IgotWood 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 With the booming increase in use of UV resins, and the wide variety of them on the market, I am desperately hoping to solve two major issues I am having. First, the "tack"! I have been switching between Clear Cure Goo, and Loon, in all the varieties of both brands. Sometimes they cure well, but mostly, they still have some tack after spending several minutes under the light. These results are the same whether it's Flow, Thick, etc... Next, the lights. I have heard, and read that you need to use the lights specifically sold for each brand. So, I bought two CCG lights, and two Loon lights, each at about $20+ (which is WAY too much for a rinky dink light made in China). The major problem I have with the lights, are they are super cheap. They keep breaking on me. The button to switch the light on/off keeps getting stuck, and it falls apart when I take it apart to fix it. Now, I have four...FOUR $20 light, all of which were purchased about 6-8 months ago, and none of them work. I have taken them apart, reassembled the switches, changed the batteries.....still broken. Is it me? Are there any other suggestions for lights? I am very frustrated. Please help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 The problem with flashlights is the electron pathways are so minimal. You have two pieces of metal (spring to housing, switch components, etc.) but there might only be one pinpoint of actual contact to carry electricity. If that pinpoint corrodes or burns, then you lose the pathway and ... no light. You can buy a can of electrically conductive grease ... http://www.landscapelightingworld.com/Conductive-Electrical-Grease-p/9elecgrease.htm?gclid=CO_ursbboMsCFUMlgQodATEHRg You'll find it in the garden section for outdoor lighting. Take the flash light apart and apply a little of this grease to all known contact points to increase the pathway thickness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlaFly 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Jason Jones published the results of a comparison test of UV lights in 2013. He basically debunked the idea that you have to use the light sold for a particular resin... he found all the lights worked on all the resins. Even a cheap light he found on a hardware store counter worked. His report can be found at http:/www.azbythefly.com/articles/gear-reviews/75-uv-cure-flashlights-comparison More recently, Cheech reported in this forum the results of his comparison of a number of resins, and in his report he basically said the same thing. Some UV lights are more powerful than others, and may work faster, but they generally all work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Poopdeck 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Well after "several minutes" under the light to cure indicates there is a problem with the light. How much tack you talking. I have no allegence to any particular resin but currently i use CCG. It dries tacky but not so tacky to cause me any concern. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philly 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 When I brought my first CCG kit, I went with the one that had their high end light. So far no problems even after being dropped several times from varying heights. As already mentioned its worked on any UV resin I've tried. I mainly use CCG and Bug Bond though I have a bottle of the Loon UV. I'm not happy with the tackiness but there are couple of ways to get around that One is to let the fly sit a bit then hit it again with the UV light that leaves the fly just slightly tacky. You can always leave them in a sunny spot and let Ma Nature work on them. I also use some MOP(Mother of Pearl)transfer foil on the UV resin it soaks up most of the tackiness and leaves a nice sparkle finish on it. I have a water based clear jig head finish which I thin and put a light coat on the fly. Put it in a clip and it dries in a minute or two and takes care of the tackiness. You can use an alcohol wipe to remove the tackiness. It shouldn't take several minutes to cure any UV resin. 10 to 15 seconds at the most. Sounds like the lights aren't powerful enough to properly cure the resin. The one I'm waiting for is the plug in light that dentists use to cure filings. Mine says he has a couple of old ones lying around that I can have when he finds them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roland58 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Don't know for sure, but, I have heard that the "tacky" can be removed with a little denatured alcohol. This is just something I read (I think on here somewhere), but, I have yet to try it so cannot swear to its' abilities. If you try it, let us know one way or the other......it would help a lot of folks, I'm sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=82952&hl=resins&do=findComment&comment=652296 http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=82337&hl=resins&do=findComment&comment=641899 http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=82303&hl=resins&do=findComment&comment=641151 http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=81814&hl=resins http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=81411&hl=resins lights i use the following lights: an ultrafire wf-501b (there is also a wf-502b) and this one with 21 led's ($13 @ hook and hackle) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IgotWood 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Thank you for the input! I have tried the alcohol trick, and it left cloudy, hazy appearance to the resin. Perhaps I will buy new lights....but maybe a bit more expensive and of better quality. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IgotWood 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Perhaps this will do the trick! http://www.blacklight.com/items/BLRS365 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottK 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 I got this one from Amazon ($6.99), it works just fine so far with Silver Creek's resin: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VZC5LA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Thank you for the input! I have tried the alcohol trick, and it left cloudy, hazy appearance to the resin. did you try a coat of sally hansens hard as nails or even head cement to get rid of the tackiness? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2016 Perhaps this will do the trick! http://www.blacklight.com/items/BLRS365 why would you want to pay $80? hell this thing will cure resins and its only $2.69 http://www.blacklight.com/items/RSKCM post up some photos of what you already bought Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
add147 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2016 Silver Creek's resin isn't tacky...I've never had any problems with his resin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
islander727 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2016 Unfortunately, the mark up on some of this stuff is ridiculous... Mine cost .99 plus .40 shipping and cures loon knot sense just fine! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kentuckysteve 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2016 Silver Creek's resin isn't tacky...I've never had any problems with his resin. I have never heard anything bad about silvers resin.I have seen a lot of comment's about it on several different forum's and always good comment's.I have no doubt it is great stuff.I have never used resin but i do plan on buying some of his and give it a try. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
