EA-40 question

[Cody Roiter]

Hi all, Do you guys warm up your EA40 to make it more easier to mix and apply to the glass and core ?. Or use it straight from the cans and mix it. If you do pre earn it, what's the best way to do it ?.
Thxs a million

Cody 🏹

[jrstegner]

I usually stick it in the hot box for 15 minutes or so, it spreads much easier that way. If I am only using a small amount for overlays I put it in the microwave for about 5 seconds.

[KenH]

I live in Southwest Florida -- put my EA40 (un mixed) in the sun for 15 minutes, then mix and apply!  This summer you can do the same almost anywhere!

[Kirkll]

I use an old microwave I have out in my shop. I put the two parts in a paper cup and hit it for 10 seconds in the summer and 15 seconds in the winter. Kirk

[Longcruise]

I put mine in the kitchen sink and fill with hot water till they almost float.  While they warm I set out the components in order for the glue.   Takes 5 to 15 min depending on how much is in the cans.

The other day I was using ea40 for a non archery project didn’t think about warming.  It was pretty cold but still mixed pretty easily.

[Mad Max]

I use it at room temp.

[Kirkll]

I use it at room temp.

What about when that room temp is 34 degrees?     

I gotta admit… since I started using these caulking tubes for my EA 40 I keep those babies in the spray booth at 65 degrees at night in the winter time. That stuff doesn’t flow so well out of a caulking tube when it’s cold. 

Btw…... It’s well worth the extra effort putting this stuff in the caulking tubes. You can save money buying it in two gallon kits and it’s really nice using a caulking gun and not messing with the cans.   Kirk

[Mad Max]

I have a insulated bow shop inside a insulated building.
I have a small heater in there.

[Kirkll]

I have a insulated bow shop inside a insulated building.
I have a small heater in there.

Nice!  Mine is a 36x36 pole barn with a loft above. I put a ceiling/floor in the back section that’s 10’ high, and use an arctic curtain on the front side in winter so I only have a 24x24’ area to heat. My propane furnace does a good job down to freezing, but once it drops into the mid 20’s it struggles keeping it above 50 degrees in there with no insulation. It’s not cost effective to run it when it gets that cold….  Fortunately…. We rarely get long stretches of sub freezing weather here, or I would have insulated a larger portion of it…. I do have two 12x12’ rooms insulated I can heat with halogen lights to keep above freezing.

At one time I had an electric heater in the 12x12’ insulated room  in the loft, and was going to use it for an office. But it wasn’t cost effective, and too hot up there in summer. Only thing up there now is my shooting machine and a big old desk.

Kirk

[KenH]

My "room temperature" just a minute ago was 107F!

[Kirkll]

My "room temperature" just a minute ago was 107F!

Bummer dude.... Mine is at 76 degrees at 12:30 pm  We will only see a high of 82 today and mild humidity.

[Mad Max]

Smooth-on data page
Store and use at room temp.

[Kirkll]

The beauty of EA 40 is that it's so user friendly. you can mix it from 1;1 ratio to 2;1 with no ill effects and the same strength every time. After awhile you can just look at the color after its mixed and get pretty darn close to what you want. There is no need to weigh it or measure it accurately...

I've been using 36 -40 grit paper in my sander grinding laminations going on 16 years now, and have literally hundreds of bows out there all over the world holding up just fine...So no need going clear down to 120 grit for prep.

The best way to apply the stuff to your laminations is a putty knife. i've tried different applications years ago, and nothing works as efficiently and smoothly as a putty knife. Heating it up a bit helps the mixing process and thins the viscosity a wee bit too....

But ......if you heat it in a microwave, don't mess around too long getting your lay up done or it gets sticky on you as it first starts to kick off.... From the micro wave to the form is less than ten minutes on a TD limb. On a one piece, it takes a bit longer, but not much.

If you use heat strips on both sides of your limbs. the cure time is 30 minutes at 160 degrees... let it cool to 90 degrees before taking it out of the form. Then go again.... The one thing i alway do is let the new limbs or bow cure out over night before stringing the bow. I prefer 24 hours before putting a load on them.

about .03 cents worth here...   Kirk

[KenH]

My "room temperature" just a minute ago was 107F!

Bummer dude.... Mine is at 76 degrees at 12:30 pm  We will only see a high of 82 today and mild humidity.

The good thing is I don't need a Bow Oven!!    I remember Oregon midsummers well -- I lived in Salem for seven years and loved it all except the 'cloud over in September and un-cloud in May' part!

[Stagmitis]

Kirk, youre right about being able to eyeball the mix without weighing or measuring and have no surprises later. But sometimes I would mix too much or too little! Too little is ok, just mix more. But too much is a waste

This chit has gotten so expensive I now weigh every batch according to "exactly" how much I need for my layup. It only takes a minute to do.
 

[Kirkll]

Kirk, youre right about being able to eyeball the mix without weighing or measuring and have no surprises later. But sometimes I would mix too much or too little! Too little is ok, just mix more. But too much is a waste

This chit has gotten so expensive I now weigh every batch according to "exactly" how much I need for my layup. It only takes a minute to do.

I can understand that completely.... Building just a few bows a year, and buying your smooth on in small amounts could get expensive. i would worry more about longevity on those quart kits sitting too long. I'm going through about 4 gallons a year myself, so i buy the two gallon kits and put it in empty caulking tubes.

This system works very well....besides not ever exposing the epoxy to air until actually mixing it, You have a pump system using a caulking gun. one full squeeze on the resin, and a half squeeze on the hardener is perfect for one limb with very little waste. This would work well on a 2 quart kit you buy too and extend your shelf life on your epoxy not exposing it to the air every time you open the cans... No saw dust or air borne contaminants either....   Food for thought....   Kirk

here is what i use, and they are refillable.   

https://www.amazon.com/LANIAKEA-Plastic-8-6x1-9-Fillable-Caulking/dp/B094CRN45W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=HYF7DIZRQTVR&keywords=empty+caulking+tubes+fillable&qid=1691805293&sprefix=empty+caul%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1