Removing dried ea-40 from limb faces

[Jeb_N]

Some of you guys don't use tape on the fiberglass during glue-up. I usually do but this last time I tried it with out. I think I'm a fan if I can figure out how to remove baked on ea-40 from the limb faces. How do ya'll do it? By sanding? To explain further I'm talking about after I unwrap the bow out of the form there is small areas where there is a film of epoxy that sneaked under the bow and dried on the back and belly. Thanks

[Kirkll]

No worries... just sand it off with 120 grit.

I haven't cooked on masking tape in years. I just wipe the limbs down with lacquer thinner and remove the excess on the edges before wrapping it in plastic. Typically once you have your limbs profiled, there isn't any left on the face of the limb to sand off.

btw.... you do not need to exceed 50 pounds of pressure in your air hose system.

[Crooked Stic]

If your real carful you can use a sharp scaper to get glue off the slick side of glass. Have done it lots on overlay squeeze out.
Elmont said use 70 psi in the air hose.20+ years using 70 psi. Not saying less won't work.

[Jeb_N]

Thanks guys. I'll just sand it off like  you say kirk.

[Kirkll]

If your real carful you can use a sharp scaper to get glue off the slick side of glass. Have done it lots on overlay squeeze out.
Elmont said use 70 psi in the air hose.20+ years using 70 psi. Not saying less won't work.

I've laid up limbs with 25# psi in my air hose before with zero problems... Granted the first limb wasn't intentional. I always put some lite pressure in the hose, and let it set about a minute, then bring it up to 50-60#. That day, my phone rang and i had the heat strips turned on after putting 25# in, and forgot about it.... So i did the second limb the same.  No problem.

With that being said, I do have a couple RC forms with radical hooks that i use a little higher pressure and use shims on top of the hose to get the limb tips tight to the form. but the higher pressure isnt needed for the epoxy to bond. That's my point. 

[Crooked Stic]

 

[Jeff tech]

You guys say that you don't tape your glass anymore because you don't like to have to peel it off because it's a pain in the BUTT. More than likely you're not using the correct tape. All masking tape is not let me say it again NOT created equal. The tape that I use, we used in the body shop it went through the Bake Oven. No problems taking it off I'm going to share this picture with you guys because all green tape from 3M is not the same. Here's the tape that you want to get. This will save you all the time and expense of buying lacquer thinner and having to scrub down your limbs afterwards. I don't have any problem feeling this particular masking tape off

[Jeff tech]

I do buy my wife her own masking tape so she stays away from mine. Because it's extra special

[Longcruise]

I was using the green frog tape and it was peeling off nicely.  But, the last roll i bought is a whole different creature.  Very disappointing 😞

I'm going to get some of the 3M stuff you illustrated.

Edit:  Not 3m, scotch

[Longcruise]

Oooooops,maybe not after seeing the price of that stuff

[Jeff tech]

I was using the green frog tape and it was peeling off nicely.  But, the last roll i bought is a whole different creature.  Very disappointing 😞

I'm going to get some of the 3M stuff you illustrated.

Edit:  Not 3m, scotch

correct.  Scotch not 3m

[Kirkll]

The reason I don't use masking tape when I'm laying up limbs isn't just because it's not easy getting it off. I prefer bare glass because I spray paint my limb profile shape on the glass using a pattern. Then use my edge sander to shape it right to the paint lines and leave a line.

Trying to sand a limb with masking tape to a lay out line on it, it fuzzes up and you loose your line.

I buy my lacquer thinner in 5 gallon buckets.  It's much cheaper than masking tape.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYVpqZzLT12i3QSx6 

[Jeff tech]

The reason I don't use masking tape when I'm laying up limbs isn't just because it's not easy getting it off. I prefer bare glass because I spray paint my limb profile shape on the glass using a pattern. Then use my edge sander to shape it right to the paint lines and leave a line.                   

To each their own I don't have a problem finding my line grinding it on my Edge sander. When it rolls up I take a nice sand it off with a block and sandpaper kind of like removing the burr from a knife

Trying to sand a limb with masking tape to a lay out line on it, it fuzzes up and you loose your line.

I buy my lacquer thinner in 5 gallon buckets.  It's much cheaper than masking tape.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYVpqZzLT12i3QSx6

[Crooked Stic]

Not using masking tape will work fine on a takedown limb. Not so much on a one piece bow.

[Kirkll]

Not using masking tape will work fine on a takedown limb. Not so much on a one piece bow.

Why is that? I don't use tape on mine....

[Crooked Stic]

I reckon your lucky not to get any glue on the glass. Just seems way less trouble to tape the glass than fighting trying to wipe the glass. Can't see what the big deal is if you tape glass or not. 

[Kirkll]

Well I've already explained why I don't use tape. but now that I think about it, the fact that I use heat strips instead of a hot box probably cooks the tape tape to the face of the glass at 160-180 degrees more so than 6 hours in a bow oven. But it's just a guess. I haven't used a hot box since about 2008.

[Watsonjay]

I recently tried kirks way and I have glue all over the face of the limb. I guess I use too much ea40. I wont be doing it his way again. I use cheap blue tape and it isn't too bad to remove with a 1.5" chisel. I just run it under the tape as I am pulling. Big Jim told me about that trick, just don't let the corners of the chisel dig in. A 2" would be safer as the corners will be off the bow. I can untape a bow in 5 minutes. I am sticking with this way.

[Kirkll]

I recently tried kirks way and I have glue all over the face of the limb. I guess I use too much ea40. I wont be doing it his way again. I use cheap blue tape and it isn't too bad to remove with a 1.5" chisel. I just run it under the tape as I am pulling. Big Jim told me about that trick, just don't let the corners of the chisel dig in. A 2" would be safer as the corners will be off the bow. I can untape a bow in 5 minutes. I am sticking with this way.

How are you applying your epoxy?  And... are you warming up the epoxy before mixing it?
When I mix my epoxy, I put the resin in a paper cup, and the hardener on top, then I pop it in a microwave for 10-15 seconds depending on winter or summer. Then I use a paddle bit I ground the point off as a mixing paddle with a drill motor for about 60 seconds to get a consistent color and viscosity.  This warmed epoxy lays down really thin with a putty knife, and I get it as thin as possible and butter both surfaces. All the excess on the sides gets wiped off with the putty knife, and the face of the glass easily cleans off with lacquer thinner.

Once you get this system down, it's not messy at all, and I rarely get epoxy on the limb face after putting it in the form.

I would NEVER use a chisel to peel tape off a finished limb. That's a scary idea there. Use a plastic putty knife if you want a safe tool. Even a metal putty knife would be safer than a chisel.