I roughed up my fly rod blank and wrote my name in gold with one of those paint pens that has a little ball in it to keep the paint mixed. It was billed as a fine point but I beg to differ. Anyway, do I just put one part of epoxy on it to make it permanent? I put the name on last night. How long before I can epoxy it? Thanks

Fine point? You learn quick! Where did you get the idea to use one of those pens anyway? Ya shoulda had all this done before you started the first coat! But I guess you were worried about your penmanship, right? Whose name did you use? Hee hee. It's not too late to finish it with one coat. However, some of those blasted ink pens are known to bleed through finishes. Better wait a few days. Ya need to learn how to use a crowquill pen and acrylic paint. I'm starting to get weak, but then again it's lent.

ed, you're cracking me up!

bruce, i've used a metallic pen before, a sanford "slim tip" metallic marker, available in gold and/or silver. if that's slim, "i'm" slim.. ;-)

i wrote on an uncoated blank (but glossy from the manufacturer) and used a hair dryer to dry it, although it felt dry to the touch within a minute (tried it first on a spare piece of blank). after dry, i coated it by actually "painting" on a coat of flex coat lite, careful to make the edges as square as possible without much overlap. it came out nice, no smearing at all. (i also used flex coat to cover handpainted personalized metal christmas stocking hangers, the chrome kind from target during the holidays, adding one more use to flex coat's list)

i think i'll have to dig up some of my old architectural tools and use a rapidograph pen next time, i love the thin writing often found on bamboo maker's rods. you can get these at artist supply stores. i wonder what colors they come in besides black???

eric
fresno, ca.

A light coating of spray polyurethane will seal the "fine" signature, allowing the Flexcoat to be applied over with no smearing.

I use Krylon clear acrylic spray - just a quick shot - over my inscription before I apply the epoxy finish. Let it dry an hour or two. I had all kinds of smearing problems until I started using the spray. I got this advise from someone else on the board.
Greg

NO such thing as a fine paint pen.

I use a drafting pen. 5 or 6 lines of info around even an ultralight blank.

Artists spray fix will allow you to finish over without worry of smearing. And you don't have to wait several hours for it to dry. If you're impatient, hit it with a hair dryer, otherwise wait a FULL 5 minutes.

Try putting one coat of finish on area where you intend to write on first, let dry overnight and then write you description/signature/whatever, seal with one of the acrylic sprays and then apply your second (and third or more if you wish) of finish. By coating with finish first you're left with a surface that will be easier to write on and you will not have to rough up the blank.

When I make an inscription with a gel pen, I write directly on the blank without roughing it up. After letting it set overnight, I give it a light spray with Krylon Workable Fixatif (available at artist supply stores or stationery stores) and let it dry overnight. No smearing. But now I design my inscriptions on the PC, and email them to Decal Connection (decalconnection.com). They will print a waterslide decal for a couple of bucks, and it makes the rod look even more professional.

What I just tried this weekend is to put a coat of finish down, then write the name on a piece of scotch tape. After laying down the tape, I let it dry for 15 minutes and applied the next coat of finish. The good thing was that I messed it up three times, but since it was on the tape, no big deal.

As long as you apply too much force while writing you can clean it up and try again if you make a mistake or don't like the looks.

Thanks for the ideas, all! The pen I used was a Pilot Pen purchased from the Mud Hole. After reading the catalog again I don't think it was meant for signing rods. I sure learned a lot from building my first rod. The next one I build will be 200% better! I'm sure this rod will fish fine. If I hadn't signed it I could give it to my nephew because I planned on building him one anyway. I like thin writing on a rod.

Bruce,

Save yourself a lot of headaches and get hold of Jimi at Decal Connection on the left. You can get a beautiful gold or silver metallic inscription in your mailbox in a couple of days for well under $5. Can't beat it!!!

Mike