Glow in the dark powder + Epoxy. What epoxy?

[bstrickler]

Hey guys,

I just tried putting some GITD powder and mixing it with some epoxy, but I ran into a bad problem. The epoxy hardened before I could put it on the heatsink!!!!!! I didn't even give it 10 seconds before I was putting it on the heatsink. It was hardening as I was mixing the powder into the epoxy!

Within 5 minutes, the epoxy was hard as a damned rock. Now I have what looks like a green radioactive lugie, lol.

What epoxy works with the GITD powder you guys use? I used United Nuclear's Europium-based GITD powder and some clear epoxy I had in the computer room (dont know the brand or type, because the shrinkwrap was gone).


~Brian

 

[nautilus1950]

I use DevCon's 2 Ton clear epoxy. It slightly gels up in about 5 mins, but still ok to work with. Hardens in 2hrs, and totally cures in 6hrs.


http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=790510&postcount=6

A slower cure epoxy is the way to go.

 

[greenLED]

Glowinc.com's GID powder + slow-cure clear epoxy works wonders.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Oh yeah! V10 green and Devcon 2-ton is perfect. :twothumbs Get modding.

 

[bstrickler]

I'll have to hit up Ace again, and see if they have the 2-ton clear epoxy in-store *crosses fingers*. $2.50 for a 1oz (29mL) pack online. Plenty for me ($18 for a 50mL at the local industrial machinery/metal shop. Overpriced.)

I just hope I won't need to spend more money on glow powder. Hopefully the stuff from UN will not make the DevCon stuff a rock instantly. Only time I can think that'd be useful is when you want the stuff to bond to something instantly (i.e. some kind of prank on someone.)

~Brian

 

[VidPro]

also dont forget Silicon, if it is in a protected location, and you can spread toothpaste, clear silicoln can hold a LOT of GITD powder, before you get a sandy blob. also clear silicon seems to be really clear, works great in internal places, and it spreads like peanut butter instead of honey. and it will peel back off of places you didnt want it to be in.

 

[J_C]

Hey guys,

I just tried putting some GITD powder and mixing it with some epoxy, but I ran into a bad problem. The epoxy hardened before I could put it on the heatsink!!!!!! I didn't even give it 10 seconds before I was putting it on the heatsink. It was hardening as I was mixing the powder into the epoxy!
~Brian

While a slower setting epoxy seems a good option, I suspect you mixed in the wrong order. Mix the GITD powder into one part of the epoxy before adding the other part of the epoxy.

 

[greenLED]

While a slower setting epoxy seems a good option, I suspect you mixed in the wrong order. Mix the GITD powder into one part of the epoxy before adding the other part of the epoxy.

Doesn't make a difference, in my experience. I've always added the GID powder to the epoxy mix; never had an issue.

 

[J_C]

Doesn't make a difference, in my experience. I've always added the GID powder to the epoxy mix; never had an issue.

It definitely can make a difference. In the former case you are using up the remaining time in liquid state mixing in powder. In the latter you have that time back to put the epoxy where you want it. I actually prefer epoxy that I barely have time to apply before it's setting up, why would I want to wait longer to continue whatever I was doing?

Depends on which epoxy, how much of it there is (in bulk the heat accelerates the curing), ambient temp, amount of hardener mixed in, let alone age and type of epoxy regardless of having a roughly similar # minutes till set claim. "Set" can mean different things with epoxy, some is barely rubbery and others hard as a rock.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Doesn't make a difference, in my experience. I've always added the GID powder to the epoxy mix; never had an issue.

That's what I have always done as well and nobody ever complained about how my stuff turned out!

Of course I would NOT to try this method with a fast set epoxy. I appreciate the extra time the 2-Ton gives me to perfect things.

 

[supasizefries]

I have some v10 on order. Can't wait to experiment on my RiverRock 2AA Nightfire with focusable optic. I figure the optic will better utilize the glow. I'll try the devcon 2 ton like people have suggested here. Has anyone experimented using grease on parts where you don't want the epoxy to stick?

 

[Crenshaw]

Ive used 5 min epoxy (selley's) and v10 on the back of an E01 before, and also on the back of an L0D. Worked fine, although you want to be snappy with it if you want it to even out nicely

and make sure the epoxy is clear......

I mean, you'd think everyone would know that from the start right?

:hahaha:

Crenshaw

 

[bstrickler]

While a slower setting epoxy seems a good option, I suspect you mixed in the wrong order. Mix the GITD powder into one part of the epoxy before adding the other part of the epoxy.

I mixed it with the DevCon 2-ton 5-minute stuff (Ace didn't have the regular stuff, and I wasn't about to drive 30 minutes to spend $20 vs. $5 on half the amount of epoxy), and the DevCon stuff worked perfectly fine. It didn't become an instant rock, like the other crap.

The only thing I screwed up was that I mixed *JUST* slightly less epoxy than I needed, so now the epoxy is 2 different brightnesses. Oh well. It doesn't show up through the lens (KD aspheric with P7).

The glow powder definitely makes it easier to find the light at night. I might have to do this to all my flashlights, lol.

~Brian

 

[J_C]

I mixed it with the DevCon 2-ton 5-minute stuff (Ace didn't have the regular stuff, and I wasn't about to drive 30 minutes to spend $20 vs. $5 on half the amount of epoxy), and the DevCon stuff worked perfectly fine. It didn't become an instant rock, like the other crap.
~Brian

Different epoxy for different applications, sometimes it's good when epoxy sets really fast. Fortunately we have forums like this so the right one for an application can be found.

 

[greenLED]

It definitely can make a difference. In the former case you are using up the remaining time in liquid state mixing in powder. In the latter you have that time back to put the epoxy where you want it. I actually prefer epoxy that I barely have time to apply before it's setting up, why would I want to wait longer to continue whatever I was doing

That's what I have always done as well and nobody ever complained about how my stuff turned out!

Of course I would NOT to try this method with a fast set epoxy. I appreciate the extra time the 2-Ton gives me to perfect things.

I'm with Sarge on this one. I've tried it both ways with long-curing epoxy, and it hasn't made a difference.

After comparing results against vs the 5 minute type, I found the longer-curing epoxy gives cleaner surfaces and allows more time to work with, so I stuck with it (pun intended).

 

[LuxLuthor]

I'm with Sarge on this one. I've tried it both ways with long-curing epoxy, and it hasn't made a difference.

After comparing results against vs the 5 minute type, I found the longer-curing epoxy gives cleaner surfaces and allows more time to work with, so I stuck with it (pun intended).

+2

 

[Crenshaw]

I have figured where a fast curing epoxy works best.

I added tritium to my Quark, in the Lanyard clip hole. If the epoxy would take too long to set, it would flow all over the place

Crenshaw

 

[J_C]

I'm with Sarge on this one. I've tried it both ways with long-curing epoxy, and it hasn't made a difference.

After comparing results against vs the 5 minute type, I found the longer-curing epoxy gives cleaner surfaces and allows more time to work with, so I stuck with it (pun intended).

I think some people misunderstood. When you have a very fast setting epoxy, that is when it is helpful to mix additives in before mixing the two epoxy parts. Really no reason not to if it's a fast setting epoxy. If it doesn't set "too" fast, do it either way.

 

[R@ndom]

Will this stuff be good?

 

[greenLED]

IMO, as long as it doesn't have a UV filter, and it cures in such a way that lets you work the GID powder and complete your mod with ample time, yes.