Come on Emory - One day you jus gotta read all dis! Can't wait for your response!! I hope you find this thread before Jesse!!

Gon Fishn

The internal cohesion creates its own problem - when the epoxy does sag or move due to centrifugal force, it takes more epoxy with it. I believe this is why when you get that football, you often see the finish pull away from the outer edges of the wrap.

I like what you said when you mentioned that we can "manipulate gravity" to produce a finish that is radially symmetric. That is, in fact, exactly what we're doing when turning by hand every so often. I guess I would call it, taking advantage of gravity to manipulate the finish. Many of us actually manipulate things so that the finish is slightly heavier on the guide foot side than the opposite side. This keeps you from having those dry areas on the thread along the edge or outline of the guide foot.


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I tell you Guys, to anyone considering taking up rod building, all this stuff is invaluable, i didn't even think that my finnishes my end up as footballs on my painstakingly put togethor brand new rod, i learn something every time i log on to this site.
Regards
Geoff

This has really been an amazing thread. It provides a classic example of allowing "rocket science" into the craft in a logical and reasonable manner. The only variable that I can think of that has not been addressed in some fashion is the one created by the changing viscosity of the finish during the curing period. I hope that contributors will continue to visit this thread periodically and introduce more ideas and concepts. This information should be sorted, edited, summarized and used in a future article of Rodmaker. The answers to the question posed potentially could provide builders with the information needed to upgrade their work product.

One other question. When dealing with paints or coatings you will allways find a mils of thickness that is considered optimum. I wonder if there is one for the products we all use as finishes when it is to be used as a surface coating. I would be curious to see the actual thickness reccommended by the people who make the stuff. I am aware that most of the stuff is a casting resin and this does not come into play in most cases.

I visited a retailer today and saw "volleyballs" on the guides of two leading commercial rods! The were really bad - footballs bloated as well as pregnant!

Thanks Noel for starting this thread!

Bill Stevens