What to do about squeeze-out?

[jalmberg]

I asked this question in my steam bending thread, but then decided it deserved it's own thread. It's really got me stumped...

I've just glued up my first epoxy lamination, and was very careful to clean up as much of the squeeze-out, as possible, from the top, but was stumped about what to do about the squeeze-out on the bottom. I'm sure it will be a big mess that I will be cursing at tomorrow, but I don't see how you can do anything about it.

Obviously, the bottom joint is wrapped in plastic, so the whole thing doesn't get stuck to my 'bench'. The squeeze out is inaccessible, in other words.

Anyone have a clever trick to share?

http://www.unlikelyboatbuilder.com/2012/02/confessions-of-epoxy-hater.html

http://photos.identry.com/blog/epoxy7.jpg

[Mrleft8]

Scraper. Then hand plane, or run it over your jointer.

[JimD]

Epoxy is murder on the sharp edges of your hand tools. I always use a belt sander on the under side of this type of lamination. Works like a charm. Start with a very coarse grit to get the worst of it off.

[Mrleft8]

Geez! Don't let Donn see this! He thinks that belt sanders are how you fix the plane blades that got dull from planing epoxy! :D

[JimConlin]

A coarse (#36) belt sander, followed by jointer and table saw.

[JimD]

Geez! Don't let Donn see this! He thinks that belt sanders are how you fix the plane blades that got dull from planing epoxy! :D
I sure hope you used spell checker.

[jalmberg]

Ug... I hate to think of all that epoxy dust, even with a dust collector. I guess I could do it outside. The weather is sure nice enough.

[Mrleft8]

No dust at all with a scraper and a plane.

[andrewpatrol]

I run an old electric plane over it, then over the buzzer

[AJZimm]

No dust at all with a scraper and a plane.

I agree and depending on how big the lumps are under the plastic, I usually start with a very coarse hand rasp to knock the high spots off, before swiching to the scraper

[botebum]

Bust off the globs with a bench or framing chisel or a slick then bring it down a bit more with a belt sander. Don't use 36 grit. It's will ride over the epoxy and chew up the exposed wood. Use 60 grit. When you get it down so it's fairly even, run it through a jointer or hit it with an air file or power plane to true it up. Bring it to the final dimension with a hand plane and sanding.

Doug

[Canoeyawl]

After the glue is cured, I use a hand held heat gun and a scraper, it goes away about like cheddar cheese. Just a few minutes, then a plane to finish up.

[TerryLL]

Quickest way is to clean up the top side so it's fairly smooth and then run the piece through a planer with the ratty side up.

If no planer, then a heat gun and scraper for the big gobs and then a hand plane.

But the best way is to avoid the problem in the first place by laminating over a form that permits access to both sides so you can clean up the drips.

http://i325.photobucket.com/albums/k365/TerryLava/2010%20CY%20Build/AftStem1.jpg?t=1290995952

[jalmberg]

Quickest way is to clean up the top side so it's fairly smooth and then run the piece through a planer with the ratty side up.

If no planer, then a heat gun and scraper for the big gobs and then a hand plane.

But the best way is to avoid the problem in the first place by laminating over a form that permits access to both sides so you can clean up the drips.



Ah... now that picture is worth a thousand words. Next time, that's exactly what I'm going to do.

[jalmberg]

I agree and depending on how big the lumps are under the plastic, I usually start with a very coarse hand rasp to knock the high spots off, before swiching to the scraper

When you say 'scraper', what do you mean? There are so many different tools called scrapers.

[wizbang 13]

planer, grinder.
but i try and thicken the epoxy a bit more (403) and use minimal clamping pressure.
5 minutes to clean the beam pictured.

[outofthenorm]

Being one who hates sanding, scraping or cleaning up epoxy, I would make the laminates 1/2 inch wider than otherwise and after it was cured, run the whole thing through the bandsaw once for each side. Might even be able to rough in some bevels that way, depending on what it's for.

- Norm

[holzbt]

Use a heat gun and scraper. Paint or hook scraper or even a putty knife will work. The heat softens the epoxy and it will easily scrape off.

[Todd D]

When I was laminating frames, I made them a bit wide then ran them through the planer to finish them to the final size. A quick sand with the RO sander got rid of the worst epoxy lumps on the bottom prior to planing.

[StevenBauer]

I try to never sand epoxy. If it isn't fully cured(ie weeks) the dust is really bad for you. A few seconds with the heat gun and it softens right up. Different scrapers for different jobs. Sometimes a cabinet scraper sometimes a paint scraper sometimes a putty knife. I like the fancy carbide ones and I like the proprep ones.

If you are going to sand epoxy that isn't fully cured use a p100 respirator at least. And treat your clothes like they have been contaminated with poison, because they have. Same with the whole shop. Others don't worry so much. Maybe we can meet up in twenty years and compare notes. Oh, wait...

As for the lamination cleanup question I'd take the big lumps off with a heat gun and scraper then run one side through the joiner (with the dust collector) and the other side through the planer again with the dust collector. If I didn't have the joiner and planer I'd use hand planes over the belt sander.

[James McMullen]

Heat gun and scraper. It's easier than you can imagine if you've never tried it.

[Canoeyawl]

Heat gun and scraper. It's easier than you can imagine if you've never tried it.

Like cheddar cheese...

[keith66]

Knock of any high bits with the hammer & then get the Canvey plane on it, (Angle grinder with coarse disc). Wear a decent respirator! I try to scrape as much of with sticks before the goop goes of.
I do remember doing a big lamination & my dog (Lurcher cross) walked under it as i was winding the cramps up, he was bespattered with dollops of epoxy microballoons mix. As it was a hot day it went of like a rocket & by the time i had cleaned him up with the scissors he looked like he had some horrible mange like skin complaint. All grew back later! Cant complain, nobody ever "borrowed" tools from the van when he was in it.

[boattruck]

If you arrange it so your lamination is tight against the table, with a release surface, when all is dry you will have a perfectly flat surface. We then run it through the planer till it is beautiful, you should mask up for this operation in any case, Cheers, BT