Finish not dry

desi2960

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In the last 25 years I have on 3 separate times not mixed my finish correct , maybe wrong mixture or not enough mixing. I do weight the amounts to try to get them exact.

This last time the finish did not dry for 4 days and I had to try to remove that sticky, gooey, half dry epoxy and let me tell you it is a disaster

My question is there any efficent way remove the half dry epoxy ???
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Acetone or lacquer thinner.
Wear a respirator AND gloves .
Open the doors.

Or use a dull utility blade.
 
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Dave38

theemperorhasnoclotheson
Silver Member
try heating it up with a hair dryer while scraping it with the angled edge of a utility blade, or putty knife. I have had this happen before...one reason I don't use epoxy plus the long dry times.
 

desi2960

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks

The acetone did not help in this case at first.
An old wood handle.kitchen knife is what I ended up using, cue in lathe to hold it and scraped with grain.
It was a mess, after I got 90 percent off the acetone did help.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
try heating it up with a hair dryer while scraping it with the angled edge of a utility blade, or putty knife. I have had this happen before...one reason I don't use epoxy plus the long dry times.

It takes one day for BSI Finish Cure to dry .
Even better if you have a heat box.
Get a small bottle and chuck it after 6 months.
I go through them fast.
 

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
Anything epoxy that comes into the shop gets a date marked on it.
Epoxy in unmixed form has approximately a 12 month shelf life depending how and where it is stored. Extreme heat and freezing cold are the two worst killers of it from the research I have on it.
You decide when at what point you want to gamble with your chances of it still performing like it should.
Bad epoxy is just as bad as poor technique at the A joint when doing short splices.
 

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
My question is there any efficent way remove the half dry epoxy ???

With the cue spinning between centers, nothing I've found is as efficient as a well placed razor blade. Hard or soft finish peels right off once you learn the technique.
Very little sanding required after.
 

conetip

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Keeping moisture out is very important. So decantering works well. Only buy what you think you will use in less time than the shelflife of the product.
Some are longer than others. I find the hardeners tend to go off way before the resin itself does. I buy the resin in bulk and the smallest amount of hardener. I do tests from time to time on my epoxy to ensure that it is still good and working.
The cheaper packs like the BSI, I only get what I think I will use in a 6 month time frame.
I don't use hardener that has changed in colour either.
Keep my resin in one cupboard , and keep my hardeners in another cupboard. Can't say that they last longer, but like to keep common fumes in common places.

OP real question, scarping off badly mixed epoxy is the only way I have done that in the past. I then used epoxy thinner and then methanol to draw the unset epoxy out of the wood. After that , got myself better sorted for epoxy storage and mixing etc.
Outside is the best place with the chemicals as well and appropriate PPE as well. You don't want to end up with epoxy poisoning.

Neil
 

Mcues

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Using a utility blade while turning in-between centers is about the best way to remove epoxy that didn't dry correctly. None of the solvents work well at this stage.

Mario
 

CuesRus1973

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In the last 25 years I have on 3 separate times not mixed my finish correct , maybe wrong mixture or not enough mixing. I do weight the amounts to try to get them exact.

This last time the finish did not dry for 4 days and I had to try to remove that sticky, gooey, half dry epoxy and let me tell you it is a disaster

My question is there any efficent way remove the half dry epoxy ???

Do not measure by weight. Measure by volume. If the density isn't exactly the same, your mix will always be off.

Removal? Good question. I wish I had a good answer.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Do not measure by weight. Measure by volume. If the density isn't exactly the same, your mix will always be off.

Removal? Good question. I wish I had a good answer.

West System has both weight and volume ration guide .
https://www.westsystem.com/the-105-system/metering-pumps/306-25-metering-pump/
Interestingly, you need to add a little more epoxy by weight .
So, if your mix did not cure fully well, you probably did not have enough hardener . Or the hardener is bad .
 
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