SOS Epoxy for dummies

Comments

• Jerry

  March 18

  What brand are you using???
  
  Jerry
• Jerry

  March 18

  If your using Loctite that's the problem. I've sent 3 of those back because they don't cure right. I've even talked to them about it and they said it must have been a bad batch. And refunded me my money.
  I now use JB Weld.
  
  Jerry
• kebmo

  March 18

  I used to use loctite 5 min all purpose but my local ace stopped carrying it. Right now I’m using gorilla clear sets in 5 min. To me it doesn’t matter which one I use, I hate em all! I always make a mess of it, and I almost always fail.
• Jim M

  March 18 edited March 18

  Use this:
  
  
  
  
  I never use the plunger type dispenser epoxies. It seems I only get a few uses with those before they glue themselves shut. You can get these online or the last time I was at Hobby Lobby, they had it there. These have an inside cap, I unscrew the nozzle and remove the cap. Dip a toothpick in one and put a dab on a sheet of wax paper. Get a NEW toothpick and dip into the other bottle and put an equal size dab (don't overthink it, it's not that important that they be exactly the same) of it on the wax paper near the first dab. Put the caps back on the bottles and set aside. Using one of the toothpicks, mix the 2 dabs together. I use a paper towel to wipe the toothpicks clean. Using a new toothpick, just apply a little of the epoxy and slap the 2 pieces of the model together. In 5 minutes, they'll be bound together. You may have to hold the pieces together for a few minutes or tape them together if they don't stay together right away. Sometimes you may want to wait a few minutes before applying the epoxy so that it gets a little tacky before applying the parts but don't wait too long, it goes from just tacky to "dry" pretty quickly. I've had these bottles of epoxy for over 2 years and they still work great, though it's getting more difficult to remove the cap of the hardener. Just make sure you don't get any of the hardener on the resin bottle and vice versa and you should be fine. Hope this helps.
  
• Karl.A

  March 18

  5 min epoxy takes 24 hours to cure. Put two pieces together and leave them alone for a few hours at least before moving.
  I have a few SW kits to put together currently waiting that need epoxy, (tractors/trucks, etc) I'll try to video the process when I get to them if you would like.
• kebmo

  March 18

  Jim M said:

  Use this:
  
  
  
  
  I never use the plunger type dispenser epoxies. It seems I only get a few uses with those before they glue themselves shut. You can get these online or the last time I was at Hobby Lobby, they had it there. These have an inside cap, I unscrew the nozzle and remove the cap. Dip a toothpick in one and put a dab on a sheet of wax paper. Get a NEW toothpick and dip into the other bottle and put an equal size dab (don't overthink it, it's not that important that they be exactly the same) of it on the wax paper near the first dab. Put the caps back on the bottles and set aside. Using one of the toothpicks, mix the 2 dabs together. I use a paper towel to wipe the toothpicks clean. Using a new toothpick, just apply a little of the epoxy and slap the 2 pieces of the model together. In 5 minutes, they'll be bound together. You may have to hold the pieces together for a few minutes or tape them together if they don't stay together right away. Sometimes you may want to wait a few minutes before applying the epoxy so that it gets a little tacky before applying the parts but don't wait too long, it goes from just tacky to "dry" pretty quickly. I've had these bottles of epoxy for over 2 years and they still work great, though it's getting more difficult to remove the cap of the hardener. Just make sure you don't get any of the hardener on the resin bottle and vice versa and you should be fine. Hope this helps.
  

  I tried that once, and because I don’t use it that often it turned rock hard. I thought the plungers were a waste but I ended throwing out both bottles and they were 3/4 full. That said, if I used your technique with the plunger type, I wouldn’t wast neatly as muc. Thanks for the tip!
  
• kebmo

  March 18

  Sorry for the typos
• kebmo

  March 18

  Karl.A said:

  5 min epoxy takes 24 hours to cure. Put two pieces together and leave them alone for a few hours at least before moving.
  I have a few SW kits to put together currently waiting that need epoxy, (tractors/trucks, etc) I'll try to video the process when I get to them if you would like.

  That would be excellent! Thanks bud
• sdrees

  March 21

  I have never had that problem. Use it all the time. But I have had is get a little thicker over time maybe several years
• admin

  March 21

  Thanks for the awesome tutorial Jim, very much appreciated.
• kebmo

  March 22

  when it happened to me i contacted loctite to complain and was told that the shelf life is limited and if you don't use it often enough it goes bad. that's not a great product in my opinion...