Epoxy Stick Repair

[fatwabbit 93]

I thought I'd start a new thread, seeing that two of them have this being discussed.

Some background... goes back to Uni days (not much $$$)

In Singapore, I play on pretty an abrasive surface, similar to painted concrete but not as rough as asphalt. Hockey blades last maybe four 2hr sessions before I deem them to be un-usable. Blades cost me $30-$40 for woodies, and you can never get the same curve. This was before big time internet shopping came about, so mainly I depended on my LHS to get blades. Tried many ways to get the job done, and found that epoxy worked very well. One tube of epoxy latest me about 4 hockey sessions, and cost about $5 a tube. The same blade would now be able to be used for anywhere between 6-9 months, and that included two tournaments during that time.

Ok, to the specifics. Here are some photos I took today on putting epoxy on the bottom edge of the blade to make it last longer. This would work for those who have gotten a curve they love, but want a different lie. Basically the epoxy becomes the sacrificial layer, and gets worn off instead of the blade itself. You can add some thread or fibres to give it a little more impact resitence, but the epoxy normally holds up pretty well. I've put links instead of the normal inserted photos for the benefit of those still on dialup.

Stuff I used, basically some epoxy and musking tape. I normally use Selley's epoxy, but Araldite works just as well. Stay away from the more expensive epoxy with metel already present in the mix, they dont work any better than the cheaper ones. Musking tape is the best as it does not leave any gluey residue like duct tape or celephane tape (Spelling). You can use a less wider tape, but this was what I had at my mom's place.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4445.jpg

After cleaning the surface, apply tape to one side of the blade, then do the same to the other side. This forms a 'channel' or 'mould' for the epoxy to set in.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4446.jpg

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4447.jpg

Mix the epoxy thorughly, in this case I used a 2 hour set epoxy so that I could do the photos. Mix it on some cardboard or something that has a nice smooth surface. Once mixed properly, pour it into the channel. It will be pretty thick like honey, so you have to be patient.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4449.jpg

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4450.jpg

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4461.jpg

Once you have put in the epoxy, clamp some harder card or plastic file to the blade. This will form to the blade shape, as the musking tape will start to sag a little from the epoxy weight. You dont have to use C-clamps like I've shown, a normal paper clip (like pic) should be enough. I'm doing this at my mom's place, so I dont have access to all my normal shite.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee134/f...it/DSCN4462.jpg

Once done, clean up, and set the stick up in a way that the blade is in the air, and maybe resting on a chair with the butt end against a wall. you can try to adjust the lie of the blade yourself this way, so that the epoxy will set in that manner.

Sorry for being longwinded... just wanted to cover the specifics. If you've got any questions let me know either thru pm or the thread.

Hope this helps... may not be beneficial for those who have regualr access to LHS, but for me, this saved me a lot of money and I got to use the same curve and blade pattern for much much longer.

You can use epoxy to patch up the areas of the blade/shaft that have been chipped. It may/may not prolong the life, but it worked for me..

[Chadd 916]

adding another topic on the same subject is alaways a good idea.