MEISTERICS Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Hey guys, Have any of you had issues with bubbles popping out around your eyes during the Etex curing process? About 50% or so of my baits get this while they are on the wheel. I take a good amount of time to clear all of the bubbles and smoothing out the epoxy with a torch and have started to get a top notch finish. The bubbles i am mentioning happen well beyond the liquid phase of the epoxy cure and are showing up in the sticky/unbrushable phase of the cure. My process to insert eyes is drill a hole about the diameter of the eye and epoxy in the eye, followed by an epoxy coat of the entire lure. My biggest issue is once the bubble is there its VERY hard to get it filled in with extra coats of epoxy. Any hints or suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjiwhite Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have had this happen a few times, I think humidity may play a role,but who knows. I will say this, I predrill my eye holes and glue in the eyes well in advance to applying E-tex. Also I add all my harware short of through -wire. When I apply the E-tex I completely cover the eyes with e-tex and am careful to only apply etex around grommets. Before start the spinner, I take a heat gun and apply the heat at the lowest setting to smooth everything out. Some say blowing your breath on the lure will get out bubbles too, heat gun works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hey guys, Have any of you had issues with bubbles popping out around your eyes during the Etex curing process? About 50% or so of my baits get this while they are on the wheel. I take a good amount of time to clear all of the bubbles and smoothing out the epoxy with a torch and have started to get a top notch finish. The bubbles i am mentioning happen well beyond the liquid phase of the epoxy cure and are showing up in the sticky/unbrushable phase of the cure. My process to insert eyes is drill a hole about the diameter of the eye and epoxy in the eye, followed by an epoxy coat of the entire lure. My biggest issue is once the bubble is there its VERY hard to get it filled in with extra coats of epoxy. Any hints or suggestions? I know exactly what you are talking about, B----y annoying, and time consuming. I use some 5 minute epoxy to install the eyes, making sure the whole of the back of the eye AND hole it fits into are covered-- What causes it?--- small amounts of air behind the eye or in the wood beneath, which once coated with your finish coat, expands from either the differential in air temperature or from lamp heat (or heat from the cureing epoxy) which causes this SLOWLY growing bubble as the trapped air expands- driving us crazy!! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
