periods of rotation to avoid sags/drips, often several hours.  Devcon is popular but lots of guys use other "30 minute" epoxy brands and report good results.

 

If you want to avoid sags, reverse the lure every little while for the first hour.  Before I had a lure turner, I used to put a wire hanger on the lip and the tail of the bait and reverse it while it hung on a nail in my garage for the first hour.