Recently I re-built a rod which came from a custom rod shop in a neighboring state. This rod was IMO very well made. The finish he used on his guides must have been something much tougher than the flexcoat I use and have removed many guides which have been put on with it. Makes me wonder what he used but that's not my specific question here. Under all his wraps there was a very thin layer of foil (appeared to be aluminum) This stuff was as thin as the foil on gum wrappers and was tight to the blank but not stuck with any adhesive. My only guess was that this was a way around using color preserver. Is anyone familiar with this product and technique? I really like this guy's work and all of his rods I have seen look really really good. Would love to try this on a rod if I knew where to get the foil and how to put it on....Thanks in advance

I have a lot of MYLAR, that is the stuff you are refering to... email me privately and I will assist you.

Art

mrparramoure@yahoo.com

Hi;
If that bottom layer is really foil and not mylar then could it possibly be stuff used by frame makers and artists "gilding" foil?
I have tried some of that in silver color under light color wraps in lieu of using an under thread wrap trying to preserve the coloring of the guide wrap. It works but is Way
troublesome {for me at least}. If that is what it may be then it is available thru art supply and sometimes local craft shops.
David A.

There is a metallic mylar product called Monokote which is used by hobbyists to cover fying model airplanes. It has a temperature activated adhesive on the back. I suspect this builder may have used it and tacked it to the rod using a cool iron or a quick shot from a heat gun, so as not to upset the resin in the blank.

Steve. . . For the past few months, I've been using gold, silver, copper & many other colors of "metal leaf" on some rods. The results are very worthwhile. I've been putting feather inlays over the leaf and have had good results.

I'm in my late 60s and am building a rod for my highschool football coach commerating the 50th anniversary (golden anniversary) of our football team of 1955. He's in his late 70s and wets a line quite often. I'm using gold leaf under the guides and a gold leaf under the feather inlay. To give the gold leaf a look of melted gold, I put some hot glue on the rod and cover it with the gold leaf. After a few coats of finish, the gold leaf will look like little lumps of gold.

As David Smith mentioned, you can buy the leaf and the adhesive at hobby stores, such as "Michaels." It is a little time consuming however, many of us are looking for ideas that separate us from the crowd. . . something different, something unique. If you'd like additional information, e-mail me at turpenbob@hotmail.com. I live in Dawsonville, GA.

Bob Turpen
Tiger Rods

Yes, we were the Tigers

Bob why e-mail you.... I should just bop over and visit. I live in Ellijay LOL Seriously, I would love to meet you in perswon sometime soon.
Steve

Steve. . . It is a small world.

I have a feather inlay posted on Page 2 of the Feather Inlay Photos on this website. I placed the feathers on a copper leaf background. I trimmed the ends with copper mettalic thread and blue thread. It was my first one that I thought I could sell. It's on my bass rod. One thing I forgot to mention to you was, the metal leaf shows NO seams. I attempted to use a silver photographic tape similar to the mylar, but the seam showed. The mylar I've seen on rods shows the seam, also.

I'm sure we can catch up with each other. I retired from Amoco in Dalton.

Bob

I'm glad to see there are some others from GA around. I am in Jefferson myself - not too far away. So far, I have been able to learn a lot from this board, and Tom's book, but someday it would be nice to see how others do it.
Steve Broadwell
www.bcrods.com

Steve,

You should try to get to Charlotte!!

Mike

Mike;
I am definitely coming to Charlotte! In my regular job, I am there for a couple of days every two weeks anyway, and will just arrange to tie the show in with a normal trip. I am sorry I missed it this year, but I only found this site after the show. But, I will be there the whole time next year. It feels as if I know a lot of people here already, just from reading their posts, and it will be good to meet them.
Steve Broadwell

That's one of the best parts of the show! Meeting some of the great people from this site.

Mike

I am definately interested in going to Charlotte if the date don't create a terrible conflict with my Bass Tournament schedule...LOL that keeps me pretty busy....Am going to try to squeeze it in next time they have it tho.....