[Coral-List] 2-part Epoxy Pneumatic/Hand Powered Applicator Guns for use in Coral Restoration

[David Blakeway]

I should have added - I know you were considering the tools more than the
material, but I don't think you'd necessarily need a specific tool for the
job (unless you're doing thousands?). These cartridges fit a standard
caulking gun.

On Sun, Sep 19, 2021 at 5:37 PM David Blakeway <
fathom5marineresearch at gmail.com> wrote:

> This stuff is worth a look:
>
> https://admin.ramset.mmginteractive.com.au/Resources/Library/rsc68_20150416164733.pdf
> It's quick-setting and strong but I haven't used it on corals or in
> seawater - just posting because perhaps someone on the list has tried
> something similar and can advise whether it works.
> There's some plastic waste involved, though perhaps wouldn't be too hard
> to clean the empties for recycling.
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 17, 2021 at 10:18 PM Damien Beri via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
>> Dear Coral-List,
>>
>> The Coral Conservancy, based in Hawaii is working to develop methods and
>> techniques to train residents to identify and respond to broken and damaged
>> corals of opportunity throughout the state.
>>
>> Optimally, “trained!” volunteers will be able to identify viable “corals
>> of opportunity” and quickly transplant them to hospitable bare reef
>> substrate to try and save these damaged fragments and colonies.
>>
>> Currently, the best practice measures to conduct transplantation in
>> Hawaii require numerous people. One to pick up the broken coral, one to mix
>> the epoxy (on land or boat), one person to swim the epoxy out/down, and
>> another person to apply the epoxy to the bottom dead portion of the broken
>> coral. Other options include using cement which has its own drawbacks and
>> can sometimes create harmful “plumes” which can kill corals especially in
>> low flow areas such as our pilot-test site.
>>
>> We are wondering if anyone has experience using “custom filled, 2-part
>> epoxy applicator hand guns” or “pneumatic custom-filled 2-part epoxy guns”
>> for coral restoration?
>>
>> Smaller waterproof versatile versions of such an epoxy applicator would
>> dramatically reduce the required human resources necessary to conduct a
>> basic “coral of opportunity” transplant.
>>
>> Some thoughts are to create a regulator with an additional attachment to
>> the scuba tank, or even pony tank that can power a waterproof pneumatic
>> 2-part epoxy gun?
>>
>> The 2-part epoxy we are using is very thick and so I would imagine we
>> would need something that’s pretty strong.
>>
>> The dream is that “Trained!” volunteers would report broken/damaged
>> corals to the Coral Conservancy who would approve/disapprove their proposed
>> transplant, and upon approval the “trained!” volunteer would “borrow” a
>> 2-part epoxy applicator, and camera/documentation gear to conduct the
>> transplant and properly document it through a standardized process.
>>
>> Warm Regards,
>> Damien Beri
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>