STATUE
Active member
50 mil 'ish syringes to fit through West Systems Epoxy tins. Try as I might, I can't get a straight answer from them.
No , I don't want or need there pumps.
No , I don't want or need there pumps.
SYRINGES for WEST SYTEMS EPOXY
- Thread starter STATUE
- Start date
rogerthebodger
Well-known member
Pye_End
Well-known member
What's the question?
onesea
Well-known member
The problem with medical syringes is the epoxy can be to thick for the holes in the end of the syringe. Certainly true for polyester resin.
iamtjc
Member
I have found a small syringe great for West systems hardener. The epoxy is another matter. It seems to swell the 'rubber' seal and make the syringe hard or impossible to use. For small quantities I have found the syringes you get with Calpol (kids paracetamol liquid) that have no rubber seal work well. I haven't found a good solution for larger amounts.
Also clearly you can't get those small syringes into the cans so I decant a bit from the cans into a couple of well labelled old spice jars. A third spice jar filled with colloidal silica and you have yourself a small epoxy kit for minor jobs.
Also clearly you can't get those small syringes into the cans so I decant a bit from the cans into a couple of well labelled old spice jars. A third spice jar filled with colloidal silica and you have yourself a small epoxy kit for minor jobs.
wrr
Active member
If you are a frequent user of epoxy, you may find that cheap digital scales are a useful alternative to syringes. Tare the mixing container and add the epoxy and hardener by weight.
thinwater
Well-known member
Just weigh it. Fast, more flexible. I have new pumps I've never used. Digital scales have gotten dirt cheap.
ridgy
Well-known member
This all day.
BobnLesley
Well-known member
Enquire at your nearest agricultural supplies store, I've bought several strong plastic 60ml syringes with large nozzles from ours for about fifty pence apiece
oilybilge
Active member
Yes the pumps are crap aren't they. Second pair packed up on me this spring. Since then I've been using a ruler to mark the levels on the outside of the mixing container, and for very unimportant work like the filling of dings I do it by eye.
PCUK
Well-known member
My pumps last for years.
thinwater
Well-known member
There are several things about pumps I don't like:
And anyone that can't do 1:1, 2:1, and 5:1 math in their head shouldn't be doing epoxy.
- Slow for large volumes.
- Difficult if the epoxy is cold ... which may be intentional for large batches to slow the exotherm.
- If you have not used them in the last few hours there will be air bubbles. How much was that measure?
- You can't measure less than a full stroke. And because of "3", not less than several strokes. You can weigh tiny amounts.
- You have to have the correct ratio pump for each product pair. Not so with a scale.
- The mess. You either have to remove them after use or leave them in the can, which means the can is not sealed.
And anyone that can't do 1:1, 2:1, and 5:1 math in their head shouldn't be doing epoxy.
Bobc
Well-known member
Pour it by weight on digital kitchen scales.
Boathook
Well-known member
I use to use pumps years ago. Very good if regularly used but soon go sticky, etc and then didn't measure correctly.
Then I used digital kitchen scales for years but have found that they aren't very good for small amounts. I've therefore invested in some that only weigh up to 500 grams, so hopefully more accurate with the smaller weights that I seem to use for epoxy nowadays.
It's amazing how far 60 grams of epoxy goes, especially when mixed with additives.
As per thinwater I normally add additives by 'eye' to get the mix I want.
Then I used digital kitchen scales for years but have found that they aren't very good for small amounts. I've therefore invested in some that only weigh up to 500 grams, so hopefully more accurate with the smaller weights that I seem to use for epoxy nowadays.
It's amazing how far 60 grams of epoxy goes, especially when mixed with additives.
As per thinwater I normally add additives by 'eye' to get the mix I want.
GHA
Well-known member
Another plus for kitchen scales, weigh some fixed amounts then make a spreadsheet for A/B/total. Even cheap scales seem to be all accurate down to a gram these days.
No so good rolling a bit anchored though...
No so good rolling a bit anchored though...
