# Etex Lite experience



## Nails(WI) (Feb 23, 2014)

This thread is for anyone new to Etex or who may have had the same experience I did.

Took up airbrushing my own spinner rigs and cranks last spring. Tried Devcon 2-ton epoxy for clear coat and didn't care for the yellowing. Switched to Etex with good results, right up until I thought I could speed up the curing process by changing the ratio to include more hardener than resin. Wrong!!!! My clear coat was still sticky a week later. 

So if you use Etex take the time to mix thoroughly at a 50-50 ratio, it really is important. Don't despair if you have a few cranks that you clear coated that didn't cure. I used denatured alcohol to clean the uncured epoxy off 4 cranks and then recoated. They turned out perfect.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Good post. Like you said, it is crucial to mix E-Tex at exactly a 50/50 ratio for best results. I have also learned that the hard way.  Not stirring or mixing it long enough is another way to ruin a good finish. It's also good to let it sit for a bit after mixing to let the air bubbles rise and pop before applying. Adding some heat to the mixing cup with a hair dryer also helps get rid of some of the bubbles.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

If you do add more of one, its got to be the hardener, but I'm talking a very slight amount...I do just enough to know that I have a tiny bit more and it turns out fine....I think the biggest factor, however, is the environment....high humidity is the worst thing!

Heres my process:

Everything you use requires a certain process...I've used Etex, Diamond2, Devcon, EX74 etc...I found one of the most important things for successful epoxy coating is the preparation. That includes room temperature and humidity as well as a completely cured, dry, smooth and clean surface you are applying on. And ALL of this takes a lot of trial and error and keep in mind, that different people head different results due to environment. Below is a list of things to try to help improve the process that has helped mine. 

-Let epoxy sit for a minute or two after mixed
-Dry environment - run a de-humidifier 
-Room temp from 65 to 70* best 
-Allow paint to dry at least overnight (esp. water based) 
-Do NOT handle painted bait with bare hands 
-Thoroughly mix the epoxy for 2 mins (use a timer!) 
-Be sure you have 2 equal parts or slightly more hardener 
-Warm the epoxy in warm water for 15 minutes prior to mixing 
-Apply Epoxy liberally...some epoxies can be applied with one heavy coat. 
-Use a small torch to remove any bubbles - don't get crazy with this...quick strokes over the entire bait is all you need and once is enough! 
-Do not blow direct heat on the lures while on the turner...this causes the epoxy to stay more runny and inhibits scaling or separation spots...Once its on the bait and evenly covered, I put it on the turner at room temp to set up naturally...The quicker it tacks up, the better for you 

Hope this helps. 
~Paul


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Just curious, seen you used alcohol to remove epoxy. Did it remove the pain also? And are you using a water base paint?
What do you guys do with spoons and harness blades? Do they also require a spinner. As im going to try the Etex on them. Ive had bad experience with soft finish. And the toothy critters tend to chew it off.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

Paul,

I believe D2 is repackaged EX-74 based on things I've read over the years. In any case, I really like it as a rod finish.

One other finish you lure guys might be interested in is the RR-321 epoxy from Riley Rods. I'm sure it is repackaged epoxy of some sort, but it's a 2 to 1 mix and cures a bit harder than D2 and the rod finishes. I use it with woven carbon sleeved grips, so, I'm not sure how it does with yellowing. But, given that Mike makes a good many sleeved grips in white, it can't yellow too much.

The RR-321 is pretty thin with a longer working time than a lot of other epoxies.

If someone tries it, let me know how it works out for you.

Joe


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## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Another advantage to allowing etex to sit for a while is the fact that doing so seems to eliminate the natural electrostatic charge it acquires during the mixing phase. 

That static charge seems to have an amazing propensity to suck dust onto the lure.

Letting it sit gives a more of dust free finish as well as making the application easier and more predictable.


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## Nails(WI) (Feb 23, 2014)

viper1 said:


> Just curious, seen you used alcohol to remove epoxy. Did it remove the pain also? And are you using a water base paint?
> What do you guys do with spoons and harness blades? Do they also require a spinner. As im going to try the Etex on them. Ive had bad experience with soft finish. And the toothy critters tend to chew it off.


No, it was the 2nd coat of etex that I used the alcohol on. I used just enough alcohol on a clean lint free rag to remove the tacky epoxy. Let dry overnight and recoated being careful to mix perfect 50/50 batch and the baits turned out perfect.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

While striving for a 50:50 ratio mix is always the best, if one errs, it is better to err on the side of adding ever so slightly more epoxy than hardener. This is counterintuitive, but it is fact. I feel up to 45:55 or 55:45 (either way)and you will be fine (may take an extra day-3 or so to fully cure versus a perfect 50:50 ratio, but both will fully cure).

I think you can go up to a ratio of about 60 epoxy:40 hardener and eventually get a full cure (might take a week-three or so, but it will fully cure eventually). 61:39 or worse and I doubt it will ever fully cure.

I feel if you go more hardener than 45 epoxy:55 hardener, you may never get a full cure.

This is based on experience, graduate level polymer composites classes I have taken, and research on the www. I mix small batches (1 bass sized crank) in the bottom of pop cans, have NEVER measured (eyeball pour from etex bottle into pop can bottom) and havent had a problem in probably over 80 cranks. I always try to add ever so slightly more epoxy than hardener. I shoot for about a 53 epoxy:47 hardener ratio or something like.

For bigger (musky) baits, measuring is best but for my tiny batches I can save a little epoxy (and measuring cups) over time by eyeballing.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Old thread, but does any one use this on spoons and harness blades? Do you thin it first?


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

Viper,

With finish epoxies, if you need them thinner, use heat rather than thinner. If you must use thinner, 1-2 drops of acetone per cc of mixed finish can be added. The reason being that the finish will not cure as hard when it has been thinned with a thinner. Too much thinner and the result will be rubbery in texture. Here is a good little read on thinning epoxies. While not E-Tex brand, the concepts still apply, but the numbers may be slightly different. http://www.westsystem.com/ss/thinning-west-system-epoxy/

One thing that you should note is that as the temperature of the area where the epoxy cures goes up by 20˚F, the cure time will be cut in half, so a finish that cures in 8 hours at 70˚F will cure in about 4 hours at 90˚F. If you use some sort or curing box, make sure that the item is turning, as the added heat will thin the finish and cause it to run until it sets up enough again.

These are things I learned the hard way. I learned what not to do when thinning finish working on a rod where I wanted a white silk thread to go clear, and I learned what not to do with heat on my first build when I stood the rod in a corner of a small room after the finish initially set and cranked up a space heater to reduce the cure time.

James,

You have an impeccable eye if you can properly mix a finish epoxy in small batches by eye. Then again there is probably a reason I'm an experimentalist who spends most of my time writing code rather than doing hands on lab work .


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Well I mixed by level 1/4 tsp. Not sure if thats ok. It is in high 70's were I did it. But must of screwed up last time. No thinner just brushed on thin. And after 4 days still sticky. Assuming I didnt mix well enough. 
Thanks for the info. As my health has gotten worse and haven't been able to fish. I have used this as busy work. As I dont do well sitting around. But am physically worn out and cant breath outside. Wish I was better at it. I can spray a blade or spoon so it looks good. But multi color patterns arent pretty. But I get confused too and tgat dont help. Lol! But thank god for Water base paint. Mistakes go into a container of water. Lol.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

For rod building we typically use syringes to measure epoxy, like these. I've been successful mixing 1.5cc of each part. When you mix it, stir slowly for about 3-4 min, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing cup regularly. One thing you'll notice as you mix, the mixture will likely get a little cloudy and then have some streaks through the finish. Mix until those streaks are gone.

As mentioned finish epoxies are pretty fussy with mixture ratios. You can typically get by being a little off with an adhesive epoxy, but not so much on the finishes.

You may be able to find suitable syringes at a local pharmacy, but often times they use a silicone release agent with them and silicone does not play nice with finish epoxy and can cause fish eyes, essentially areas that do not want to be covered with finish, kind of the opposite of a bubble. A thorough cleaning with rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol and tossing out a couple batches of epoxy by running a couple syringe-fills through each syringe will likely eliminate the issue, but you never know. The syringes sold by rod building suppliers do not use a silicone release agent and can be trusted straight out of the bag.

When you have a batch that remains tacky, you can put another thin coat of well mixed epoxy over top and things should cure well.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

I actually use the bottle caps that come on the hardener and resin as my measuring cups. After some trial and error I learned how far a cap of each will go. By pouring slowly, it's easy to top off a cap full without overflowing it. (or at least make both caps even) For smaller batches, I'm sure there are other caps that could be used. And since they screw back on the bottles, they are reusable. A small clean mixing stick is good to scrape any residual resin out of each cap to make sure the amounts are perfectly equal, and then mixed well. I've never made a bad batch yet doing it this way.


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## AlanC (Jun 16, 2010)

That's how I do it too, All Eyes.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

I have a set of old measuring spoons. All metal i been using. But i think i need to find a better mixing container. Something small but flat bottom to get a good mix. I also think i failed to mix long enough according to what im hearing. Worried about it setting up and getting to thick probably. Does every one work one side of a blade , let dry then the other as in painting? Or is there a trick to be able to hang and do both sides?


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## ducksdemise (Sep 15, 2004)

viper1 said:


> I have a set of old measuring spoons. All metal i been using. But i think i need to find a better mixing container. Something small but flat bottom to get a good mix. I also think i failed to mix long enough according to what im hearing. Worried about it setting up and getting to thick probably. Does every one work one side of a blade , let dry then the other as in painting? Or is there a trick to be able to hang and do both sides?


Use a small digital postal scale weigh hardener then weigh resin


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