envirotex?

[MovingInSloMo]

How do you guys use envirotex on your pedals? do you coat the entire eclosure? how do you keep it just on top.. and how much thickness does it add? if anyone ever wants to make a tutorial I'm it would be very much appreciated

[davent]

Pretty sure there are a few in these parts, this one from another place.

http://juansolo.co.uk/stompage/finishing.html

[Jdansti]

[I was typing this as Dave made his post.]

Edit: To answer your questions, I coat the entire box as described below. The directions below result in a thin layer (I've never measured it) that will still allow your hardware to be mounted. The only thing I've run into is the small 9mm pots I get from Tayda almost don't have enough thread length to get the nut on. I skip the washer and just use the nut.

--------------------------

I think there's a tutorial somewhere out there on the forum, but here's how I use it.

1. Instead of pouring the two liquids into a measuring cup, I mark the sides of the bottles where the liquid level is with a Sharpie and then mark them again 2.5cm down. That way I dispense the same amount of each bottle into a cut off solo cup. Then I mix with a popsicle stick. Make sure the solo cup and stick don't contain any little particles before you do this. If your room is below 70F, warm the bottles by placing them in some hot tap water for about 10 minutes before dispensing.

2. If you use photo paper for your graphics as I usually do, you can coat the photo paper with a few coats of spray-on clear lacquer. I just do this to protect the ink from my fingers while handling the box. You can skip the lacquer if you're very careful with handling.

3. Prepare your box however you want. Make sure that it is clean and lint free. I predrill the box before applying Envirotex, but some people like to drill after.  I elevate the box above a paper plate using a little frame made from popsicle sticks so it doesn't become glued to the plate. It also allows the epoxy to drip from the sides without becoming thicker at the bottom.

4. Pour the epoxy onto the top of the box. I pour it in multiple places including between holes. Spread it around with a clean piece of cardboard, but don't go crazy trying to make it perfectly even.  The epoxy will spread out evenly by itself. Save a little in the cup for the next step.

5. Use a clean new small foam brush to apply some epoxy to the sides of the box. Use horizontal brush strokes. Clean up the sides using a new foam brush about every 15 minutes until it looks like the epoxy isn't dripping from the bottom.

6. Wave a hot air gun, hair dryer, or small butane torch over the epoxy on the top and sides to remove bubbles. Your warm breath might work if you don't have any of the above tools.

7.  Make a last check for bubbles and any lint or hairs that may have settled on the epoxy. Remove tiny objects with a clean popsicle stick while the epoxy is still wet.

8.  Place a large clean bowl or box over the whole enclosure, frame and paper plate to keep dust from settling on the wet epoxy. Leave it to harden for about 24 hours. Keep in mind that it might take 48-72 hours to fully harden depending on temperature, so be careful not to press your finger prints into it or accidentally gouge it at this stage.

9. There will be some epoxy on the inside of the holes and maybe a few tear drops on the edges when you finish. Use a utility or Exacto knife to remove the excess epoxy from the holes and edges.

Here's a recent box I did with Envirotex.




I used a belt sander with 60 grit to make a horizontal brushed look on the sides.

[davent]

Just an aside on warming epoxy, paint and finish, i usually just pop the bottle(s), tubes into a front-of-the-pants pocket and it's heated up in no time, only had one leaker but they're old beat-up work pants anyways.
dave

[karbomusic]

Couple other tips...

Temperature greatly decreases set/cure time.
Careful if you bake it later, can cause yellowing but if just right, you get it fully cured in a matter of a few hours (or less)... if you do the initial setting outside an oven in the 90s F then in the oven just a tad hotter.
There is a sweet spot for brushing the sides up until the last minute. (higher temps reduce this window). Sand the sides if they don't turn out right.
I have a bunch of medical measuring cups for getting proper proportions.
Blow, blow blow on it to get rid of bubbles or a propane torch (any source of C02 will do it).

[bluebunny]

These are all great tips. It reminds me I have a box of the stuff that I need to use one of these days!

[MrStab]

Envirotex was such a steep (and pricy!) learning curve for me, that i owe it to others to share my own experience, in the off-chance it helps someone. Most of this expands on the tutorial Dave linked to, and no doubt overlaps with everyone else's experience:

• I apply the Envirotex all around the edges so it drips down most of the sides, i make sure the middle is done, then i drip & scrape as much spare resin as i can to cover any blank spots on the sides (the corners are usually a bit more stubborn).
• The sides should initially be even, but whenever you blow or poke around the top of the enclosure to burst bubbles, a "wave" of resin will slowly flow towards the edges and create an uneven bulge down one of the sides. I don't consider this to be a major problem, it still looks great, but it can often be fixed by either blowing the bulge towards the less-covered spot, and/or dripping more Envirotex over it (from the top, as when first applied). If you leave an area for a minute or two, you'll be surprised how much it corrects itself, even against gravity. Note that you need to do all this within 5 minutes of application, and it's not that big a deal compared to potentially runing it.
• You WILL enter the realm of Turd-Polishing if you keep playing with it for too long.
• Re. Lifting: Envirotex lifting off the surface when drilling is the ultimate killer of projects. I don't think there's enough info on the subject.
  
  -Drill with a stepping bit that only increases in 1mm increments. This reduces the risk of the Envirotex lifting when drilling (which results in a discoloured spot round the hole). It's a small detail from the tutorial which should be emphasised more.
  
  -Also as-per the tutorial, you should make sure to cut the holes out in the decal, and put insulation tape on the insides so the holes themselves are filled with Envirotex. This also helps prevent lifting - if you don't fill the holes, you have really thin weak points of resin over the holes.
  
  -You can often fix spots of lifted resin by pushing down on them really hard (but not with something that might scratch or damage the finish, obv).
  
  -Watch out when you poke pots and switches through the holes - make sure they have enough clearance through both the metal AND the resin!
• IME, 48 hours at room temperature is a good time to let a project sit before drilling.
• I scrape a candle along the bottom edges, then cover with insulation tape before coating. The day after coating, i'll gently handle the pedal via. the jack holes (to avoid fingerprints) then i peel it off. It comes off quite easily if you do this after it cures fully, but may be more prone to tearing the envirotex as it's more brittle. I don't know if the candle thing actually works, but i figure it's a 2nd level of defence against the resin adhering to that part i don't want. The edges are really straight and neat, sanding rarely needed.
• I don't know if this is advisable from a health & safety standpoint, but i melt smaller holes (too small for a stepping bit) and pilot holes with an old soldering iron. I don't hold it in there too long, and i wouldn't do it for anything that wasn't to be covered by a washer. It's a no-brainer, but you don't wanna do this to an iron you actually intend to use for soldlering.
• Tie your hair back. We're all musicians here, it's a reasonable assumption. lol

if i remember anything else, i'll mention it. here's a coupla mine:

[bluebunny]

• Tie your hair back.

What bloody hair??   

[Jdansti]

• Tie your hair back.

What bloody hair??   

How about tie your back hair then? 

[bluebunny]

• Tie your hair back.

What bloody hair??   

How about tie your back hair then? 

LOL! 

[duck_arse]

bluebunny, from a distance, it looks like you'e a ....... ohh, wait ...... coat time.

[MovingInSloMo]

Nice discalimer! (see my post in OT forum) lol maybe I should employ it

[MrStab]

i never specified which patch. lol