I applied epxoy last night on my guides. I still need to put a butt wrap on I like and have been practicing butt wraps for the last month.

When I put epoxy on my wraps last night the larger guides seem to have an uneven coating because of the guide feet. On the end of the wrpa they are nicely covered, but when it get to the guide foot the epoxy is "thinner" and the thread is noticeable, but covered.

Is this why 2 coats are needed or shoud I have put more epoxy on? Am I screwed is the question I guess, I would think another thin coat over the parts that are thinner would do the job.

Just FYI I mixed up 5cc of epoxy (2.5cc hardener/epoxy each). I still had quite a bit left, and I wonder if I should have put it on a little thicker?

Joe <*}(({{>>{

That's why you put 2 coats. Although, as I'm finding out now - once you get used to a particular epoxy you can probably get away with 1 coat, once the epoxy start to set up & get thick you go back and "cover up" exposed thread areas. If you try to apply too much at once though, it will be even more uneven, and teh threads will still be exposed meaning you will nedd another coat - and this will make the sagging areas even more saggy.

It's best to apply a very light coat, almost a wetting coat that has no excess, then follow up with a heavier coat or 2. IMO.

You are fine. This is to be expected.

Depending on whether you are tying a fly rod/light frift rod or a heavy saltwater rod, your first coat may be light or fairly heavy. I always count on a second coat, just to fix the minor blemishes and places that it did not cover as well as I would have liked.

Give a real good once over (magnifiying glass can help). Razor off any little stick-ups and pay a lot of attention to ensuring coverage around the guide feet (tunnels filled and no places where water could enter). remember to mix a full batch of epoxy. The stuff has got to be the cheapest thing you put on the rod (by volume) so there is no justification for trying to only mix as much as you need. Make too much. It is much better than having to mix another batch mid-job or getting a poor epoxy ratio because you were trying to mix 2ccs.

You will get another shot at the guide wraps when you finish the butt wrap. Best is to fix anything "major" while the epoxy is still "green".

Good luck.

The tip end of the rod I don't think will need any more. I look at it this morning.

Its mostly the stripper guides. They have big(tall) feet and high wraps. I was wanting to fish with it this weekend even though I have not settled on a butt wrap. It look like that will be no problem.

BTW I ended up applying the epoxy in my basement which a local old timer told me not to do (she has built and repaired rods for years, but dones not anymore). It was the only logical place to do it. She said the moisture from the basemnet would not allow the epoxy to set up correctly.

I figured the worst that would happen it might take longer. Due to the humidity and cooler air. It was set up pretty good with in 2 hours. This morning 8AM I touched it with no problem. I did not put the epoxy on until 10:45PM the night before.

One more question. Everytime I work with epoxy I end up getting a bit of it on my finger tips or something and get it on the blank in places it should not be. like between the guide's feet. Can I carefully/safely use finger nail polish to remove this? Also if I ended up getting the epoxy slightly past the thread wraps on a few wraps of thread on the guides do I need to do them all like that or is there an easy way to remove the epoxy right now before it gets set up like stone?


Joe <*}(({{>>{

What is a good rule of thumb for how much epoxy to mix? I thought 5cc total was overkill based the amount I had left. I mixed it in the cups that have the "cc" marks on the side. I guess I can search for that answer.

I am not sure I needed a new batch mixed up, but maybe just mix up more next time. It was workable for as long as I needed.

Joe <*}(({{>>{

Joe,

3cc is about a min a mix as can safely be used-according to most. I usually mix twice + that, than I'll ever need and waste the rest......I hate wasteing it, but at larger mix's the performance rate seems better.

DR

Don't use fingernail polish remover to wipe off the blank. Some of them contain acetone and it could wreck the factory finish. Denatured alcohol is all you need. Lowe's sells it in the paint department, probably home depot also. Isopropol alcohol will also work I think.

When i apply finish I put on the first coat really thin, the thread ridges are still quite visible. I find this works better for me than even trying to put on enough to do it with only one coat, even though the finish I use can be used that way. I always do two coats and sometimes even three, but they're all thin.

How much to mix - depends on who you ask. Generally speaking, the more you mix, the less chance you have at messing up getting equal parts. If you are not using syringes, I would suggest at least giving them a try. I'm a cheap SOB, and will mix 1/2CC of each part - I never have a problem. More often than not, I mix 1 or 2CC of each though, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how much I need to apply.

I have the epoxy in syringes, but that is what they came in. I don't think I could get an accurate measure out of those being full, but maybe I could. What do you buy your epoxy in that facilitates you being able to draw it out with a syringe.

I could use the syringes I have when empty if O could draw the epoxy out of a container. Do they sell it like that?

Joe <*}(({{>>{

I'd even be careful with denatured alcohol for wiping down a blank. St. Croix finishes in particular seem to wipe off quite easily!

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

Its a matte finish on a GL3 Blank.



Joe <*}(({{>>{

joe i bought the flex coat lite kit when i used all of it i bought the larger bottles and just pour it into the small bottles that the syringes will fit into to draw out the epoxy and hardner
every thing is color coded so i dont have to worry which is which