Terrific epoxy mixing containers

[Norm Bernstein]

Hi, don't know if anyone has stumbled onto this, but the disposable food storage containers made by Zip-loc and others are absolutely perfect for mixing epoxy. The round styles have rounded transitions from the sides to the bottom, and a tongue depressor is the perfect size for insuring a good mix, with no missed pockets of resin. After use, the cured epoxy that remains pops out easily, and they can be reused infinitely. I use the small round 8 oz size, good for mixing up to 4 strokes from a West System group B pump, and the larger 24 oz size, good for ten or more strokes. The larger size is good when you're mixing in fillers, since they're large enough to contain the powder until you've had a chance to mix it completely.

[capt jake]

I have gone to the local grocery store and bought the containers out of the Deli (the ones they package salads and such in). They are dirt cheap and work great!! About 8 cents each (if I by a whole ream, which is easy to do).

Great topic!! smile.gif smile.gif

[Norm Bernstein]

I used to use the deli containers, too... but they had a square transition from sides to bottom, and sometimes some unmixed epoxy would get trapped there and make it out onto whatever I was building. The Zip-loc types, having a round corner transition, seem a bit easier to mix, to me... a few bucks will buy you a half dozen, and they're reusable.

[JimD]

I have a number of loyal friends who know I'm a boat building addict and save all their empty yogurt, ice cream, etc. containers, but they are usually good for only one mix as they break when I try to pop the cured epoxy skin that ends up inside them. If they ever abandon me I'll certainly give those zip lock containers at try. Thanks for the tip.

[Mike Vogdes]

I also use yogurt containers, they are a very convienent size for mixing epoxy. Breyers containers are also reusable.

[Beowolf]

My students bring in Cool Whip containers for me to use. The get a kick out of seeing the boat progress.

[Concordia..41]

Yes, once upon a time I bought containers for epoxy and/or varnish. Even reusing, the Ziplock type were about .50 each.

If you're going to buy, the dollar stores usually have packs with 4-6 containers for $1.00 a pack . That was a little better than the Ziplock price, but then even that got old.

Several hundred containers ago, we went with:

Dole fruit cup containers for the 3-4 tablespoon jobs;
Small margarine tubs for the 1/2 - 1 cup jobs;
Deli and Chinese soup containers for everything else.

Maybe it's because we're just making up small batches, but I haven't had a problem with product hiding in the corners in not getting mixed.

Basically we recycle about every container that passes through our pantry, and I use the cans and anything with really steep sides for varnishing.

Cheers!
- M

[ 12-29-2003, 04:49 AM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]

[Bill Perkins]

Thanks Norm I'll try those.

[Bill Bliss]

Here's my two cents..
I pretty much mixed all of my epoxy in old Starbucks cups (the paper ones). They're lined with plastic on the inside (not wax), and they give me an excuse to take my wife out for coffee on Saturday. The seams on the side and the bottom retain only trace amounts of uncured resin (not hardener), and are not a problem in the least.

I do recommend using only tongue depressors with a flat end -- you can buy expensive ones from epoxy supply sources, but I just buy cheap tongue depressors from the local craft store and clamp about 30 - 40 of them together and lop off the ends in my table saw. You can also just cut the ends off with scissors as you need them.

The clear plastic Starbucks (and similar) cups I will use also, but I don't like them as much since they usually have logos and writing embossed on the bottom which hampers thorough mixing.

[Jack Heinlen]

The bottoms of half gallon plastic vodka bottles work pretty well. Um, er, not exactly free, but you might check with the local bottle recycle center if you have such where you live. Here they go for fifteen cents a piece. I don't know if it's legal to resell them, but in my experience I doubt the right recycler would much care. ;)

[Paul]

I like to use those six pack apple sauce containers. They are just right for mixing small batches of epoxy.