When you apply the base coat to the blank, is this a clear coat or does it have a base color and then you follow with your other colors or do you start with a clear base coat and add colors, or doesn't it matter which way you go...thanks

[www.rodbuilding.org]

I think that most use a colored base coat (I do), if you don't, the base would be the color of the blank. I think that most use a clear base coat fo flames and pull the bands of color through it for the flames. There is an article in the library above.

Play with it on scrap and experiment

Mike

I have done it both ways, but I like the results obtained when I put a clear base coat first. I used Flexcoat HB and let it stand ~5 min. before I started adding the colors. I got better relults using the TAP pigments. When I used the Testor paint the rate of migration was not uniform. I have made a total of five rods-3 with clear and 2 colored. Too bad I did not take pictures. (Gave them all away for Christmas.) My question is: what is the best speed for the drying motor for this operations? I have used a 4 rpm motor but can go higher. I started doing this after reading the article by Mike Barkley in Issue 5 of Rodmaker. I am new to rodbuilding but results seem to improve with each rod.

Ed

Frank,

I've done it a number of ways. Another is to use a thread color, such as on a guide wrap as your base color and apply a clear base coat.

As Mike has suggested, experment on scrap until you get the look you want.

Regards

Ed,

When you use Testor's (or any other model paints), you want to let the pigment settle to the bottom and pour off the solvents. On some of them I found that If I just left them open for a day or so the solvents would evaporate. The Testor's metallics are awesome!! On those, just pour the solvent off and you have a thick metallic pigment left


Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

As per what Mike said-I was able to completely color the rod such that the rod color did not show. I had to add small "daps" to holes which showed rod color during the first 15 min. Also I found that using a hair dryer helped the migration of the late additional "daps". I think this is what Mike refered to by "Flaming". I liked the effect that the colors seemed more "layered", one on top of the other and in some cases the color was suspended in a clear layer with varying intensity. I guess it is one's visual perspective as to what they like best.

"Flames" are when you put a clear base coat, then 'bands' of colors around the rod (or an ink pen in JR's case). You then draw the bands of clear through each other out and into the clear finish, making the flame appearance.

Putter

OOPS :( Should have read ...draw the bands of "COLOR" through each other...

Putter

Putter, Mike you guys should get someone to video your marblizing demo at Charlotte, so if anyone want to see a visual demo they could send you a few bucks for cd with a vcd on it. I don't mean a professially produced one, just so people get the idea of drags,drops etc. Yep Mike still 83F just wait till noon so I can have a lunch time beer after I moved somemore rocks.

Myles

Myles,

If I had a last nerve, you'd be getting on it!! :) That sounds like a good idea on the video. If anyone wanted to tape it and give me the tape, I would see that anyone that wanted a copy got one for the cost of the tape and shipping only

Myles = Rotten!! It's supposed to get down to -20 F tonight, here in the TRUE frozen tundra. Does weed out the weak ones, though...

And beer still tastes good, even at those temps...

I'll be nervous enough in front of people; camera would probably make it that much worse-just an old country boy ya know.

Putter

Hey, Putter, you and Mike better not say one more word about negative temperatures or white stuff. If you do Putter, won't have to worry about stage fright or a crowd of people at Charlotte. If that stuff is contagious and you bring it to Charlotte there won't be any show or beer either. Once temperatures become negative and/or 3 people see 3 snow flakes all havoc breaks out. In North Carolinia, everyone flys to the store to get bread, eggs, milk, and beer and all businesses close. The shelves get emptied and the stores close. You are lucky if you can find a bartender. Charlotte might have three trucks with blades and they only work the interstates and roads to hospitals. Gov. Easley will declare a state of disaster and no one is allowed on the roads. Thus if you guys bring that stuff, you better BYOB. At least you can leave you augers at home and still go fishing. I have used my boat only one time as an Ice breaker and it worked just fine. The trout streams don't freeze over either. You just need thick waders or a wet suit. (My son really did use his wet suit last Feb.) We did get rain last night. I was very comfortable this morning without a jacket. You guys just talked so much that it is cold now. Maybe Santa Claus needed it to be cold too. Looking forward to Charlotte and meeting you guys.

Ed

I lied anyhow, Ed. It got down to -26 degrees. Had about a 15 MPH wind with it- short sleeve weather, it was. Wait til it hits 45, 50 below-then maybe I'll put long johns on.

You mean if I bring snow and cold down there I won't be able to buy a beer!! Jeez, I gotta rethink this whole thing again...

I've got a set of stocking foot waders made out of wet suit material; use them to push the boat off sandbars in the spring when hunting beaver. Water isn't too cold, but the ice cuts through the other waders!!

Putter