MrMuckle Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 So, I bought some epoxy from Art Resin to make my own tortoise shell pickguards and the sheet I poured did not come out at all like I had hoped. It's not the colors, they came out great, but instead it was that, at just under .125", it's incredibly flexible. Watching the Erlewine video on the Tor-Tis pickguards, which is the same thing (pigment swirled in epoxy resin), I see those are very flexible, too. That's fine for acoustics since it's going to be glued to the guitar top, but for a Strat-style pickguard, with pickups mounted to the pickguard proper, this ain't gonna fly. Should I be using a polyester or acrylic resin instead? Will these cure harder at such a small thickness? Perhaps it's the Art Resin brand. I chose it because of the no VOC's (read: No Respirator), but maybe that is its weakness. Maybe I should a more expensive brand like West System? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted August 15, 2016 Report Share Posted August 15, 2016 I believe I saw a guy use alumilite? wanting to do this myself too! Keep us posted with pics! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted August 16, 2016 Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Alumilite would be excellent for this, yes. I'm unsure on the engineering properties of West System as a standalone sheet, however I suspect that it would be on the opposite end of the spectrum; too brittle. I haven't used WS for a few years so my memory fails me. Perhaps epoxies designed for carbon or fibreglass layups would be a consideration, however getting a bead on how good their balance between stiffness and flexibility is....not sure.... Like many engineering epoxies, West System produce many flavours and modifiers which might allow you to dial in the right combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMuckle Posted August 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2016 Thanks, guys. I will try to get a hold of some Alumilite before I try another epoxy. I scrapped the other pieces I previously poured, but I will definitely post pics of the next experiment. If anyone wants to join in and pool our shared knowledge this is what I have used so far: Art Resin brand epoxy and fluid acrylics by Golden. Here's a video of a guy using TransTint dyes. I might give those a go next time around: And here is the Dan Erlewine video I mentioned where you can see how flexible the material is at that given thickness (roughly .100"): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjorn.LaSanche Posted December 22, 2016 Report Share Posted December 22, 2016 MrMuckle, any follow up on this? Was a fairly interesting topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMuckle Posted January 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 Sorry, man. I pretty much gave up. I might have another go at it this summer when I have more time, for it seems there's a bit of fair bit of experimentation involved. For example, a straight pour of the epoxy alone would level out to about .125". I'm not certain how to stay at that thickness including the 3-ply black/white/black. Unless the Spitfire guy wants to divulge his secrets, but I'm not holding my breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StratsRdivine Posted March 11, 2017 Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 Have you ever had fun using pearlescent micas in epoxy? Pretty cool effects when using an air hose to create patterns. I used to use West System, due to the name, til I realized that they are all marketing hype, and haven't advanced their formulas much at all. Now I use Basic No Blush from Progressive Epoxy Polymers. It is superior in every respect, as it is a cycloaliphatic epoxide, which won't degrade in sunlight, has lower shrink, and is quite stiff - perfect for pickguards. I use about a gallon every four months. There are quite a few new companies out there with better epoxies. Some of the floor and countertop epoxies are pretty advanced as well. I recall that polyaspartic epoxies are all the rage now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted March 11, 2017 Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 Guitar builders in general tend to be very hävittyään (oops, autocorrect. Finnish for, "after losing") habitual. West System, Z-Poxy, etc. are often the go-to epoxies simply through a use-recommendation-repetion cycle. Good to hear that there are other products developed that are superior choices. Now, how do they stack up in terms of availability, cost and ease of use? I opt for Z-Poxy because of availability and how lenient it is on mix ratio. Eyeballing is okay, but some are really fickle. Even WS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjorn.LaSanche Posted March 25, 2017 Report Share Posted March 25, 2017 I really wish I could find a good deal on Z-Poxy locally instead of paying the Wood Crafter cork sniffing prices. They only carry locally quart amounts and are asking close to $50 per can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMuckle Posted August 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2017 I haven't pursued making my own pickguards any further, but I stumbled upon this last night, and thought you guys might be interested. Go to the bottom of the page to see the beginning of the tutorial. Check out the whole thread, too. It's a good one! http://www.tdpri.com/threads/epic-knobs-for-andy-brainy.655962/page-26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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