Inlay And Epoxy Problem

[jay ernst]

I have drilled a 3/4 X 1/8 inch hole in my maple headstock: filled with black epoxy and placed an abalone inlay in the epoxy

let dry for 24 hours sanded and the results were maple dust from the headstock incorporated in the back epoxy from sanding

How do I avoid this problem.

If someone would like a picture I can send via e-mail

I don't know how to add image on this site.

thanks

Jay

[cSuttle]

Hmmm ... odd.

First, I'm not sure why you used black epoxy on maple. I always you clear, or a light yellow. But that's not much help right now is it.

My best guess is that the epoxy wasn't truly dry. This could have been caused by not mixing the epoxy properly in the beginning. If you don't get enough catilist in the glue it will be sticky for a long time. The other possibility is you mixed the epoxy so much that there were lots of small air bubbles and the dust is now stuck in the bubbles. Third possiblity is really crappy glue.

For whatever reason, if you can't sand it out (try some 0000 steal wool), then you'll probably have to start over. Probably not what you wanted it hear, but I'm sure you'd rather put in a little more work and have it turn out perfect.

[jmrentis]

Yeah, I would imagine it wasn't fully cured yet. The stuff I use will be hardened in 24 hours, but can take upto a few days before fulling curing. But as Cliff said, the mixture could have been off as well creating a soft finish which would allow such problems, most epoxies must have almost exact mixture or they do not work properly. If you can't fix the problem you may be able to save the inlay, so you can try again. Epoxy will release with heat which should allow you to get your inlay out, then you can probably redrill the hole to get out the rest of the epoxy and start again. Anyhow, I agree with Cliffs idea that probably the epoxy never truly dried, or a combo of a slightly off mixture and not fully cured. Best of luck and hope you works it out. J

[WezV]

how did you get black epoxy?

Some dyes will slow down the curing time quite a lot

[jay ernst]

how did you get black epoxy?

Some dyes will slow down the curing time quite a lot

[jay ernst]

I have drilled a 3/4 X 1/8 inch hole in my maple headstock: filled with black epoxy and placed an abalone inlay in the epoxy

let dry for 24 hours sanded and the results were maple dust from the headstock incorporated in the back epoxy from sanding

How do I avoid this problem.

If someone would like a picture I can send via e-mail

I don't know how to add image on this site.

thanks

Jay

[jay ernst]

thanks for the replys

The black epoxy I used was mixed with a compatible pigment from Tap palstic....

I used black in the maple headstock for a contrast to the maple

and also the abalone inlay...

My understanding also, is that all epoxy gives off gas bubbles when curing.

and that when you sand with an opposte wood color than the epoxy the dust goes right into the

bubbles .

I liked the idea of usin clear epoxy , I'l have to experiment to see how that would look

on maple with an abalone inlay..

Thanks