Clear Cure Goo

[Benny]

I just purchased the Clear Cure Goo kit, comes with the LED light, 1 Clear Cure Goo thick syringe, and 1 Clear Cure Goo thin syringe. I just ordered the kit yesterday, I'm looking forward to start using it on the surf flies I'll be tying.

Have any of you guys used Clear Cure Goo? Watching the videos, it would seem really easy to work with and it looks real promising for surf flies and other flies that require epoxy.

[briansII]

It's really good stuff, but there will be a slimy, sticky film left on the flies. Either wipe if off with alcohol, or use head cement/clear fingernail polish. I use Sally Hansens Hard As Nails. You do not need to wipe the sticky stuff off before putting the fingernail polish on.

They are supposed to have a non sticky Goo out. Also, Bug Bond from the UK is non tacky, but cost more.

briansII

[NorcalBob]

Ditto for what Brian said. What Brian didn't say is the cost, at about $1 a ML (not including special curing light), it's pretty pricey. Compare that with $0.15 a ML for a high quality epoxy. In it's defense, it is very easy to work with, but man, that stuff costs some serious moola. I bought two tubes, used them all up quite quickly, and decided the cost was not for me. I'm staying with epoxy.

[Flyjunkie]

I Do like the Clear Cure Goo.. It blows Tuffleye out of the water. The Goo is a great deal stronger the Tuffleye, it sets up faster under that special light, it doesn't yellow like Tuffleye does.

I had a annoying situation with Tuffleye when i was in Montauk afew years ago. i had tyed up a bunch of Surf candies for the Trip and coated all of them with Tuffleye.. Well, I found out all too quickly that the Tuffleye was not very strong, it would shatter and crack from just bumping into the rock Reefs off the Beaches. it wasn't like the fly was hitting the Rock that hard, just bumping into them on the retrieve.. I ended up burning thru my stock of 30 Surf candies at an alarming rate. to the Point where i had to either "Band Aid" coat the cracked candies with UV Knot sense or wait until the Schools of Stripers where almost upon me... I still have a baggie with all the Cracked, Broken or completely fallen apart Surf candies from the Trip.. I should mail them to Tuffleye and demand a refund....

I like The Clear Cure Goo for Epoxy back Nymphs, Epoxy Crab flies (Benny note this.. great for Leopard sharks & Guitarfish!!) and it's my choice for my Surf Candies.. Plus I coat the heads on my "Jetty Rippers" with Clear Cure goo and it holds up well when we are "Banging the wall" along the L.A. breakwater.

Like Norcal Bob, i still use Epoxy for a number of applications.. But I am happy with Clear Cure Goo and it serves a useful function in My Fly Tying....

Today i bought a syringe of the Non Tacky formula, it's for the Epoxy back Nymphs....

[Benny]

I was looking up more information on epoxy alternatives and found a really great write up. Here is the link UV Cure Product Test...

Some really good info for those of us that just don't want to work with epoxy

[NorcalBob]

Keep in mind that the "test" was done by the dude who owns CCG!!!! Just saying!!!

[briansII]

Keep in mind that the "test" was done by the dude who owns CCG!!!! Just saying!!!

Yep. I ran across that test on another forum, and then I saw it on Kiene's. Not to say it's not a good product, but he was tooting his own horn.

I haven't used epoxy again, since I started using Clear Cure Goo. I know CCG is a lot more expensive, but it doesn't yellow like epoxy. I have some flies with epoxy heads, that yellowed(originally white or pearl) so badly, they are almost a mustard color. Plus, I get almost no waste with CCG. I don't tie a lot of flies, so the extra cost is not as big of a deal as the convenience factor.

Bob, is your epoxy yellowing at all? Any brand better than the other? I've mostly used Devcon, but I'm sure I've used other brands too.

briansII

[Flyjunkie]

Brian,

Epoxy does yellow, it depends on which type you use as to how fast it will Yellow.. I use the Zpoxy 5 minute a good deal of the time.. it will yellow, but not as fast a number of other brand 5 minute types.. I have some Baja baitfish patterns that were epoxied 6 years ago and there is some yellowing.. but not much. I always coat the epoxy afterwards with Hard as Hull nowadays... Just be sure to allow at least 24 hours from the time you apply the 5 minute epoxy until you coat it with the Hard as hull, so the complete Curing process can do it's thing. the 5 minute is the Set up time, not the curing time.

If you'd like to avoid the extra step of coating the Epoxy after it has cured, Purchase the Zpoxy 30 minute Type epoxy. This is some of the Strongest epoxy available.. It has a set time of 30 minutes, which means a rotary wheel is a Must have tool.. (I use the rotary wheel anytime I apply epoxy, even with the 5 minute type). the advantages of the 30 Minute type are numerous: It is Waterproof (5 minute isn't); it is very strong once cured; It does yellow, but at a much slower rate.. almost unnoticeable (or at least the fly will be demolished before you'd notice any severe yellowing. the 30 minute epoxy seems to bond better onto the fly in the long run as well..

Also you can cause the Set up time to speed up by mixing abit more the Hardener then the resin when doing a batch. a common mistake is to mix up too much epoxy for the Job. I did this mistake a number of times years ago, until I just started mixing up less.. a good rule of thumb is to make a drop of the Resin part and then next to it a drop of the Hardener part. look them over before mixing to make sure they are even, thought I always have the mind set that having abit more Hardener then resin is acceptable, Not the other way around... I often will have to mix another small batch because i didn't make enough for the first batch.. but this is better then mixing up far too much. Also figure you will only be able to coat maybe 4 Baitfish heads before the Epoxy reaches it's time when it is no longer viscous enough to apply smoothly...

a little practice and a little patience and you'll be "smooth sailing" with Epoxy in no time... It is a valuable material for your flytying....

[NorcalBob]

Devcon is one of the cheaper brands, and the 5 minute does yellow pretty quickly. Like Dean, I use Zpoxy, a bit more expensive, but yellowing takes longer. Also, 30 minute epoxy (no matter which brand) will yellow less than 5. Yellowing is caused by a reaction to UV rays, so coating with a UV resistant product like Hard as Hull or Hard Head does help, and keep the flies out of the sun as much as possible.

[briansII]

Thanks for the info guys. I never bought ZPoxy, because it came in the separate bottles, and I would have to manually measure the amounts. Not a big deal, but I'm lazy.

In all honesty, I seriously doubt I'll buy anymore 2 part epoxy for a while. The CCG I have will last me well into this years tying. When a syringe gets low, I'll try the tack free CCG. Even though it costs more, it's minuscule compared to my other FFing expenses.

briansII

[Flyjunkie]

Thanks for the info guys. I never bought ZPoxy, [u]because it came in the separate bottles, and I would have to manually measure the amounts.]/u] Not a big deal, but I'm lazy.

In all honesty, I seriously doubt I'll buy anymore 2 part epoxy for a while. The CCG I have will last me well into this years tying. When a syringe gets low, I'll try the tack free CCG. Even though it costs more, it's minuscule compared to my other FFing expenses.

briansII

BRIAN,

Actually You are better off with the separate Bottles of the Hardener & the resin.. those Double syringe epoxies.. that double syringe system is a pain in the butt for getting equal amounts... with the separate bottles, you can squeeze out a equal amount of each part a lot easier... Also, when you are not using the Zpoxy, put the bottles back in that Dark box they come in and store them in a Cabinet.. it will extend the shelf life of it for You....

[NorcalBob]

I'm with Dean again. I HATE the syringes, I thought it would be easier, but it's not. In addition, by storing the Zpoxy in the box it came it, you are keeping it away from light, which in turn helps stop the yellowing process.

[briansII]

Thanks for the info guys. I never bought ZPoxy, [u]because it came in the separate bottles, and I would have to manually measure the amounts.]/u] Not a big deal, but I'm lazy.

In all honesty, I seriously doubt I'll buy anymore 2 part epoxy for a while. The CCG I have will last me well into this years tying. When a syringe gets low, I'll try the tack free CCG. Even though it costs more, it's minuscule compared to my other FFing expenses.

briansII

BRIAN,

Actually You are better off with the separate Bottles of the Hardener & the resin.. those Double syringe epoxies.. that double syringe system is a pain in the butt for getting equal amounts... with the separate bottles, you can squeeze out a equal amount of each part a lot easier... Also, when you are not using the Zpoxy, put the bottles back in that Dark box they come in and store them in a Cabinet.. it will extend the shelf life of it for You....

Thinking back, you are right. Those double syringes would not always push out equal amounts. I usually had to squeeze some out to get it to flow evenly, THEN squeeze more out to mix up. Lots of waste.

Thanks for the tips!

In my past work, I've mixed up a lot of resins, epoxies, urethanes, fillers, acrylics...ect with activators, hardeners, "catalyzers" ect ect..... I guess that's why I have an aversion to it now. It's too much like work. But, if I do go back to epoxy, I will definitely get ZPoxy, and coat it with a UV screen enhanced clear coat. I hate taking the time to tie a fly, only to have it yellow.

briansII