Doesn't anyone have any additional helpful comments on the sanding issue? I'd appreciate the feedback. Thanks, Bruce

Bruce- I just recently had this happen to me. I lightly sanded down the epoxy with a gray scotchbrite pad. Then I brushed off the dusty areas off with denatured alchohol and a soft brush. This got rid of most of the epoxy dust. I was a little sketchy about proceeding because you could still tell where I sanded and it was a little milky colored. I sealed it with another coat of expoxy and it covered everything up well and it now looks good. I was using Flex Coat Lite. Every situation is different and I am still a beginner at this- all I know is that it seemed to work for me.

A useful tip from this board is to get the 4 sided nail buffers the ladies use. You can then work through the various grades of grit. Sanded epoxy is always dull unless you go to a grade of paste polish. But another coat of epoxy will cover scuff marks left behind by 400 grit. You must be careful to cut the threads if the finish is uneven. The flat sided buffer helps here. Cleaning with denatured alcohol is a good idea before you recoat. When you get the hang of epoxy, you keep adding it until it forms a football on the bottom, then remove the football. By turning the blank 180 degrees as necessary, you can even fill in some minor depressions. The longer pot life of Klass Kote is great for this.

Thanks. Remove the football? I thought we were aiming for the football shape?

Nope. You want more a flying saucer/tear drop like shape that is thickest over the foot. The wide part of a "football" is epoxy you don't need and is created by sagging. If you were applying epoxy over a flat wrap you want to end up with a level wrap, not a football shape. You want the epoxy to "level" over whatever is underneath it.

Bruce,

Some builders like the football look and work to achieve it. It's for appearence only, the negitive factor is that it adds weight to your rod.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.