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phantomracer · 23-01-2022, 09:21

Last year I purchased a 10 pack of Epifanes rollers from JD because I have found only Epifanes brand rollers are solvent resistant. I am using a 2 part primer and paint to paint my boom.

I got around to using them.. they fell apart like a cheap suit using 2 part paint, and swelled up a lot!

I contacted JD, they said they are not Epifanes... but their website says it is!

Epifanes 10 Pack rollers

Will see what JD does to make this right

If you need a solvent resistant inch roller, do not get the 10 pack there.

Unsure if the 4 pack is Epifanes or not. Either get them from Epifanes or Defender. Unsure of other retailers that sell them.

I did contact Epifanes as well about this. Using their brand name for a poor knock off product is not a good look.

If I am going to pay $4 a roller, it better be the authentic product!

Thumbs Up · 23-01-2022, 11:53

Those high density foam rollers have a shelf life. Furthermore, even the best ones have to be swapped out constantly if you are using a 2 part coating. The foam ones are good for final coats, in paint or varnish. I use Wooster Sherlock roller frames and 1/8" nap marine rollers. These can be reused indefinitely or left soaking in solvent without disintegrating. Look for ones with a phenolic core.

phantomracer · 23-01-2022, 17:45

which is why I use the Epifanes brand rollers. they are the only ones that last. They are the only ones that don't swell and come off the core after 10 minutes of use, and they put down a laser smooth finish.

At least doing the boom, They last long enough to get a coat on before they fall apart.

I do have an order in with Epifanes brand ones from Defender..

My point is they are using the Epifanes name while providing an non-Epifanes generic roller, at the high Epifanes price

Celestialsailor · 23-01-2022, 18:02

I only used Jamestown once and it took forever for them to get it into the mail system a a good time to arrive.

LittleWing77 · 24-01-2022, 02:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I only used Jamestown once and it took forever for them to get it into the mail system a a good time to arrive.

This is so wild, eh, Celestial?

Jamestown used to be the gold standard on the East coast, but that was more when we would all go for in-person service. Maybe they weren't able to pivot well into the online environment.

In this case, though, if the OP purchased the rollers a year ago (who knows how long they were on the shelf before that), it may just be a case of short shelf life - nothing to do with Jamestown at all.

Sounds like Epifanes needs sell-by dates on that particular item!

Fair Winds All,
LittleWing77

Benz · 24-01-2022, 03:27

Try the Redtree rollers sold at West Marine. They have a thin yellow foam roller with a red phenolic core that I use for rolling Awlgrip--one will last for most of a hull before it starts to sag.
I also use the hot-dog style thin-nap velour rollers they sell for smaller Awlgrip jobs; those put paint down nice, but it has to be tipped.
Since they closed their physical store where one could walk in and handle things, I haven't bought anything from Jamestown. They're now just a last-resort for hard-to-find bronze.

captain465 · 24-01-2022, 04:14

Did the packaging actually say Epifhanes ? If so I would contact them directly. It would not be Jamestown's fault then.

Thumbs Up · 24-01-2022, 05:30

Furthermore, I have never found any of these style foam rollers to be suitable for epoxy primers. They are only useful for finish coats. See how the ends of your rollers (in your photo) are yellowed? Were they stored in a hot place?

psk125 · 24-01-2022, 05:54

We found that using a short nap roller avoided the entire problem of foam disintegration with 2-part paints. One roller would hold up for an entire day while painting our deck with Awlgrip - batch after batch. If you're tipping anyway, the short nap shouldn't be an issue. (For the deck & cabin top we didn't bother tipping.) Jamestown has always been quick & efficient with our orders, besides having helpful videos online.

donahue62 · 24-01-2022, 09:19

I’ve used JD on many things and found them very helpful in sending items out quickly and their advice has saved me lots of time. Very satisfied with them over the years. Sorry to hear you’re having problems.

boat driver · 24-01-2022, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by donahue62

I’ve used JD on many things and found them very helpful in sending items out quickly and their advice has saved me lots of time. Very satisfied with them over the years. Sorry to hear you’re having problems.

Sounds like a Jamestown promo.
Jamestown has always been a East coast west marine quality retail seller. Mislabeled aside, they have history of buying seconds and reselling. Years ago it was bronze screws- many a wood boat had to be prematurely refastened due to the substandard quality. The same with stainless fasteners and expired shelf life paints. So reselling a batch of substandard rollers fits the business practice.

phantomracer · 24-01-2022, 13:40

I do have to post a bit of a retraction.. I may have made an incorrect accusation about JD.

I talked with Epifanes, apparently they ARE Epifanes rollers. I was mistaken, they ARE good for 2 part PAINTS. They failed on me with the Epoxy Primer. Apparently, the solvents in the epoxy primer are too strong even for these rollers.

So I was wrong.. I apologize .. I can't edit or remove the post. SHOULD this post be removed? there are good comments above, I am a bit reluctant to 'Report' the post if others think this post has useful info. I am fine if it should be removed. It was my fault.