How to clean epoxy from brushes?

I have to agree (I think I said so previously in this old thread) I don't bother trying to save a chip brush. I don't use them very often any more and they're too darn cheap to consider bothering with. There are just some costs associated with these things. Now, paper towels are something I'd like to save on. I eat a case a month and would like a cheaper way, but this too is a related cost I guess.

 

Well, Paul....I guess your getting plenty of fiber in your diet.

I'll have to track down the Harbor Freight source. My latest trek for chip brushes rounded up some at 46 cents each. I estimate my cost to clean at 12 cents, so if I get 10 cleanings, I'm a few bucks ahead. Then I can buy more epoxy to dirty more brushes.

I'll be looking for those 20 cent brushes though.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=chip brush

 

Any alcohol does a good job.

It is commonly used to clean out epoxy spray equipment because it's a lot cheaper than epoxy thinners.

Methyl Alcohol works (aka Methylated Spirits)
It cleans your brushes almost instantly and dries fast too. You don't need much in a jar to clean your brushes either, it instantly destroys the epoxy.

It works better than vinegar for cleaning, but vinegars quite good. You just need to wash and dry your brushes very well afterwards.

 

As for cheap chip brushes, there is a brush marketed as the "Fooler". More expensive than a chip brush because they have a much higher bristle density and are much less prone to shedding. They hold substantialy more paint and are a very valuable addition to your tool kit when it comes time for roll and tipping of epoxy paint products. The 4inch brush is used by pro painters.

 

crudely clean then with a bit of solvent and paper towel to get the worst of the epoxy off. Put in a plastic bag and place in freezer. you can thaw and use them for about 2 days before the turn into rocks. After 2 or so days even in the freezer, you get epoxy rocks! Works great if you do some epoxy work every day...

 

I use a stiff concentration of washing powder in cold water for polyester resin. The resin will snot up and you can squish it out the brush. Repeating it a few times leaves the brush clean an usable many times over.

Someone pls try with epoxy resin and let us know.

 

washing powder does not work on epoxy, not the epoxy's i use
i trow the brushes away, not good for environment but thean again aint using barrels

 

I actually spoke with someone this morning that collected stuff for a customer, and he said they use a special soap for brushes and rollers. He recons the resin comes off right away and it is also cheap.

 

Disposing of wooden handled chip brushes can be better for the environment than cleaning them with thinners. I don't like using vinegar on brushes because there is a chance that some traces will be left and you can watch the epoxy applied with them run down the side of the boat and form a puddle on the floor that will never cure!

I did that ONCE!

I will use vinegar on myself and other hard surfaces that it will wipe off!

hehe
MIK

 

Did you read my post above? In commercial shipyards no one uses vinegar, and thinners is expensive so they clean their painting equipment with Meths (Methyl alcohol). But any alcohol will do even dilute in drinkable spirits form work well enough in an emergency.

I clean my brushes with Meths and they dry almost instantly. You can reuse them 10 minutes later.

 

Wood alcohol works well, but I prefer isopropyl which seems to work better and is part of a home made cleaning solution mixture I use.

Nice to see your post Mik . . .

 

Paul I saw vodka used recently

 

I've used all sorts of things to get epoxy off me, once had great success with a bottle of orange juice I was drinking, when I leaned on some fresh goo. I wonder what the cost of a gallon of cheap vodka compared to isopropyl might be . . .