Thinning epoxy question?

[John Stevens]

I've been putting a coat of epoxy on the seats, rudder and dagger board- I plan to varnish them. I'm using slow cure hardener but I still don't have enough time to coat everything because the brush gets thick even if I make small amounts of epoxy for each application. So... is there a way of thinning the epoxy with Acetone? Will that keep it from drying to quickly, I could use more time? Will it have an adverse effect on the end result? I'm in FL and it's already in the 90's.

Another question- some of the areas of the wood soaked up more epoxy than others. Do I need a second coat of epoxy before varnish?

TIA,

John

[Greg Luckett]

Use a spreader instead of a brush as much as possible. I rarely use a brush any more.

[Ed Jones]

Use denatured alchol by 10% maximum to thin epoxy if necessary. To slow down the kick off of epoxy cool it down. Put your containers in an ice chest with ice.

[Greg Luckett]

If it is cooled, it thickens and does not spread well. It then is applied too thickly and runs badly. How do you correct for that?

[ken connors]

maybe you know this, but it buys you a lot of time if you pour into a wide container, like a plastic plate instead of into a cup.

[Greg Luckett]

That makes sense. Spreading it out on the work slows it down a lot, so doing something similar in a pan should help. Thanks.

[Shine]

I have used acetone to thin epoxy, but a little goes a very long way. 10% would be plenty (just like the previous poster said about Alcohol)

You could also use a very thin epoxy like Silver Tip from System Three.

[Ken]

Greg,

You say you hardly use a brush anymore, electing for a spreader? What do you refer to as a spreader?

Thanks, Ken

[capt jake]

Ken, it is far easier to spread epoxy with a spreader than a brush. A brush will always drop hairs and stuff into it also. More control.

On large areas, i dump the whole mix out of the pot and spread it around, it really helps to spread it out and 'not' keep it in the pot any longer than needed.

[Frank Hagan]

Greg' date='

You say you hardly use a brush anymore, electing for a spreader? What do you refer to as a spreader?

Thanks, Ken[/quote']

Flexible plastic spreaders, sold in auto parts stores for Bondo, work great. Some use plastic milk jug parts they cut out, but I find them too thin and flimsy. The Bondo spreaders are unmatched!

They are flexible enough that the epoxy just pops off them when cured.

[capt jake]

Flexible plastic spreaders, sold in auto parts stores for Bondo, work great. Some use plastic milk jug parts they cut out, but I find them too thin and flimsy. The Bondo spreaders are unmatched!

They are flexible enough that the epoxy just pops off them when cured.

Bingo!

[Charlie Jones]

I also save all those "just start the card now" credit card apps with real plastic cards inside. I've got quite a collection and they work really well for spreading both glue and epoxy .

Haven't figured a use for AOL CD's as yet, although a lady I know hangs them in her fruit trees to help keep the birds away.

[Frank Hagan]

I also save all those "just start the card now" credit card apps with real plastic cards inside. I've got quite a collection and they work really well for spreading both glue and epoxy .

Haven't figured a use for AOL CD's as yet' date=' although a lady I know hangs them in her fruit trees to help keep the birds away.[/quote']

Didn't someone here use them for making the fillets along the keel of a Weekender?

I'll have to start saving the credit card things ... the fake ones are about the right stiffness to work.

[John Stevens]

Thanks all!

John

[Greg Luckett]

Greg' date='

You say you hardly use a brush anymore, electing for a spreader? What do you refer to as a spreader?

Thanks, Ken[/quote']\

I use plastic spreaders like used with Bondo. Squeegee? I am never sure how to spell that word :? . Anything flat, stiff, but slightly bendable works. Sometimes old credit cards do the trick, but I like it more pliable.

[Ken]

Greg, Jake and all -

Thanks for the clarification on 'spreaders"

So...I'm a little dense!

[Greg Luckett]

Not too dense to ask

[John Stevens]

I put on the epoxy with the roller. I cooled it and used a big flat dish, much better. However, I got some air bubbles from the roller. Is there a trick to roll it on without the air?

John

[capt jake]

If you are applying it to wet the cloth, then you need to go over it with a bubble roller. It is a serrated roller that helps set the cloth down to the substrate and help push the bubles to the surface. Don't push too hard with this, as it can cut the cloth.

finish with a squeegee or spreader.

[Charlie Jones]

The easiest, quickest way to get rid of any bubbles when rolling epoxy is to just stick a gloved finger out onto the roller to stop it from rolling and lightly dragging it over the surface. Make sure you do it lightly, evenly and from one end to the other. I usually do this immediately upon completing rolling a surface..

Why use a foam brush when you've already got a foam roller in your hands, right there as needed.