Choosing epoxy resin


Author
Message
TFinch
TFinch
Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 2, Visits: 17
Hi,

I'm involved in a Biology project - we want to monitor attendance of birds at nestboxes using RFID technology. The plan is to attach glass capsule tags to plastic rings around the birds' leg and place an RFID reader around the box entrance.

Now, gluing a 12mm long 2mm diameter glass capsule to a plastic ring probably won't hold. Instead someone suggested fixing the glass capsule with epoxy resin to a second bit of plastic (salbex or darvic), then superglueing the salbex (which will have a larger surface area than the tag alone) to the ring. Hopefully the attached JPEG will give you a better idea of what I just described, but I don't think it's too important - all you need to know is that I want to fix a small glass capsule to a (slightly less small) bit of plastic.

I've no experience of using epoxy resin, so a few questions:
1. Will epoxy resin interfere with the structural integrity of the salbex plastic?
2. Will the resin (encapsulating the glass tag) form a good bond with the salbex plastic?
2. What sort of resin would you recommend - I'm hoping I can get something really viscous, so I can put a dollop of resin on the plastic, push the capsule into this dollop, then add more resin on top, then smooth it all over. If it's too runny then I'll presumably need a mould, and things will get real fiddly. Is this doable?

Many Thanks,

Tom
Attachments
PIT tag attachment diagram.jpg (170 views, 56.00 KB)
Matthieu Libeert
Matthieu Libeert
Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)Supreme Being (4.8K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 955, Visits: 3.4K
I have no experience with the types of plastic you are using, So I cant help you with the specific reactions on the plastic and so on,
Would be more of a trial and error I think.

what I would use is 2K epoxy glue... you can find it in your local DIY-store for a good price 
http://www.talkcomposites.com/Uploads/Images/e9819250-3e5f-43f0-9d93-a5b2.jpg
It's A+B, while you push on the tube you get some of A and B, mix it togheter and apply it. you can find it as transparant and metalic colour.
Hope this helps you a bit, since I've found your description quite difficult to follow Rolleyes

Matthieu Libeert
Founder MAT2 Composites X Sports
website:
www.mat2composites.com




Warren (Staff)
Warren (Staff)
Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)
Group: Administrators
Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 8K
Hi Tom,

First you would need to key up the surface of the plastic to ensure a good bond. 

The epoxy will not weaken the PVC plastic (which Salbex is made from).

The glue I would recommend is our ET500Rigid 5min Epoxy Adhesive as it offers a very good strong bond and is reasonably quick to cure. It is also viscous enough to be applied in the way you described.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
TFinch
TFinch
Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)Junior Member (6 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 2, Visits: 17
Thanks for your reply - is there a cheaper option which doesn't involve buying all the applicators / spare nozzles? It's only a small job, so 50ml of epoxy would do, but it's going to cost upwards of £50 with all the extras. Can I buy the adhesive and hardener separately and mix them myself?

Tom
baja_patient
baja_patient
Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)Supreme Being (767 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 135, Visits: 1.6K
In this case I would suggest just getting some Araldite, or Locktite epoxy from your local hardware store, 5 min or 15 min. Its cheap like 5-6 pounds maybe?

also if you want to make a ring for a birds leg I would cast the chip directly onto an aluminium ring, if you follow. Don't bother with the plastic.
Warren (Staff)
Warren (Staff)
Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)
Group: Administrators
Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 8K
I agree with baja patient if you are after a very budget approach.  You could try and use our glue and manually push the piston in to dispense the resin, but you would have to mix it properly.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
brasco
brasco
Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)Supreme Being (966 reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 192, Visits: 305
questions:
how are the tubes mounted to the animal?
and you need an adhesive that cures FAST. no residue and no coating that the animal could ingest while
trying to get the thing off it's leg.

maybe have rings and chip pre built and washed and cleaned before attachment. even a 50 second quick cure epoxy will not be fully cured for abit. and the trauma of holding and sanding the tubes for the animal.

just my thoughts and ideas. best of luck for getting it done tho.

scottSmile


CarbonFiberCreations



fgayford
fgayford
Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)Supreme Being (2.4K reputation)
Group: Forum Members
Posts: 433, Visits: 1.2K
If you had tanges on the collars you could use light weight plastic pop rivets.

Fred
Warren (Staff)
Warren (Staff)
Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)Supreme Being (15K reputation)
Group: Administrators
Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 8K
He can do the rfid tags in advance.  He said he superglues the assembly to the ring on site so the rest can be done in advance.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant
GO

Merge Selected

Merge into selected topic...



Merge into merge target...



Merge into a specific topic ID...




Similar Topics

Reading This Topic

Explore
Messages
Mentions
Search