3" or 6" SLOTTED PADDLE ROLLER Fiberglass Laminating Bubble Roller for Resin Laminating Project Kit (6")

This tool proved to be very useful. I was laminating large (6 ft x 4 ft) sheets of fiberglass, consisting of two layers of (14 ounce per square yard) cloth and enough laminating resin to wet and bond both of them together. I used a cheap bristle paint brush to evenly apply the resin, but this roller proved to be essential to squeeze out air bubbles, push the resin through both layers of the cloth, ensure a very even distribution of resin and deliver a flat well-laminated sheet.I used a laminating formula polyester resin with 1% (by volume) of MEKP catalyst to provide a gel-time of about 30 minutes. Prior to gelling and curing, I quickly dismantled the roller and dropped it (and the paint brush) into a sealable container of acetone. After a few good swirls, I left them to soak.Later, the fairly soft gloppy resin residue in the roller's grooves could be removed with a pointed-edge hacksaw blade (see picture), followed by a stiff brass-bristle wire brushing to restore it to good-as-new condition and ready to reuse.

I wish they were alittle easier to take apart.

Paddle rollers like this, having horizontal grooves, are not very common. I'm glad I found these.This style of roller is exceptional for compressing unidirectional carbon or glass fibers. It presses the fibers down firmly, since it crosses them perpendicularly.Those common parallel-grooved rollers simply slice between the fibers and fail to do anything, except introduce air to a laminate.This roller is best for unidirectional or even stitched multi-axial reinforcement.It is aluminum, not plastic. Yet priced at or below most plastic competitors.+A good value.I would happily pay double the ($11 and change) of the current inventory, if that is what it takes to keep this product on the market. It's that good!