Which type of CCG?

[JohnP 0]

get silvercreeks brand and youll be happier than a pig eating sh......

 

i threw the other brands away

This.

[whatfly 0]

Or just continue to use epoxy and make sure you get your proportions as close to 50-50 as you can. If you get a little tackiness after drying overnight, just hit it with head cement (which is what you can do with tacky UV cement too). If all you are doing is poxybacks, UV is just not worth the cost, IMHO. YMMV.

[BuzFly 0]

For what you are doing the Hydro, which is very thin, would be a good choice for small heads and small backs. The thin would be the next one I would suggest. The biggest proble people have with tacky finish is not necessarily the brand you are using but the light you use to cure it. I use two to three tubes of CCG a week and a bottle of hydro every other or third week in my production tying.

 

The phototaic activator that causes the reaction is designed to start the chemical reaction at a very specific narrow wave length. The stronger ie watts, not brighter, the better. You need a light that matches the wavelength of the photo activator. Loon is around 395 where as Tuffely is up around 485. Now, CCG, Bug Bond, Diamond and most of the others are around 395-400. You also must have stronge batteries, expecially when you use lower watt light, typically the ones with multiple LED's. Finally, get the strongest light that matches the specific wavelength of the product you use.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Brad

[Stevester 0]

I was going to point out that all these products are sensitive to the wavelength of light used to initiate the reaction. I have always had issues with CCG curing tacky but I attribute it to the light that I use not being the optimum wavelength or strength. Normally I don't let the tack bother me if it is for shell backs or wing cases. When I use it to build heads on streamers and protect the eyes I will wipe it with an alcohol swab and then cover with head cement. For some reason just wiping with the alcohol swab leaves a white film; it disappears when a little head cement is brushed on.

 

I might try some of Silvercreeks stuff when I finish my thin tube of CCG.

 

Steve

[Panama Red 0]

I use a UV nail polish light, no batteries to replace and @ $15-$25 it won't break the bank. I hit the fly with a quick shot from a CCG cure light to fix the product and then place in the little cooker for a minute or so and it comes out cured. The biggest problem with UV resins that people have is not so much the product itself, rather the batteries in the cure light. I know some materials just don't cure tack free, however this has worked very well for me.

 

CCG hydro, and all three types of solarez come out tack free using this method.

 

I don't have a dog in the hunt, I pay full price for the materials I use, and I use what I like.

 

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/gel-nail-polish-uv-lamp

 

[starsky 0]

Get Bug-Bond its the best.

[williamhj 0]

Whatever product you use, I recommend a UV laser. The one I got from Silvercreek is amazing. Cures the product very quickly and works great on small flies. I still use a larger light for larger areas but tying small patterns my go-to is the laser.

[SilverCreek 0]

Deer Creek offers their "Supafire" UV laser for $25.00. I charge $15 reduced to $10 for the identical UV laser when added to one of my kits. Does the Deer Creek laser look familiar williamhj?

 

 

 

http://www.flymart.ca/default.aspx?ctl=ctl_ec_product&category_id=94&product_id=1452

[Kudu 0]

Silvercreek

Where is the best place to buy your stuff?

[SilverCreek 0]

PM me with your email address and I will send you information.

[LP ID 66 0]

I am sold pm on the way

[kimjensen 0]

For what you are doing the Hydro, which is very thin, would be a good choice for small heads and small backs. The thin would be the next one I would suggest. The biggest proble people have with tacky finish is not necessarily the brand you are using but the light you use to cure it. I use two to three tubes of CCG a week and a bottle of hydro every other or third week in my production tying. The phototaic activator that causes the reaction is designed to start the chemical reaction at a very specific narrow wave length. The stronger ie watts, not brighter, the better. You need a light that matches the wavelength of the photo activator. Loon is around 395 where as Tuffely is up around 485. Now, CCG, Bug Bond, Diamond and most of the others are around 395-400. You also must have stronge batteries, expecially when you use lower watt light, typically the ones with multiple LED's. Finally, get the strongest light that matches the specific wavelength of the product you use. Hope this helps. Brad

So what you are essentialy saying is that it's not the product (UV resin) but the light that is the problem when curing the resin? If the wavelength is not correct, you end up with a tacky finish?

 

Since you use so much of the CCG i asume you have good experince with it curring tack free?

[SilverCreek 0]

For what you are doing the Hydro, which is very thin, would be a good choice for small heads and small backs. The thin would be the next one I would suggest. The biggest proble people have with tacky finish is not necessarily the brand you are using but the light you use to cure it. I use two to three tubes of CCG a week and a bottle of hydro every other or third week in my production tying. The phototaic activator that causes the reaction is designed to start the chemical reaction at a very specific narrow wave length. The stronger ie watts, not brighter, the better. You need a light that matches the wavelength of the photo activator. Loon is around 395 where as Tuffely is up around 485. Now, CCG, Bug Bond, Diamond and most of the others are around 395-400. You also must have stronge batteries, expecially when you use lower watt light, typically the ones with multiple LED's. Finally, get the strongest light that matches the specific wavelength of the product you use. Hope this helps. Brad

So what you are essentialy saying is that it's not the product (UV resin) but the light that is the problem when curing the resin? If the wavelength is not correct, you end up with a tacky finish?

 

Since you use so much of the CCG i asume you have good experince with it curring tack free?

 

 

I disagree. It the chemistry of the reaction.

 

Oxygen competes with the resin polymer for the free radical bond. If oxygen is at the bonding site, it blocks the polymerization process. The oxygen to free radical bond is not a strong covalent bond so it is not permanent. While the oxygen occupies the bonding site, polymerization cannot occur and the polymers that are formed are shorter chained. What is needed is are chemicals than removes oxygen allowing the bond to form WITHOUT resorting to sunlight or AC bulbs. Then you get long chained and a stronger polymer.

 

That is why stonefish on page 2 of this post says that my resin works better than epoxy on his salt water flies. It forms long chains that form a stronger polymer.

 

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/best-non-tacky-resin.92990/

The reason that CCG tells you to put their resin out in the sun is that sunlight contains the entire spectrum of UVA and UVB radiation. When the weak oxygen to free radical bond breaks, the polymerization can continue BUT the polymer chains are shorter and the polymer is weaker.

 

As long as the resin does not have chemicals to PREVENT oxygen from bonding with the free radical process during the polymerization process, you will end up with a weaker polymer coating.

 

See:

 

"INCREASED POLYMER CHAIN LENGTH: oxygen consumption is made prior to polymerization removing unwanted free radical centers that may quench the reaction"

 

Photochemical Method to Eliminate Oxygen Inhibition of Free Radical Polymerizations

 

[kimjensen 0]

For what you are doing the Hydro, which is very thin, would be a good choice for small heads and small backs. The thin would be the next one I would suggest. The biggest proble people have with tacky finish is not necessarily the brand you are using but the light you use to cure it. I use two to three tubes of CCG a week and a bottle of hydro every other or third week in my production tying. The phototaic activator that causes the reaction is designed to start the chemical reaction at a very specific narrow wave length. The stronger ie watts, not brighter, the better. You need a light that matches the wavelength of the photo activator. Loon is around 395 where as Tuffely is up around 485. Now, CCG, Bug Bond, Diamond and most of the others are around 395-400. You also must have stronge batteries, expecially when you use lower watt light, typically the ones with multiple LED's. Finally, get the strongest light that matches the specific wavelength of the product you use. Hope this helps. Brad

So what you are essentialy saying is that it's not the product (UV resin) but the light that is the problem when curing the resin? If the wavelength is not correct, you end up with a tacky finish?

 

Since you use so much of the CCG i asume you have good experince with it curring tack free?

 

 

I disagree. It the chemistry of the reaction.

 

Oxygen competes with the resin polymer for the free radical bond. If oxygen is at the bonding site, it blocks the polymerization process. The oxygen to free radical bond is not a strong covalent bond so it is not permanent. While the oxygen occupies the bonding site, polymerization cannot occur and the polymers that are formed are shorter chained. What is needed is are chemicals than removes oxygen allowing the bond to form WITHOUT resorting to sunlight or AC bulbs. Then you get long chained and a stronger polymer.

 

That is why stonefish on page 2 of this post says that my resin works better than epoxy on his salt water flies. It forms long chains that form a stronger polymer.

 

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/best-non-tacky-resin.92990/

The reason that CCG tells you to put their resin out in the sun is that sunlight contains the entire spectrum of UVA and UVB radiation. When the weak oxygen to free radical bond breaks, the polymerization can continue BUT the polymer chains are shorter and the polymer is weaker.

 

As long as the resin does not have chemicals to PREVENT oxygen from bonding with the free radical process during the polymerization process, you will end up with a weaker polymer coating.

 

See:

 

"INCREASED POLYMER CHAIN LENGTH: oxygen consumption is made prior to polymerization removing unwanted free radical centers that may quench the reaction"

 

Photochemical Method to Eliminate Oxygen Inhibition of Free Radical Polymerizations

Unfortunately all this is like speaking russian to me. I don't understand a word of what your saying

 

CCG states that the tack will evaporate in about 1-2 hours or 10 hours if there's any when cured and if you have applied too much for the light to cure, then you can put it out in the sun. Curing in stages is also recommended.

Maby people use a cheaper alternative light than their light? If that's the case, then it's pretty obvious why they get a tacky result when the correct wavelength is so important.

But i'm no scientist and i have no idea what the correct wavelength is for the various products and i don't think they will tell us?

[SilverCreek 0]

I bought the CCG kit with their light and it did not cure tack free for me. So I have tested CCG thick and CCG thin with a CCG light. Perhaps others who have bought the CCG and used a CCG light can comment whether they get a complete cure.

 

I did email CCG and ask what to do to get a complete cure. They told me to coat it with head cement.

 

"Take a look at the videos on our website it will show you how to add head cement to coat the CCG- Or you could use the Hydro- I probably wouldn't use the Tack Free product as it would just add more bulk. Best bet would be head cement"

 

I then asked "Second question. Can I use Isopropyl alcohol either 70% or 90% to remove the tack from the cured thin or thick? If I can use alcohol, does it remove the sheen?"

 

"You can use alcohol- It does dull the finish to a Matte finish. You must use 70% or lower… perfect is hand sanitizer- 62% alcohol. I find head cement to be the best way to do it. Its fast cheap and convenient."

 

I have not tried the hydro. CCG says it does cure tack free but others have written me that it does not completely cure either. Perhaps hydro users can comment on whether it cures hard with the CCG light. Does it leave a coat that needs to evaporate to a tack free surface?