Probably the most difficult Flex-Coat task for me is to get a smooth finish over my inscriptions. On those longer Flex-Coat jobs the final product is wavey about half the time. Sometimes a sand job or two can fix the problem....but then I add more thickness as well.

Anyway...any wavey issues on guide wraps (if they occur) can be fixed on the first sand job...But not always on the longer inscription wraps.

I use both credit cards and brushes...credit cards seems to work a little better...but not all the time.

Do you guys have the same struggles here? Any 100% solutions?

Keith

Just a guess but I would suspect too much epoxy. I think most people that have problems use way to much finish and sags are inevitable.

That was always my problem until I finally convinced myself to apply it fairly light and let it do it's job which is to level on it's own. Make sure the blank is level.
Everyone has their own method and I have tried most of them before settling on useing a brush to apply the finish in lengthwise strokes. When it has flowed pretty level, I use a playing card (cut to the length of the area) and lightly hold it up against the epoxy while turning to get a level finish

Works for me!
Mike

Keith, I find that keeping the rod still while I apply fresh finish to a large area, using a small brush or the mixing stick, and then let the finish self-level with a little help of heat, usually works for me. Also, make sure the rod is level by checking from the opposite end. If I apply too much finish, I use an alcohol lamp to thin it out and wick as much away as possible. I also use a clean paper towel to remove the finish from the brush. Also, once applied and the rod is turning, don't hesitate to push the high areas towards the low areas.
(This next part is hard to explain)
Sometimes, just getting the brush to pull finish up from the rod, where the finish sort of "floats" between the brush and the rod's surface, and then moving that around to pull away from the high spots and then cover the low spots, helps.
Patrick Vernacchio

I have had and probably will still be having the same problems that Keith Tymchuk has, as far as long inscriptions are covered with Flex Coat. Does not seem to matter the "thickness" version of this fine product, wether ti is lite or high-build. It does not satisfy me neither the "fairly light amount" procedure used to have less bulky waves.
I have to admit I am not a PRO.

I would really appreciate any suggestions, or if there is any other product easier to use for this purpose.

Thanks!

Try a soft brush and use lengthwise brush strokes. Works for me.

I know what convinced me that I was using too much epoxy per application . I did an area with a decal on it , and I did it with 5 super thin coats of high build . I just put enough on to see that it was wet and completly covered, it came out perfectly level and smooth. Before I made myself do this I know I was applying far too much at once , after the results of my little experiment , I was cured. One good way to see if you have too much material on is to stop the drier after you think every thing is covered . If you see ANY sags after 10 sec. or so , there is too much , and it will create a wavey finish. You can also see how it will tend to gather in a spot . I used to see a number of little sags along the axis of the application area , spots that I put too much on , but not on the whole thing . I now apply a thin coat on the first application , then go a little heavier on the second , if I'm not satisfied , I'll do a third...........beats sanding.
The other thing that was mentioned was the levelness of the rod itself, thats a whole other story , which is relativly easy to adjust.
Try it yourself, I hope this helps . JD

Keith/Adolfito,
I apply both Flex Coat High Build and Lite all of the time over areas that are 6" to 12" without any problem using a technique close to the technique that Patrick is using and I get by with one coat. I apply the Flex Coat while the rod is turning at about 15 RPM and then when the area is covered I brush it back and forth, lengthwise to the rod, until it is evenly spread. I then apply a little heat with an alcohol torch to insure that there are no bubbles and that it levels out evenly. I then leave it alone for 10 to 15 min. After 10 to 15 min. if I have high and low areas I move the epoxy aroung to get it close to level again with lengthwise strokes and then I hit it again lightly with the torch. The torch will cause it to momentarily get thinner and level out. When I use the torch I also move it back and forth lengthwise to evenly heat everything and also to insure that I do not get any spot too hot. I rarely have to go back again but on ocassion I will hit it again with the torch after about 30 min. and sometimes even apply very small amounts of additional epoxy at this point to low spots.
This must sound a little involved but it really is not. I think that the key in the way I do it is to heat the epoxy a little which will cause it to get thinner and flow and level out.
I know that there are a lot of people that get good results without any heat but I have trouble unless I do.
Hope this helps. I think that if I were you I would get an old piece of rod and practice on it until I was satisfied with the technique that I was using.

Keith, I would suggest using lenghtwise strokes, with a minimal amount of finish. I use my finish motor and board to appy this while it turns. Continue to brush the finish as the rod(s) turn. You have to pay attention to it as it turns, but with a small amount of practice it will pay benefits over and ever.

Kit

OK, here I found something new ... thanks to ALL !!!

What Emory is saying about the alcohol torch would theorically work, hopefully perfect for me. But once again, since I am not a PRO and/or I do not trust myself for this part of the finishing (no problems with wraps!), I´ll have to test on lots of broken blanks until I get used to handle a uniform flame from the alcohol torch on the whole extention of the covered area.

Thanks a LOT.

I use heat with the Flex Coat, also. Works well and this worked with the old finish I used to work with, too.
When I first started using LS Supreme HB, I got the waves. It doesn't seem to like the heat for me; tried using less of it and no heat, finally got it to go for me (LS).

Putter

You could also use a hair drier for the heat source

I do all mine using the same techinique that Emory has detailed - except I use a small hobby (craft store) heat gun (low temperature / low volume air flow). What I find is that the air flow helps break the surface tension on the mixture and helps the bubbles burst. What you really want to watch out for when using any heat source though is LOW heat used sparingly. If you have not used CP and apply too much heat you may acutally cause "micro bubbles" to escape from the thread.

Heat for flexcoat . NO heat for LS , LS supreme does not react well to heat , best way to level LS is to use super thin coats and flat brush it then blow the bubbles out with a straw .

I know that many use heat guns and hair dryers with satisfactory results. However, I have found that I like the alcohol torch better for a couple of reasons. First, I can direct the heat onto a small area if necessary and second, I have found that the moving air from a heat gun, I have not used a hair dryer, will tend to stir up any fine dust or lint if there is any around.

I use the same method that Emory uses. I use a micro torch and the heat is easy to control. I agree with all that is said but haven't seen anyone mention that if you flame it enough it will eventually drip off the heavy coated areas. Now the finish will level out and be uniform in thickness. Works every time with no waves.

Good luck,

Bruce Young
Landing Gear

Bruce makes a very good point. If you continue to add heat to Flex Coat it will get thinner and thinner and start to drip off. This is a good way to insure that it is level and also to remove excess Flex Coat if you have more applied than you want as Bruce suggests. However, my experience has been that applying heat works well for about the first 15 to 20 minutes after it is applied but after the Flex Coat has started the thicken it does not work as well or possibly I have just not been willing to apply enough heat to get it to drip after it starts to thicken. A few times I think that I have applied too much heat after it has started to thicken and the result was many more bubbles. It may well be that I applied so much heat that the Flex Coat actually started to boil.

Seems like we all pretty much have the problem of applying a finish that is to thick/heavy, including myself. How do we thin down Flex-Coat so that the application is thinner to begin with? I think that would solve a lot of problems from the start. I tried heating the two parts prior to mixing, this helped, but having to go back over is still way to tricky.

You don't have to thin or heat it if you'd rather not. Either put on less to begin with and draw it out or when you see a droop or sag forming, just take your brush and remove it.


...............

I think that the point may be getting missed here (the forest for the trees?). Instead of putting so much thought/effort into how to get the excess epoxy off of the wrap/blank, why not just put a lot less on?? It might take a little practice to get it down pat with whatever finish you are using, but if you will apply a thin coat (makes no difference if you use High or Low build) with lengthwise strokes and let it flow/level by itself. Use a toothpick, if needed, to fill in any dry spots (after you let it flow on it's own.

It won't take long to find out how much you need to apply to get the finish you want.
mike

Mike,
I think that you are right if you are willing to use two or more light coats. However, if you try to use just a single coat of Flex Coat then I think that it takes a bit more effort to develop a technique that works or it takes more practice to determine just how much is enough.