An absurd but maybe good idea for dispensing epoxy

Started by JasonGotaProblem, October 14, 2021, 01:50:05 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

JasonGotaProblem

I'll lead with a few obvious statements: it's easier to accurately measure larger volumes of epoxy, because being off by .1ml on 10ml poured is less detrimental than being off by .1ml on 1ml poured. But epoxy isn't free, so you dont wanna mix much more than you need either.

Knock on wood I've got a careful eye and a steady hand, so I've successfully mixed 1ml of each part many times and thats enough for a light coat on one rod. But I'm always scared I'm gonna screw it up. So I was thinking about how to make it even easier. Namely the measuring part.

They sell metered pipettes for laboratory use. You dial in precisely how much you want to dispense with each trigger pull. Everyone's seen the one with 5 tips used to precisely fill multiple test tubes at once. Well they sell single tip ones too, starting in the $30 range going up as high as you want to spend. I figure get 2 of them, one for each part of the mix.

What am i missing?
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Gfish

Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

oldmanjoe

Grandpa`s words of wisdom......Joey that thing between your shoulders is not a hat rack.....    use it.....
A mind is like a parachute, it only work`s  when it is open.......
The power of Observation   , It`s all about the Details ..
 Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.   Alto Mare

JasonGotaProblem

#3
Quote from: oldmanjoe on October 14, 2021, 02:51:13 PM
Quote from: Gfish on October 14, 2021, 02:45:00 PM
Cleaning for reuse?
Nailed it
If you're always using pipette A for part A of the mix and pipette B for part B, and you're using it with any sort of regularity, do you need to clean it? It doesnt seem like it dries out? Just refill when empty?
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Gfish

Maybe not... stuff out of a sealed container can oxidase, can non-mixed epoxie? Can the pipettes be sealed up?
Fishing tackle is an art form and all fish caught on the right tackle are"Gfish"!

JasonGotaProblem

Quote from: Gfish on October 14, 2021, 03:05:23 PM
Maybe not... stuff out of a sealed container can oxidase, can non-mixed epoxie? Can the pipettes be sealed up?
I imagine if they are used in a microbiology context they're at least sort of airtight. In fact that unchecked assumption is the basis of the whole idea.
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

oldmanjoe

   I have a spare set of bottle caps with a small hole in them for 6 cc syringe .  One cap and syringe is marked hardener and the other set is mark resin
       Syringe is pretty much self cleaning !!
Grandpa`s words of wisdom......Joey that thing between your shoulders is not a hat rack.....    use it.....
A mind is like a parachute, it only work`s  when it is open.......
The power of Observation   , It`s all about the Details ..
 Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.   Alto Mare

Breadfan

Getting a good digital scale is another way of measuring small increments. I'm in the same boat as you, I hate wasting epoxy! I have a pump system but it says to do at least three pumps of each. Three pumps of each is way too much. I've  measured them by volume and they are not very accurate if you just use one pump of each. It works, but their will be a time when it does not, I am sure of it.

gstours

Some inexpensive battery powered gram display scales are available and this is what I use nowadays.
Use your mixing container tare it,  add part a, then note that, add part b,  you can even add more in tiny bits to make happiness,  clean up could be a disposable item .     It's about as easy as it gets.......🤷‍♂️✅.
   One hundredth of a gram is possible if you can be steady 🎣

Swami805

I get my epoxy from voodoo, comes in a kit with yorker caps and marked syringes.  Clean, easy and fairly precise.  I can store the bottles upside down so I'm not waiting for the epoxy to run down to the cap.  Check it out, pretty hassle free
Do what you can with that you have where you are

Cor

You can do it by weight on a gram scale,  or a maybe a reloading scale may also work.
If you try that, remember by weight it is not 1:1 .....I do have the ratio somewhere but you should be able to find it.

I must have done that 3 times then gave it up, too messy but it is as accurate as the time you have to get it right.
Cornelis

jurelometer

#11
 
I'm with the digital scale guys. I routinely mix two part resins, silicones, urethanes, sometimes using ridiculously small quantities because of small batches or because the resin to catalyst ratio is gigantic.  Couldn't do it without a scale. Much more accurate than visually assessing volume.

Less mess and faster for me.  My cheapo scale came with a plastic tray, so any spills are contained.  The scale is a bit mangy now after many years of use, but still works fine.  

A quick tip- As Cor noted, if the supplier provided a mix ratio by volume, it is usually not the same by weight.   The product data sheet should have both, or at least enough data so that you can do the math.

-J

Jeri

Most rod thread resins are mixed by volume, and an easy way to mix with repeated accuracy is to use plunger bottles. Like those used on some shampoos, sanitiser dispensers, etc, which is exactly what we have been using for the last 10 years plus. Simply depress the plunger and a set volume comes out of of the resin bottle, repeat on the hardener bottle, and mix. Multiples can be done for bigger rods or long rods, just don't lose count.

The bottles are usually opaque, so relative short term storage is rarely a problem, long term storage can be effected by storing in a dark cupboard. Doesn't need cleaning, though periodically we change the plungers and bottles - once every couple of years. Just have to do a little research initially to find the plunger bottle size that suits your application.

JasonGotaProblem

Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

Jeri

just don't try to get the last drops out of the bottle before you refill........ ;)