Changes

** Once you have the two components weighed out, mix them together.  The mixture should turn mildly opaque and become viscous. When the components are mixed completely, the mixture should turn clear and the viscosity should decrease a bit, becoming more like cooking oil in viscosity.

** Once you have the two components weighed out, mix them together.  The mixture should turn mildly opaque and become viscous. When the components are mixed completely, the mixture should turn clear and the viscosity should decrease a bit, becoming more like cooking oil in viscosity.

** There will be bubbles left in the mixture. To get rid of them, just let the mixture sit for about 10 or 15 minutes and the bubbles will come to the surface.  Then gently pop the bubbles with a tongue depressor. Now since the pot life of epoxy is 40 to 45 minutes, you will have plenty of time to get rid of the bubbles.  [[Image:Setup Noepoxy.JPG|thumb|Fibers aligned and ready to receive epoxy]]

** There will be bubbles left in the mixture. To get rid of them, just let the mixture sit for about 10 or 15 minutes and the bubbles will come to the surface.  Then gently pop the bubbles with a tongue depressor. Now since the pot life of epoxy is 40 to 45 minutes, you will have plenty of time to get rid of the bubbles.  [[Image:Setup Noepoxy.JPG|thumb|Fibers aligned and ready to receive epoxy]]

** Once you have the mixed the epoxy, lay the fibers out in the apparatus how you want them to be glued together as shown in the picture to the left.  Click on the picture to get a better look at the fibers. Make sure that the ends of the fibers are clean and polished before applying the epoxy.  This can and should be done while you wait for the bubbles to escape from the epoxy.  

** Once you have the mixed the epoxy, lay the fibers out in the apparatus how you want them to be glued together as shown in the picture to the left.  Click on the picture to get a better look at the fibers. Make sure that the ends of the fibers are clean and polished before applying the epoxy.  This can and should be done while you wait for the bubbles to escape from the epoxy. [[Image:Glued Fibers.JPG|thumb|left|Fibers after epoxy has been applied]]

** Now that you have the fibers set and ready to receive the epoxy, take a clean pipette with a dispensing pump and install a tip on the end of the pipette.  It is not extremely easy to tell when a tip is completely attached to the end of the pipette, so practice installing pipette tips before running through the entire procedure for the first time.  [[Image:Glued Fibers.JPG|thumb|left|Fibers after epoxy has been applied]]

** Now that you have the fibers set and ready to receive the epoxy, take a clean pipette with a dispensing pump and install a tip on the end of the pipette.  It is not extremely easy to tell when a tip is completely attached to the end of the pipette, so practice installing pipette tips before running through the entire procedure for the first time.   

** With the tip on the pipette, get a small amount of the epoxy in the pipette, and then inject it into the small gap between the two fibers. The final result should look like the picture seen to the right. Click on the photo to see a bigger image.

** With the tip on the pipette, get a small amount of the epoxy in the pipette, and then inject it into the small gap between the two fibers. The final result should look like the picture seen to the right. Click on the photo to see a bigger image.

** Now that the epoxy has been applied, make the final adjustments to the fibers to make sure that they are at the distance desired and that they are lined up properly.  All the adjustments should be minor ones, correcting any motion that occurred during the application process.  Then let the epoxy cure for 18 to 24 hours at STP, or for 1 to 2 hours at 60 Celsius.

** Now that the epoxy has been applied, make the final adjustments to the fibers to make sure that they are at the distance desired and that they are lined up properly.  All the adjustments should be minor ones, correcting any motion that occurred during the application process.  Then let the epoxy cure for 18 to 24 hours at STP, or for 1 to 2 hours at 60 Celsius.