Rod repair - tacky epoxy

CanoeGuy

CanoeGuy

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I broke a butt section (don't put a rod between the seat and folding back of a boat seat when the back is folded down) and tried a repair. I took part of another broken rod and sanded it down until it fit inside the blank I wanted to repair.

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This seemed to be the correct epoxy to use for the job so I ordered some.

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When I wiped off the excess after putting it together, the crack wasn't filled well. I put a little back on to fill the crack and tried to smooth it out a little with just the rubber glove I had on. Looks like shit, but the worst thing is it is still tacky after 2 days. I am afraid it is going to attract a ton of dirt. Any way to remove the tack? I could put thread wraps over it and buy thread wrap epoxy, but am looking for a quick solution.

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Too much thinner (if you used thinner) in the epoxy can cause that. Otherwise could be your resin/hardener ratio is off a little.
 
Pro Paste is an epoxy for joining components, not a finish to be applied overtop. I suspect your mix ration may be off, which may be the reason it didn't harden. You may also have mixed it in a silicon-based container, which can interfere with hardening. (the butt end of a beer can works well for small amounts) With it being soft, you may be able to peel it off, although I'm not sure how the join will hold up. You may need to pull it all apart and redo. If you can't pull it apart, the join may be fine, but you'll need to clean up the surface. (ie: back-blading with a razor knife, then thread wrapping/finish coating over)
 
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I painted it with Sally Hansens - we will see if that holds up. I do plan to join a group building rods this winter at my club. I can always do something better while in that class.
 
The epoxy may not have cured well because the two parts were not mixed thoroughly. I say that because I had a rod building epoxy that remained tacky once. I had used it many times before without issue. I then mixed a small test batch and it was also tacky. I wondered if my epoxy was too old, but research indicated that epoxy adhesives do not have a limited shelf life. Then I mixed another test batch, and took my time very thoroughly mixing. It hardened hard and tack-free.

The Sally Hanson top coat may or may not stand up over time, being a very different material from epoxy. If you want to remove it, I suggest first use a hair dryer to soften it, making it easier for a scraper to lift it. Be careful using a metal blade. Use something slightly softer than the rod’s finish. I like using the end of a bamboo chopstick for jobs like this, that I’ve whittled to a wide, flat, sharp edge. Bamboo is very hard, but not hard enough to scratch rods.
 
Age old issue that I still encounter on half of the rods I build. I have come to believe that no matter how carefully you mix you still might get a tacky finish that never seems to dry. I suspect the age and/or the quality of the product might come into play. Good luck.
 
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