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Cleanliness: Improving Epoxy Work Surfaces

Published: March 12, 2019
, Last updated: September 18, 2025

QUESTION: Since cleanliness counts, how can I improve my epoxy work surface?

 

ANSWER:

The pot life on epoxy starts the moment the two parts are mixed. This means you need to plan your work, and have everything you need at your fingertips.

Here's a checklist:

  • Very clean mixing equipment and any secondary mixing containers, e.g., stainless steel spatulas, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) mix containers that have been final-rinsed with electronic-grade isopropyl alcohol (IPA, <0.5% water)

  • Timers

  • A test-tube rack (or something similar) to hold syringes upright, as discussed above

  • Any dispensing equipment reservoirs, positioned to be filled directly

A favorite tip: Make a polyethylene work surface. PE can be cut using woodworking tools, and you can place it in any dedicated space to create an easy-to-clean work surface. PE is gleaming white in color, chemically resistant, and available in 1/8” or ¼” sheets. You can easily wipe off uncured epoxy with acetone and a Kimwipe and remove cured epoxy by gently scraping it off.

Read my article for step-by-step instructions.

 

READ THIS FULL BLOG ARTICLE HERE:  Helpful Epoxy Tips (and a Few Tricks)

 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT & RESOURCES:

 

 

  Answered by AskFOC Technical Team March 12, 2019

 

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FOC FAQ Fiber Optic Center has a team of technical experts and marketing strategists with decades of years in the field. This team contributes to the fiber, cable and specialty industries coverage through news, alerts, reports and general media information.
About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.
Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment, materials, and supplies known for helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over three decades. Material property consultation is provided by technical experts for lapping film, epoxy, adhesives, optical coatings, and optical plastics during application specific material selection. Technical process expertise is offered in several key technology areas. Specialized expertise includes cable assembly line mastery, fiber broadband field installation best practices, and technical advancements in telecom, datacom, data centers, and hyperscale. Optical cable specification development includes design and quality testing. FOC's impact reaches the network physical capabilities through fiber manufacturing process expertise from preform fabrication and shaping, fiber drawing, and coating requirements for double clad fibers used for high power fiber laser applications to solution doping, vapor phase doping, rare earth chelates and halide recipe consultation. Fiber Optic Center is the preferred choice for the world’s fiber professionals as the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

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