DIY Epoxy mini squeeze pouch

I've been sometimes having a need to install a glue-in bolt or two, most often just a pair of anchors for when developing a line below.

It's always sorta bothered me when having to only fill up a couple holes with epoxy, you'd have to put on a new nozzle, squeeze out to waste a few lines till it's more evenly mixed, and then when you're done all that leftover epoxy is just sitting in the mixing nozzle wasting away.

So I thought that some small disposable squeeze-pouches with long nozzles would be great. So I made some and have been using them already.

I've been using small durable vacuum-seal bags. I'll cut a small corner off. Then I'll get a 5ml plastic dropper/pipette, cut the squeeze bulb and tip off, and insert the dropper into the bag and pull it out the other end. (It's optional, but recommend: you could add a band of glue (or duct tape) around the dropper where it exits the pouch to help prevent a little epoxy from leaking.

I'll then get a long bag clip (like those IKEA ones) and use it to seal off the nozzle part. Then I fold the open end inside-out a few cm.
From the caulking gun, I'll squeeze in a couple globs of epoxy into the pouch. (For Hilti RE500, I do 4-5 full squeezes for 2 bolts). You could mix it by hand with a chopstick, but it might introduce a few small air bubbles. Or you could fold over the ends and seal it with another clip, push out any air, and mush it around to mix it well, (my preferred method).

After it's mixed, I'll fold/roll the ends over and then clip it in place with a bag clip. Then I'll use the squeeze pouch to fill up the hole with epoxy, and then insert my glue-in.

It works well. Just note that your "working-time" will be a few minutes less than if you were using the mixing nozzle, the epoxy seems to set more faster. I also think the results of the hand-mixed epoxy comes out better than what's coming out the factory mixing-nozzle.
Plus you will also have the leftover used pouch/nozzle to do a snap-test to see if the epoxy cured properly later on.

CAUTION: Do not mix too much epoxy together. A sufficient amount for probably 2 bolts max is best. Otherwise you could experience an excessive exothermic reaction where the mixed-epoxy will overheat and bubble. Not good.

I prefer doing this "squeeze-pouch-method" only after I've used the gun already with the mixing nozzle, (particularly if using the more finicky Hilti epoxy cartridges). That way the epoxy cartridge has been pressurized already and better set to have equal ratios coming out.

Also before I use the epoxy cartridge again, I'll first remove the old nozzle/cap and use a toothpick or something to scrape out any old semi-mixed epoxy or clumps before I use it again. I also check to made sure any smaller nozzles are not clogged.

This DIY hand-mixed epoxy method isn't anything new, it's just more of a hassle if you're doing multiple bolts and getting it into smaller holes is apparently more challenging. See:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Law-5/publication/271915899_Testing_of_rock_climbing_anchors_in_weak_sandstone/links/56f3227c08ae7c1fda28481f/Testing-of-rock-climbing-anchors-in-weak-sandstone.pdf

Kevin Maliczak wrote:

It works well. Just note that your "working-time" will be a few minutes less than if you were using the mixing nozzle, the epoxy seems to set more faster. I also think the results of the hand-mixed epoxy comes out better than what's coming out the factory mixing-nozzle.

Hmmm... I have some doubts.    The Hilti glue-gun ensures that the proper proportions are entering the mixer, ensuring full strength and proper cure time.  If the epoxy is setting faster than normal, you may have more "hardener" than you should and that likely affects the strength.  Or just being in the pouch together is causing early hardening.

Other than that, and the mixed glue getting too hot in the pouch, it should work, but when I'm tired, hungry and it's getting dark, I have a tendency to be less meticulous then normal.   

John Byrnes wrote:

Hmmm... I have some doubts.    The Hilti glue-gun ensures that the proper proportions are entering the mixer, ensuring full strength and proper cure time.  If the epoxy is setting faster than normal, you may have more "hardener" than you should and that likely affects the strength.  Or just being in the pouch together is causing early hardening.

Other than that, and the mixed glue getting too hot in the pouch, it should work, but when I'm tired, hungry and it's getting dark, I have a tendency to be less meticulous then normal.   

Thanks for some input. The "setting faster" isn't problematic, so as long as I don't exceed what I need for around 2 or 3 bolts, and it's not just sitting as a big blob for awhile in the pouch and I'm using it right away. For the RE500, the gel-time is pretty similar to what's sitting at the tip of the mixing nozzle , but seems just a a couple minutes less, to which I attribute when it's more in a blob when I'm squeezing it out the pouch.

A quick search on the internet will show multiple sites mentioning mixing too much expoxy at one time can cause an excessive exothermic reaction, and I'd say leaving it all in one bigger glob in the pouch as opposed a thinner more spread out profile adds to the heat buildup.

I'm using my Hilti gun to squeeze out the epoxy into my pouch, which is set to come out at a 1:3 ratio assuming there's no blocks or problems with your gun/cartridge. I've also used this mini pouch method with Powers/DeWalt PE1000+ and have also had satisfactory results.

I suppose an experiment to mimic the process is to squeeze the same about I'm using from the original setup using the mixing nozzle into the DIY squeeze pouch, and see if there's a difference or not.

And if there any question of ratio being problematic, there's always weighing out by hand the exact ratios, and seeing if the ratio is being effected by not having the mixing nozzle on when pressing the trigger to squeeze globs out.

I'm sitting on a several expired foil packs of RE100 I could further experiments with if I feel motivated to do so. 

I've installed maybe 2000 bolts using bulk steel-setting epoxy and mixing it in a grease gun. Nowadays I accept trashing a 50c nozzle or use resin capsules.

Jim Titt wrote:

I've installed maybe 2000 bolts using bulk steel-setting epoxy and mixing it in a grease gun. Nowadays I accept trashing a 50c nozzle or use resin capsules.

I agree with one caveat: when you are bolting somewhere where procuring extra nozzles is an issue -- a time problem, not money.

Kevin Maliczak wrote:

I'm using my Hilti gun to squeeze out the epoxy into my pouch, which is set to come out at a 1:3 ratio assuming there's no blocks or problems with your gun/cartridge. I've also used this mini pouch method with Powers/DeWalt PE1000+ and have also had satisfactory results.

I've been thinking about this some more, and it seems like quite a bit of prep-work when you've actually got the gun right there.  More effort than it's worth?

Another thought: can you squeeze the glue into the pouch without having them touch each other?  

I'm sitting on a several expired foil packs of RE100 I could further experiments with if I feel motivated to do so. 

I've used expired packets on "home improvement" projects.  Its ability to seal cracks/leaks in wet concrete is extremely useful, for example.   I've glued coffee mugs and margarita glasses. People who own boats will love it (you can sell it to them).  

John Byrnes wrote:

I've been thinking about this some more, and it seems like quite a bit of prep-work when you've actually got the gun right there.  More effort than it's worth?

Another thought: can you squeeze the glue into the pouch without having them touch each other?  

I've used expired packets on "home improvement" projects.  Its ability to seal cracks/leaks in wet concrete is extremely useful, for example.   I've glued coffee mugs and margarita glasses. People who own boats will love it (you can sell it to them).  

It definitely could be more effort than what it's worth to some. But if you have more time and less money (or have a hiccup of getting more mixing nozzles), then this method might appeal to someone who just wants to install a couple bolts for an anchor. It depends how you approach it. Hilti Mixing nozzles here in Taiwan cost $1.32USD, and then there's about 35g of epoxy you need to waste for the four premix-waste lines plus what's leftover sitting in the mixing nozzle. (That's a little over 2 bolts worth of epoxy you waste using the mixing nozzle.)

My mentioning of other experiments for troubleshooting was based on if one had interest in tweaking their epoxy foil pack. One expired foil pack of RE100 I have was too messed up to use in the cartridge, so I've been just squeezing it out, and then weighing & mixing the 1:3 ratio by hand for repair projects and whatnot. (I also love using expired epoxy for fixing things, it's great stuff. Useful also for filling old holes and reinforcing some holds too.)

Oh, another application for this DIY squeeze pouch has been to cheaply reinforce some holds during development, and you can use more narrow nozzles if the seam where you want the epoxy is more narrow too.

I suppose they're also a lightweight way for an emergency too where you need to finish up a couple bolts if the only mixing nozzle you brought seized up.

Jim Titt wrote:

I've installed maybe 2000 bolts using bulk steel-setting epoxy and mixing it in a grease gun. Nowadays I accept trashing a 50c nozzle or use resin capsules.

Where does one source these 50c nozzles?!  

mattm wrote:

Where does one source these 50c nozzles?!  

€40.50 for 100, with promo code. €45 normally. Beha.web

wouldn't something like this be a little easier than DIY plastic bags?

https://www.merlinpackaging.com/adhesive-packaging-systems/dual-cartridges-ratios/

I broke a Twist Bolt in shear and tension using exoxy inserted using this squeeze pouch. It broke full strength.

https://youtu.be/t3Punolz6D8

Nice work! but speak of speaking of professionalism I would suggest this, and it's not expensive
https://www.gluecartridges.com/custom-dual-component-cartridges-manufacturer.html

If you are having trouble getting mixing nozzles, then this site can help you: https://btektech.com/product-category/epoxy-mixing-nozzles/

It also has other tools like dispensing needles and 2k cartridge for epoxy adhesive.