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What is the policy if my rental is returned late?If your rental is returned late you will be charged starting at the day rate. The amount will be determined by how many days the equipment was returned late. If the equipment is not returned within 72 hours after the due date, we will hold the value of the equipment on your credit card until the item is returned.
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What is the charge if the equipment is returned damaged and not covered by the damage waiver?You will be responsible for the entire repair bill. If the repair bill is greater than the equipment you will be charged the replacement cost of the equipment.
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Can I decline the damage waiver?Our policy requires all rental customers to sign a mandatory damage waiver to cover the cost of repair or replacement should the equipment be damaged due to misuse or negligence. All rentals require a valid credit card and photo ID. In the case of loss or damage, we will charge your credit card based on the repair or replacement cost of the tool.
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Do I need to clean the equipment before I return it?The equipment must be returned in the same condition it was rented. If the equipment is not cleaned prior to returning, you will be charged a cleaning fee starting at $25 & up.
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What are your hours of operation for the rental dept?Our winter (Nov - March) hours are 9am to 5pm Monday thru Friday,
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How do you remove bubbles in epoxy resin?Let epoxy sit for 10 minutes to allow air bubbles to rise to the surface. Using a propane torch or a heat gun, apply heat 6-8 inches above the surface in a back and forth motion to remove bubbles. Be careful not to not over heat, scorch or burn the epoxy. Periodically check for additional bubbles and remove as need.
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Can you do a seal coat with polyurethane before applying epoxy resin?Best practice is to start with epoxy, and then overcoat with polyurethane. Not the other way around. Overcoating polyurethane with epoxy can be done, but in the long run you could end up with interlaminar adhesion issues reducing the longevity of the project. Personally, I’d always start with an epoxy seal coat. That being said, you shouldn’t have any issues overcoating a urethane coating. Make sure the surface is fully cured, dry and free of contamination. Scuff sand with 80-120 grit and solvent wipe with a clean cotton rag a little denatured alcohol before applying the epoxy. Do not use a tack cloth. Keep in mind, not all urethanes are created equal and every project is unique. What works well for one person, might not be the best approach for another. Feel free to experiment. When in doubt, small scale compatibility testing is always a good idea.
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What is the working time for ICE THIN?Epoxy is a mass and temperature-sensitive material. The gel time (the time it takes the mixed epoxy resin and hardener to initially harden up) can vary drastically depending on any number of factors such as mixing mass, material temp, ambient temp, mixing time, speed of mixing, speed of application, coating thickness, etc. ICE THIN has a 30-minute gel time at 77°F in a 150-gram mass, but will set up much faster if warmer or left sitting for an extended time in a larger mass. The more you mix up, and the warmer it is, the faster it will gel. That being said, 10-15 minutes is a rough average working time for a full kit at room temp. If the mixed epoxy starts to heat up in your mixing bucket, apply immediately.
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What is the max thickness you can pour ICE THIN?Although ICE THIN Epoxy can be poured up to 1", for best results, do not apply ICE THIN Table Top epoxy thicker than 1/8” – 1/4” per coat. Step pour multiple layers for thicker coatings. Exceeding max coating thickness may cause ICE THIN to heat up and exotherm upon hardening which could cause it to yellow, distort or even crack in extreme cases.
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What's the best mixing technique?The best practice is to combine resin and hardener at recommended mix ratio, mix 1-2 minutes while scraping the sides and bottom of the container until no streaks or striations, transfer to a second container, mix 1-2 minutes again until fully blended, let sit for 1-2 minutes to allow air bubbles a chance to start rising to the surface, and then use immediately. Take extra care not to whip in excess air. The whole mixing process shouldn’t take more than 5-6 minutes. If the mixed material starts to get warm, that’s your last warning the curing reaction is starting to take place and you need to get the epoxy poured onto your surface ASAP. Don’t mix more than one gallon at a time, instead step pour multiple batches for larger projects. Only mix up what you intend to immediately use.
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Will epoxy resin bond or stick to metal?When bonding to metal the surface must be bright and free of oxidation. Some metals can tarnish quickly so it is a good practice to apply the epoxy shortly after prepping the surface. Degreasing the surface with acetone, abrading with 80 grit sandpaper and degreasing again with acetone before applying epoxy is the simplest method to improve the epoxy to metal bond strength. Degreasing is a VERY important step and should be done even if the surface appears clean. Sanding might not be practical as this could scuff your diamond plate, so maybe just stick to degreasing with a clean cotton rag and acetone.
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Is there any prep work needed before pouring epoxy?All surfaces must be clean, dry, and free of contamination. Contaminates include, but are not limited to dust, oil, moisture, sap, lint, and sanding debris. Do not use paper towels, dirty rags, contaminated sandpaper, or touch surface with oily fingers. Sand as needed and clean off sanding debris. Wipe the surface down with a clean cotton t-shirt rag soaked in an oil-free solvent like denatured alcohol prior to applying an epoxy seal coat. Do not use a tack cloth.
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Will epoxy resin bond or stick to acrylic?Since ICE THIN is designed with flood coating and encapsulating applications in mind, as opposed to are more traditional load-bearing laminating system or adhesive, I think you’ll be fine overcoating acrylic. Simple surface prep can go a long way to improve bonding: degrease, abrade, and clean. Denatured alcohol is my preferred degreasing and cleaning solvent. Do not use a tack cloth. Keep in mind, every project is unique. Artwork especially so. What works well for one person, might not be the best approach for another. Feel free to experiment. When in doubt, small-scale testing is always a good idea.
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What does epoxy not stick to?This depends on a number of factors including system and substrate, but in general epoxy bonds well to most common surfaces such as wood, metals, glass, ceramic, etc. What it typically does not bond well to are thermoplastic compounds such as HDPE, PP, PS, etc. Epoxy is a thermoset and bonds well to other thermosets, but thermosets and thermoplastics are notoriously difficult to bond to each other, but it can be done with the right system. That being said, every project is unique. Feel free to experiment. When in doubt, small-scale testing is always a good idea.
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What is the mix ratio of MAS Tabletop Pro?The mix ratio for the ICE THIN Table Top is 1 part resin to 1 part hardener (1A:1B) by volume, or 100 parts resin to 83 parts hardener (100A:83B) by weight. Using the recommended mix ratio is VERY important when using epoxy. DO NOT deviate in an attempt to speed up or slow down the gel time. An excess of resin or hardener will negatively affect the cure and could cause a wide range of short and/or long-term problems with your epoxy coating.
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Can you buff or polish epoxy resin?It’s an unconventional approach, that can be a little time-consuming, but buffing and polishing can be a useful technique to remove small surface imperfections while rejuvenating the original high gloss finish of the epoxy coating or to knock back the high gloss look to more of a mat or satin finish. There’s certainly more than one way to go about this, and a whole lot of polishing compounds and equipment out there to choose from, but here’s a general description of a simple process you could try. Keep in mind the most important steps in this procedure are the lower grits. Ensure to sand slowly and minimize scratches on each step before moving on to the next. You could start higher up in the sanding process if you choose. Mesh-style sanding discs such as 3M Cubitron II Xtract to prevent clogging and improve your finish 220, 400, 600 grit dry paper discs 500, 1000 grit dry Abralon sanding Pads 2000, 3000, 4000 grit wet Abralon sanding pads Heavy scratch remover applied by wool buffing pad Fine scratch remover applied by hard foam waffle pad
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What is the best temperature to use epoxy resin?For best results, all materials and working conditions should be maintained at a constant 70°F – 80°F. Epoxy is a temperature-sensitive material. When cool, it’s thicker and sets slower. When warm, it’s thinner and sets faster. When working in conditions or with material below 70°F, ICE Epoxy may become too viscous to properly release air and self-level. Working in conditions or with material above 80°F, Table Top may set too quickly and exotherm, become too hot, which could cause it to yellow, distort, or crack.
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When can you pour another layer of epoxy?The overcoat time can be as short as it takes the previous coat to achieve surface tack. When in doubt, use a cotton ball to test. If the epoxy is tacky enough to pull the hair off a cotton ball, you can recoat without additional surface prep or sanding all the way up until you can no longer indent a fingernail into the previous coat. That should be around 4-8 hours after pouring. Past that point, you will want to lightly scuff sand between coats to promote adhesion. This also applies to recoating or touching up aged epoxy surfaces. As a general rule, if you can sand, you should sand. Keep in mind, warmer conditions and thicker coatings set up faster.
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Do I need to apply a seal coat?Always apply a seal coat before flood coating. To start, the surface must be clean, dry, and free of contamination. Next, apply a thin coat of mixed epoxy to the surface. Take care to cover and seal any voids or cracks present. Allow the seal coat to cure and sand with 80-120 grit paper, paying special attention to imperfections such as air bubbles. Lastly, wipe clean with a cotton t-shirt rag and denatured alcohol. The purpose of a seal coat is to minimize the effects of off-gassing by creating a thin air-tight barrier between a porous wooden surface and the Table Top epoxy flood coat so air bubbles won’t percolate up through the curing epoxy creating cosmetic defects. You could seal coat your project with the ICE CAST 2:1 but we recommend sealing with ICE THIN Table Top so you don’t have to invest in multiple systems to complete one project. That being said, ICE THIN Table Top is the absolute clearest epoxy system we offer, and specifically formulated for flood coating applications. You can dilute down the mixed Table Top resin/hardener with 2-5% denatured alcohol to stretch the material a bit further on seal coats. A little goes a long way. Do not over-dilute. Only dilute for a seal coat. Never for final flood coats.
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What are VOC's?VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. These are chemicals that evaporate at room temperature, contaminating the surrounding air. All solvent-based stains and paints release harmful VOCs into the surrounding air. Water-based stains and paints contain low or no VOCs and are better for your health.
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What is the difference between regular and mesh sandpaperThe open mesh allows the dust to pass through and into the dust collection of the sander. However, screens are prone to wearing out the hook and loop on the sander so a backer pad is recommended.
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