Meant to ask this a while ago. When applying epoxy, do you turn the rod by hand or do you use the drying motor? Reason I ask is I always turn the dryer motor on and apply the epoxy while the rod is turning. Works good, but always have a hard time with double footed guides and filling the channel. Was wondering if it is better to do it by hand first then start the drying motor as soon as they finish.

I apply the epoxy with the drying motor turning. BUT, before I turn it on I take a toothpick and apply a drop of epoxy in the hollow (channel) of the guide foot. Turn on the drying motor and apply the finish. I don't play with the finish..I put it on and leave it alone. I know some who turn the rod by hand with great results. Find what is comfortable for you and stick with it and it will become faster and easier as you go along.

I apply the epoxy with the drying motor turning. BUT, before I turn it on I take a toothpick and apply a drop of epoxy in the hollow (channel) of the guide foot. Turn on the drying motor and apply the finish. I don't play with the finish..I put it on and leave it alone. I know some who turn the rod by hand with great results. Find what is comfortable for you and stick with it and it will become faster and easier as you go along.

Phil, I start by filling the channels with epoxy and then brush on the finish under and around the area between guide feet. As long as you move at a fair pace, you are constantly turning the rod by hand to assure you cover the area, so the epoxy really never gets a chance to sag all that much. Once I am complete the area underneath the feet on all the guides, I turn the drying motor on and put the balance of the finish on the outside of the guide feet and butt wrap. Hope that helps.

If you take the time and work carefully manual application of finish to guides, including double foot, will yield a very neat and proper finish. I was taught that guides are finished from the foot toward the ring end. When applying finish one of the tasks is to completely saturate the thread and start filling the tunnel as finish soaks through the thread. This technique will insure that no air is trapped under the thread in the tunnel cavity will will inhibity proper filling of the tunnel. On the first coat I do not attempt to fill the cavity at the ring end. I apply a light coat and let the finish soak and fill the tunnel. For the second coat a toothpick or dental explorer dipped into a small amount of finish will usually finish filling the tunnel cavity. My finishs of choice for first coat application are LS Supreme and Flexcoat Lite.

I also do not underwrap and do not apply finish to the blank between double foot guides. I think it looks neater to have the guide threads and a very narrow overlap of finish from thread to blank. You will find that when using a toothpick to apply a finishing ring of finish that you can work better in one direction than the other. Finish trimming on the side you favor first and then turn the rod around to complete. I always use three to four security wraps on single foot guides and the same old toothpick gets used for this end too. If I tried to finish with the rod turning at 200 rpm like the commercial shops I have visited my rods would go cheapo!

After finish application manually, let rod stand three or four minutes on each 45 degree axis and wick off excess finish from the bottom of the rod before transferring to the rotating dryer. I can not stand footballs! Saban let us and went to Florida.

Gon Fishn