Some questions about using Envirotex Lite on a pedal

[Philtre]

I've just poured my first Envirotex Lite finish on a 1590BB pedal, and it's now under cover hopefully hardening. But I have a some questions:

• I wasn't sure how much of the resin to measure out so I over-estimated and probably used twice as much as I needed. What quantity do you typically measure?
• How long do you wait for it to harden before working on the pedal?
• The excess resin in the cup has now gone rock hard, but the resin on the pedal is still sticky. Is this normal?
• I know that I have to drill the hardened epoxy out of the holes in the enclosure but do you drill from the front or the back? Do you use a centre punch to mark the hole? Do you use tape on it to catch the dust?

Thanks for any advice! 

[bcalla]

1.  I don't have a measured quantity.  I use disposable plastic cups that have lines/ridges around them & go 3 or 4 lines up from the bottom.  This gives me enough to do 2 or 3 pedals.
2. At least 2 days, sometimes as long s 5 days.
3. Yes.
4. Drill from the top.  If you drill from the back the ET will separate from the enclosure.  I don't use a punch.  I sit the enclosure on the platform of my drill press and use a step bit which removes a little at a time.  I drill by eye (which therefore means no tape, and also means that the shavings go everywhere) - I can move the enclosure around to make sure the drill bit gets most of the ET out the hole.  I always clean up each hole with an X-acto knife.

[Philtre]

Thanks for that info!

Edit/Update: the resin has now hardened. There are a couple of small blemishes where a speck of dust must have landed, but so far it's looking good. Now I'll wait a few more days before drilling out the holes. I intend to drill 2mm guide holes from the back and then use the step drill from the front. I don't have a drill press.

[m-Kresol]

bcalla's answers are spot on.
add on for 4) If you don't clamp your enclosure in a vice and just hold it by hand, the stepper drill bit will find its way to the centre on its own. Basically, the envirotex is less resistance than drilling into the aluminium enclosure.

I summarized a view things I picked up along the way here some time ago: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=15721.msg148518#msg148518

[matmosphere]

I wouldn't drill from the back. You'd run the risk of lifting the envirotex. I usually drill a small hole to start the careful remove the rest using an x-acto knife.

It's more work but there is less risk of lifting the epoxy and having to start over.

[jimilee]

Use a step or steeples drill bit, that will stop it from pulling up.

[Philtre]

I wasn't going to drill the full hole from the back, but just a small 2mm guide hole, and then use the step drill from the front.

My main problem is going to be lining the drill up on a 3mm hole that is for the LED. I'm think I'm really going to have to drill that one from the back as there's no way I can line up that with any accuracy from the front.

[Adam_DIY]

Don't bother drilling the led hole Phil if you leave it under the envirotex it will shine through the clear epoxy and will look pretty cool. 

[Philtre]

Don't bother drilling the led hole Phil if you leave it under the envirotex it will shine through the clear epoxy and will look pretty cool.

Good plan. I just checked and there's enough recess in the back of that 3mm hole to seat the LED and its daughterboard (see here) This means that the 7mm pot holes and the 12mm stomp holes are big enough that I can drill the guide holes from the front.

Thanks for advice, guys! 

[Philtre]

Would it not be possible to carefully pour and manoeuvre the ET so that it doesn't go into the holes? I'm sure there's a good reason that one doesn't do this, though. ;-)

[Adam_DIY]

You'll get weird flow marks when it runs through the holes which it will no matter how careful you are.  I'd say It's also probably easier for it to self level over a nice wide area with no breaks. 

[Philtre]

That makes sense.

OK, one last question!

Do you guys drill a pilot hole first when drilling out the ET or do you go straight in there with the step drill?

[jimilee]

Straight in


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[m-Kresol]

pilot hole

Don't worry about the 3mm hole for the LED. as long as you're not too far off the drill bit will find its way into the hole in the enclosure. I never had any problems doing this and I suck at drilling accurately.

The worst that can happen is that the drill bites into the envirotex and lifts it. Just make sure you use low feed rates while drilling.

[Philtre]

It's done. 

No problems encountered at all. I left it 4 days, then today I drilled some 2mm pilot holes which, really, I didn't need to do. I also coated it with Rain-X which helped to keep the dust off of the surface.

Here she is, a Madbean Gravity Wave: