Epoxy attachment of the Latch Strike Plate to the Freedom Start Gate

Please read and understand all the following instructions ahead of time.

Have everything laid out and ready. You will not have time to refer back to these instructions during the process. The epoxy cures way too fast.

Choose a clean, impervious surface to mix the epoxy on. Good choices: rigid plastic, sheet metal, plasticized cardboard. Avoid: paper or wood (absorbs), aluminum foil (not strong enough), wax paper (wax contaminates).

!

Epoxy is a skin irritant. After you finish,
wash your hands thoroughly

There is the letter "E" on one surface of the strike plate. Use sandpaper to roughen up that surface thoroughly. It will make a much stronger bond.

Then rough up the surface of the Microwizard start gate where the strike plate will be mounted. See the photo at the bottom of this page, as well as photos on previous page.

Make sure there is no oil on the start gate surface. A little ammonia or other degreasing cleanser will work. Rinse and let dry thoroughly.
Open the capsules and squeeze the contents on to the mixing surface.

Use a toothpick to mix the materials rapidly together for about 20 seconds.

Discard the toothpick.
Use a clean toothpick to pick up the mixture and move it to a clean mixing surface.

Discard the toothpick.

Use another clean toothpick to mix again for 15 seconds.

Discard the toothpick.

By changing toothpicks, the final mixture will be much more homogeneous, which is the key to strong epoxy joints. There is plenty of epoxy, don't worry about leaving some behind.

Using still another clean toothpick, coat the roughened surface of the strike plate with epoxy.

Press in place on the start gate. Line it up so that the gold latch is about in the middle of the protruding part, and the inside corner touches the gate edge

Pull the parts apart and touch up any dry areas. Press back together.

Excess epoxy will squeeze out the sides.

Allow it to harden, and later, cut it off with a sharp knife.