Simple Tricks

[lymanwhite]

How about some of the simple tricks you have found that save time, money, and make you smile too? May not be for everyone, but if it works bring it on!

I have two to start.

- Ever heard of doing your first epoxy tool cleanup with vinegar? I follow up with alcohol, then a final small bit of thinner. Works well with uncured /still fresh juice, and minimizes the amount and contact I have with thinner.

- I had some old bag sealer tape, and trying to get it to tack to a clean piece of glass brought back all the old hassles of using it even when new.
So I grabbed a roll of 3M clear sealing tape and used that. Quick, cheap. Works well except for bag overlap areas.
For that I sprayed rubber cement into the folded bag area. 29.5 hg.

[Landlubber]

Following on with the vinegar, use it for hand washing too, common knowledge in Australia, but maybe not so in the rest of the blue marble.

[oscarvan]

Box with nitrile gloves....100 Grab a pair and throw it with the mixing stick and container when you're done. No goop on hands.

[lymanwhite]

Nothing worse than running out of gloves!

[offshoreonly]

Buy the gloves in a size larger than you need. I normally put anywhere from 5-10 pairs on depending on how much 'glassing I am in store for. As they get sticky or develop a hole, just pull that pair off and you now have a nice clean pair again. No more stopping and no sticky fingers, lol.

[mydauphin]

Whenever you buy gloves, buy two boxes. When you run out of one, buy two. You will never run out - I promise.

[lymanwhite]

Any one use alcohol for pre thinner cleanup. I've had good results, and keep a gallon with a plunger dispenser, and a spray bottle on the bench.
Mostly for paint world stuff, but I've had some success with the layup cleaning too. Anything really that will keep the voc out of my brain / kidney's.

[Manie B]

Vinegar doesn't always work

i have epoxy that is a 100:65 mix that works well with vinegar BUT my epoxy with a 100:18 mix ONLY works with acetone

i did extensive experimentation with all the alcohols and thinners etc

i use the "yellow" dishwasher gloves used in the kitchen, when i clean my tools i also clean the gloves, the gloves are strong and last a couple of days

[lymanwhite]

I like the idea of putting on several pairs of gloves, have never tried that.
Using West System, and as long as the juice is still in workable shape, the vinegar has been successful for initial cleaning.
Theory: vinegar is an acid base. Mixed epoxy is an a base akaline substance (?). The juice is therefore 'nutralized' by the vinegar. I do know that the juice turns milky and seems to lose its stick consistency when pushed around on a surface with a brush. This 'mixing' seems to be essential to breaking down the juice.

Any thoughts on the chemistry? :idea:

[jdarling]

I know I'm new here, but one thing I've found useful so far is that your local "sign shop" typically has scrap plastic they just throw away. I've managed to get pieces up to 3'x3' for free! Its a quick and easy prototyping material that tends to react similar to wood. Can also be made into a nice pattern if you get enough pieces.

- Jeremy

[offshoreonly]

A couple more i have picked up.
Before grinding starts, cover yourself with baby power, talc, etc. It will keep the fibers from entering your skin pores. Or at least it helps considerably.

For heavy fiberglass grinding, forget about sanding or grinding disks. Get the flapper disks in 36 grit. And dont buy the cheap ones from harbor freight. Buy the good one from home depot or lowes. As a matter of fact, dont buy any of your grinding or sanding materials from harbor freight unless you get the Norton brand. You will go through way way more paper than if you just spent the money on good products. This includes the da paper, grinding disks, flappers disks,cut-off wheels, and basically any other cheap abrasive product they sell. This is from personel experience. Want an example? 3 flapper disks for $9 or so from harbor freight. They did half my transom. One $6 disk from Lowes did the other half. Used half a roll of 80grit da paper on the inside of a car door. 3 sheets of Mirka brand from the local paint supply did the other door. You definatly get what you pay for.

[apex1]

Thanks for the Baby Power one!
I´ll refine it a bit and try baby powder instead THAT sounds like a good idea:D

Regards
Richard

[rwatson]

Thanks for the Baby Power one!
I´ll refine it a bit and try baby powder instead THAT sounds like a good idea:D

Bugger- wish you had posted earlier - the casualty department sent the cops around this afternoon, and I am in a lot of trouble!!!

[apex1]

Bugger- wish you had posted earlier - the casualty department sent the cops around this afternoon, and I am in a lot of trouble!!!

cought in action? covered with baby power? have the babys been cute, blond and at least 18? No prob mate..........

sorry could´nt resist

[TeddyDiver]

Just ad all materials (weight in the consignment) brought in the shop reduced with weight all waste carried out or left behind when ready..

[mb2778]

Two things that I've picked up that also make epoxy cleanup a ton easier:
-next you're putting PVA on something, coat your tools and mixing buckets in the lightest coat. once the epoxy dries, it'll come right off everything.
-use lavasoap to clean off epoxy. it's absolutely amazing how easily this gets everything off.

An obvious one that I discovered early on is to wet out your lay up on waxpaper before applying it to the mold.

that multiple-gloves idea is brilliant!

[PAR]

Simple tricks . . . get 'em drunk first . . .

[hoytedow]

This is a great thread. I hope anyone considering a build finds it before they have to learn things the hard way.

[ancient kayaker]

I've mentioned this before on the forum but this is the right thread for it so here it is again:

I cover a table with insulating foam then I can lay a sheet of ply on it and use a handheld circular saw. Way quicker and better than trying to run a jigsaw along the edge of a table, and safer than feeding the ply through a table saw too. I use a miniature panel saw, 3-1/2" (85 mm) blade, modified the pointer so it is the exact width of the blade so I can cut accurately on either side.

My saw has a zero clearance baseplate already, but a ply plate can be fitted to regular saw. Just fasten the ply then lower the blade through it to make the slot. Much cleaner cut.

[Landlubber]

Isn't that child labour....i thought that was stopped years ago.