5 minute epoxy as a sealer

weegee3

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Through the search thread I learned that 5 minute epoxy is a good sealer to use to keep the phenolic black. My question is, how much do you mix at one time for a forearm and butt and how to apply it before it dries on you. Need some direction and council. Thanks
 
Pour out a couple of silver dollar size circles Devcon 5 Minute and mix it up. Spread it on fast with a disposable glove or use a bondo card or a few playing cards while the lathe is spinning a few hundred rounds per minute. Stop the lathe and run the glove or card up and down to smooth it out wiping excess off the end of the cue. I like it because it is clear and it is thick enough that it does not develop the bubbles some of the thinner slower drying types I have tried do. But you only have a couple of minutes to get it on.
 
All 5 minute epoxy yellows over time....... stick to West or Max 1618, they do not yellow

Kim
 
I guess I will have to be the bearer of bad news here. West System does yellow and usually yellows faster than 5 minute Devcon. And although it is correct that 5 minute does not penetrate much, it also does not allow the bubble formations that the slower drying epoxies allow. As far as not being good for oily woods like Cocobolo it is much better for them because it is so thick that it does not pick up the colored oils and smear it around like thinner slow drying epoxies do. As far as Ebony goes it is great for it if it is kiln dried wood then there is very little oil on the surface of Ebony. But just about any sealer works good on Ebony. Ebony is one of the easiest woods to seal. Not trying to be contentious, but there are more ways than one to skin a cat.
 
oil

If you run into the problem of hard to seal, oily wood - use good old Bullseye shellac thinned with denatured alcohol mixed at a 50/50 concentration. Just brush on a coat or two. It dries in under a minute. If there is a lighter wood ahead of the oily wood - such as a birdseye forearm, just use it on the problematic wood. Then use one of the clear epoxy products on the light wood. This is what I do now. No more orange peel, reactions, and bubbles.
 


This is my torture test...... I put these materials used for cues on a white piece of paper and left it on the dash of my car in the Georgia sun last summer............. you can see what yellows and what does not............

Kim
 
5 minute is not a good sealer for cues. Especially for oily type woods like coco or ebony. I would go with west system 105 resin with 207 clear hardener. It sets up much slower giving it ample time to penetrate into the wood and set a good bond and seal. 5 minute will not do this and 5 minute sits on the surface of the wood more than penetrating and protecting it. Yes west system is more expensive, but if you are putting your name on a product, this is not an area to skimp in.


Very well said. Early on I tried the 5 min. IT DOESN'T work like you would expect it to. 105 and 207 is the way to go.
 
5 minute is not a good sealer for cues. Especially for oily type woods like coco or ebony. I would go with west system 105 resin with 207 clear hardener. It sets up much slower giving it ample time to penetrate into the wood and set a good bond and seal. 5 minute will not do this and 5 minute sits on the surface of the wood more than penetrating and protecting it. Yes west system is more expensive, but if you are putting your name on a product, this is not an area to skimp in.

You are correct, except you have explained why it is a poor FILLER.

You have also explained why it is an excellent sealer.

Dale
 
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