How do you measure your 2 part epoxy?

[jakemcarroll]

I am building my first rod, an UL ice rod for panfish. I just shimmed my blank to fit snuggly into my handle and I was getting ready to mix my epoxy to secure the handle and the book I have suggests using two small syringes, this looks pretty good, but does anyone else have any suggestions?

[upnorth]

Let's start out with the fact that there are two types of epoxy that are used in rod building. One is for attaching handles, seats, etc to the rod blank and the other is for coating/protecting the thread.

What you are going be wanting to use for attaching the handle is an epoxy like the 5 minute or 30 minute epoxy. I personally prefer the 30 minute epoxy myself. That you can measure out in even blobs and just mix on a pad of tinfoil.

The thread epoxy, probably flex coat or something of that nature. The best way to measure that is with syringes, you really need to very accurate in having even parts of the mixture. That I mix in a small cup for about 3 minutes to insure an even mixture, then pour out on a pad of tinfoil(that helps the bubbles pop)to flow out. Believe me if you don't get an even amount of both parts or don't mix it well you will run into problems with it curing. I have had it happen. I have to stress exactly even parts or you will regret it.

[b1gf1sh1]

first, i never made a rod. second, i've mixed a-lot of two part. ALOT!!!... syringes are cool and a great way to measure. you can re-use them over and over if you only use one for resin and one for hardner. with most epoxies you want a silicone free syringe, flex-coat is one of them. my information is pretty much any 2 parts that cure faster than 15 minutes you don't need to worry, or when you don't care about how it looks.

for my two parts i use body shop friendly plastic refill bottles. looks like a ketchup bottle in a way. then i sqeeze equal parts into a silicone-free graduated mixing cup. little trick... when the resin/hardner hit a measure line on the cup the line dissappears. i put a small dot with a tiny marker on the lines i want to see.... mix thouroughly as directions( yes i read them ) say and basicly do as upnorth said pouring it on foil for ten minutes. and i quit useing flex-coat because of the touchy issues. but it works great on jigs and such.... good luck.