I cant get my flex coat to dry without bubbles.
This is my 6th rod I have built but my 1st time using flex coat, here is what I am doing.
I warm the bottles. mix 2 or3 cc of each on foil. I have tried warming under the foil also. let sit for a few min. apply with craft brush. I also try to get the bubbles out with a lighter, i have tried poking it with a pin. It still has bubbles in it. What am I doing wrong? I dont have any trouble with the guild wraps but it is always on the butt wraps.

Josh without watching you it's had to actually say, but since your not having problems with the guide wraps I'd say you are brushing the finish on the butt wraps like you were painting instead of using the brush as an applicator. I use flex coat lite on everything and apply with brushes. I apply finish on butt wraps using lite strokes length wise, while rotating the rod by hand and never let the bristles of the brush touch the wrap. Use the brush above the wrap as an applicator and not a brush.

From what I read above, you may also be heating the finish to much. With flex coat, I find somewhere between 75 - 80 degrees works fine.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Josh, Doug is right on. Also, I'd avoid mixing finish on the foil. Mix it in a cup, then pour it on the foil. This will help to avoid making bubbles and also give you a better chance of not having finish that won't harden for you.

Putter
Williston, ND

hi,
even worth a try to mix instead of a cup- I use the bottom of a (full) coke or beer can. which was warmed before in hot water and has the optimum shape to mix the components. instead of a lighter I use a hairdryer on low setting and highest temp. advantage also if heated with the dryer excess flex coat will form a drop which easily can be removed with a q-tip (ear cleaning stick).
greetz dirk

I also mix in a small (2oz) plastic cup. Go by a restaurant and ask if they have any of these and if you can buy some. I then pour out on foil after I have finished mixing. Only in the winter do I heat my epoxy, and then it's just enough to loosen it. You don't want your epoxy to be hot. As you have already figured out, heat helps to loosen up the epoxy into a more liquid state....BUT....epoxy cures with heat also. Every time you heat the epoxy to loosen it you also reduce the curing time. It's gonna set faster. A fast set means less time for any bubbles to get to the surface and pop.

Aftcote is a great finish that gives very few bubbles.

Jay

all these guys are giving good advice josh start in the cup stir slow and if bubbles start to appear hit it with the blow dryer once or twice i never use foil unless im doing a marble job key word is slow slow slow nothing to get frustrated with take an old scrap blank put a bunch of wraps on it and practice yll find that patiance will pay off in the long run

This what I have been doing for years with good results with most all finishes.......

Make sure you mix the amounts in correct proportions. Mix slowly to avoid introducing excess bubbles into the mix. Apply immediately.

Bubbles in the finish IN THE CUP are not a problem, do not warm the finish yet - this only accelerates the curing time and thickens the finish sooner. Thick finish does not want to release bubbles - not good after you put it on thread.

Bubbles in the the finish ON THE ROD >>ARE<< a problem. You want the thinnest finish possible. This is also when you want to use heat to pop any bubbles.

Apply a very thin coat of finish, so thin that most of it soaks in and leaves area where thread texture is plainly visible. It's ok to have small "shiny" areas where some of the finish has pooled unable to soak into the thread any further. RESIST the temptation to add anymore finish. Do not worry about any bubbles yet.

The areas where the finish has completely soaked in cannot possibly hold any bubbles - there is no surface film of finish to trap the bubbles. The thread should look soaked, but ideally should not have a surface film of finish, but its ok to have small shiny areas.

Let rod rest "guides down" for 10 min. This causes finish to flow downwards into tunnels on both sides of guide foot, displacing air.

Turn rod "guides" up and let set for 10-15 min. Then brush away any drips that may want to form removing any excess finish. If drips form readily this is a sign of too much finish. After removing any drips only then should you flame any finish bubbles away. Personally I use a propane torch to very lightly flame bubbles, if any, away. Hold your hand immediately behind the rod blank as you flame, if its hot too your hand its too hot for the finish, use quicker passes of the flame.

This is only the first coat. Wait 24 hrs and apply 2nd coat. You do not need to rotate rod after 1st coat. Any drips signals you've applied too much finish.

For 2nd coat apply finish quickly, insert in rod dryer to rotate. Then flame bubbles away. Be careful and apply only quick passes of flame, do not overheat or you might discolor thread and 1st coat.

I use a dozen or so gallons of Flexcoat a year so figure I know it pretty well. Most times I mix an ounce at a time in a medicine cup, stir it untill it becomes clear and pour it into an 8" aluminum pie pan, wave the prophane torch {very high flame} over it to kill most of the bubbles and apply it to the rod [ about 80% of my rods are coated complete, from tip to hosel].Using the pie pan as a drip pan I torch each guide as I coat it to allow the excess to drip off. Once I get to the butt wrap I coat it and torch it and put the rod in the drying rack and torch the entire rod starting at the tip. I check for bubbles a couple of times during the first 15 min. or so and torch as necessary. As I mentioned before I use a high, hot , flame so it is very important to keep the torch moving at all times when directed at the rod wraps. Jesse

the last rod we did had the same problem it wasnt bubbles is was the solids in the flex coat. that is why you cant pop them looks the same. warm and cool the flex coat in water or microwave. you do the but first and thats when 99% of the particles get picked up and put on the rod. this is just a sujestion because i spent days trieng to get read of bubbles too. If your possitive its bubbles and not anything else disregard this advice