Epoxy Question

[Memquisit 0]

Ok, guys, you've been very patient, but I have yet another question. This one on epoxy.

 

I have seen this material used in some of the fly patterns, explanations, etc. on the forum. The only epoxy I'm familiar with is the type where you mix 2 materials and it then bonds things very well.

 

Is this the same "stuff" mentioned in the forum posts? :dunno: I have seen where some coat the finished fly with epoxy. Surely it can't be this material I know of because it is an ugly looking color when the 2 components are mixed.

 

My only guess is that there is a clear epoxy out there I'm not familiar with.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Redwings1 0]

It is the same stuff, and they do make clear epoxy, though usually it has something of a cloudiness to it.

[letumgo 0]

Memquisit - I recently bought some 5 minute Loctite epoxy and when I got it home and started using it I noticed that one part of the mix had a slightly yellow haze to it. When I mixed up a batch, I found that the resulting flies also had a slightly hazy look to it (it was not crystal clear like other epoxies I've used).

 

Fortunately, I was able to find another 5 minute epoxy made by a company called Devcon that comes out crystal clear. Each of the two liquid component are crystal clear and the resulting epoxy mixture remains nice and clear (just don't handle the fly until the epoxy has had time to set). When you are buying an epoxy dispenser, just be careful to look at the fluid in each side of the dispenser. Make sure they are both clear and you should get good results. If you can not see the fluids in the dispenser, don't buy it.

 

Helpful Epoxy Mixing Tip - When you are buying your epoxy, I recommend that you also pick up a pad of the large size 3M Post-It notes. I mix my epoxy on Post-It notes with my bodkin and then wipe off the excess onto the clean part of the sheet. Once you are done using the epoxy, you just peel off that sheet and discard it...

 

Hope this helps.

[Memquisit 0]

Letumgo, it does help a great deal.

 

So when you mix the 2 clear components you can then coat a fly with this epoxy and it will not have any ill effects on the fly, right?

 

Now, for the question I should have asked first...Why put epoxy on a fly?

 

 

[Redwings1 0]

Excellent tip on the notepads Ray.

 

Memquisit, Epoxy will change the weight characteristics of the fly but it adds toughness and durability. Not sure what you mean exactly when you say coat the fly... Epoxy is most commonly used to shape a head on a hair fly, such as the Thunder Creek series or many saltwater patterns, but rarely does it go beyond that unless you are coating balsa for poppers.

[Memquisit 0]

Redwing, I found a pattern on the forum for a minnow. The writer said "...with a toothpick apply a coating of 5-min epoxy to the body of the fly..."

 

I thought it was possibly to give the fly a bit of shine and / or durablity. The fly by the way is named Ian's Epoxy Minnow.

 

I have tied a couple fo these flies but have not applied any epoxy yet. That was a suggetion...tie several then apply the epoxy to them.

 

Anyway, being a relative "newbie" at tying, I am glad for the responses I've received and am learning a great deal.

 

 

[letumgo 0]

Memquisit - If this is your first time working with epoxy, I suggest that you only do one fly at a time until you master your technique. That way, if you have problems, you will only loose a single fly and can learn from the experience. I messed up quite a few before I was really happy with the results.

 

I have found that I get my best results when I apply two separate coats of epoxy. When I first started out, I was trying to only use a single thicker coating of epoxy, but I often had sags, drips and lumps in the fly. Keep in mind that the epoxy will behave like a thick syrup when you first put it on the fly. The fly needs to be rotated to keep the epoxy from all sagging to the lowest side of the hook. I normally will apply the first coat of epoxy and rotate the hook to inspect the overall coverage. Once I am happy with the coverage, I will stop rotating the fly and actually allow the epoxy to sag to the bottom. I then remove the excess epoxy with the point of my bodkin and then begin rotating the fly again until the epoxy sets up (usually only another minute or two). This tends to give me good coverage without any sags or bumps.

 

I then set that fly aside for a couple hours (or overnight) to ensure the epoxy fully cures. You will be tempted to touch the surface after a couple minutes, but fight the urge ( :nono: ). The surface will still be tacky for 30 minutes. If you touch the surface before it is fully cured you will have a blemish/fingerprint in the surface.

 

I repeat the process with a second coat to get a perfectly smooth glassy surface. It can be time consuming, but as Redwings1 said, the fly will be very durable.

 

 

KEY POINTS:

- Prepare ahead (set up your fly, vice, epoxy, bodkin and mixing surface). Keep a clean rag handy to wipe off any epoxy that you get on your hands/tools).

- Use two thin coats instead of one thick coat.

- Allow the first coat to sag and remove the excess before it sets up.

- Rotate the fly to prevent sags.

- Do NOT touch surface until you are sure it is cured and hardened.

 

SAFETY TIP:

- Epoxy can irritate your skin and eyes if you get it on them. Be sure to wash your hands after using this stuff to keep it out of your eyes (painful irritant...beleave me... :baby: )

 

Good Luck.

[stony 0]

Same topic as I am getting ready to experiment with epoxy but a slight tangent.

 

Where do you get colored epoxy from?

[letumgo 0]

Sorry, can't help you with that one. I've only been using the clear stuff. I think that question has been posted before. You may find it by doing a search of the site.

[Linesides 0]

A timely post, I have been tying saltwater flies and now my next step is epoxy. I relaized yesterday I need a rotator because it definetly sags as I found out. Surf Candy dont look the same with a belly of saggy epoxy at the head!!!!!!!!!!!!

[flytire 0]

From another board

 

"Facts....

 

Epoxy yellows by a process called cross-linking. This is usually caused by a free radical process. Free radicals can be photochemically by sunlight or by exposure to oxygen. This process can be hastend by solvent residues. So... If you want to hasten the yellowing process here's what you can do.... Do your tying first then give your flys a couple of days drying time to make sure all solvent residues from head cement or zap-a-gap are gone....then use a long cure epoxy and a drying wheel. These flys will eventually yellow a year or more down the road.

 

If you want flys that do not yellow at all... then you have to go to a formulation with stabilizers in it like Flex Coat High Build Rod finish. You still should let all of the solvent residues dry before coating them. Allow the epoxy to fully cure before using the flys.

 

Yellowing is not cause by post-it notes, tooth picks, or interaction with thread and feathers.

 

If you want the minimum possible bubbles, then mix your epoxy slowly stirring in a single direction."

 

[JJD 0]

In no particular order:

 

You can color your epoxy by using a drop of model paint when mixing.

 

If you want color and sparkle, hit the nearest craft store and get a few "shakers" of glitter. It comes in any color you could want. I frequently use yellow and pearlescent glitter in the epoxy flies that I make.

 

Epoxy will dramatically alter the floating characteristics of a fly depending upon the applied thickness.

 

I don't worry about yellowing since most flies won't last that long - hopefully

[flyrod98 0]

A timely post, I have been tying saltwater flies and now my next step is epoxy. I relaized yesterday I need a rotator because it definetly sags as I found out. Surf Candy dont look the same with a belly of saggy epoxy at the head!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made a post a couple of days ago in the Timely Tips forum showing some pics of a dryer that I just completed. If you want to make your own, it may give you some ideas. I think if I made another, I would just make the disc out of wood and drill holes in it and glue the wire with the alligator clips into it, rather than use the foam disc.

Here is a link to the thread:

What have you made

Post #9 is the one I made.

[steelie 0]

Good Day,

 

Bright and clear epoxies are fairly easy to find. Afterall, what do you think they use on our fly rods? It also seems to me that the more clear the epoxy, from my experience, the longer it takes to dry, so you might need a dryinh wheel.

 

Another option is to forget the epoxy all together, depending on what you are tying, and look into products like Softex, Plasti-Dip or Soft Body. All dry clear and have a softer texture and feeling than epoxy.

 

Steelie

[Chase Creek 0]

I use 5 min epoxy. Don't really tie many flies with it, but when I want to color the epoxy, I just go over the dry epoxy with a felt tip pen of the appropriate color. I like the idea of adding glitter, I'll have to try that.