My most recent project is sitting on stand drying right now, being turned by hand every 15 minutes. For those of you who haven't tried this, I cannot recommend enough that you try. I've always used a turning motor when applying finish, either 4 or 18 rpm and always had very average results. However, turning by hand I have the most clean, even and glass smooth finish I've ever had yet. If you haven't tried this at least once, you GOTTA. It's made all the difference in the world for me.

-j

Ditto! The absolute best finishes that I get is when I put it on fairly LIGHT and let it do it's own stuff turning every few minutes at first then every 15 minutes or so!! The hardest thing for me is to force myself not to mess with it except to turn it. Thanks Tom K.



Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Tom gave similar advice awhile back for those longer logo areas where you turn by hand for a short time and wick off the excess finish as it sags along the bottom and then levels out before turning the drying motor on. It's made all the difference in the world for my finishes.

Old habits die hard but I plan to try that soon! I can't think of a reason why hand turning would give a different
result than a slow motor. But, I have heard so many builders on this board speak so highly of the hand turning
method I will try it again! ( my first couple of attempts at rod building were done that way but it's been too long to
remember!)

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

One thing I discovered about hand turning is: it is easier to put a thinner coat of LS Supreme or Flex-Coat on the rod because to turn the rod every 15 minutes you must remove the excess, wick off as Tim puts it, or it will sag & drip. Hand turning is a very good method for an even coat. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

I am just about ready to begin my first rod and would love to know how hand turning can be any different than turning slowly by motor. I can think of no logical reason - turning is turning. Someone please explain.

Ralph,
a good finish can be done with a motor only, but it takes a bit of experience in how much finish to apply in the beginning. With hand turning, the excess finish is seen and can be wicked off. It gives the finish a chance to settle. With a motor only, there is a risk of having too much finish that never gets a chance to be wicked off and you'll end up with some sags and bulges, however slight. I've seen (and done) beautiful thread work that is, IMO, ruined by a poor finish job. Wavy finish is one of my pet peeves. Even if I'm pressed for time, I hand turn until I'm satisfied that I have gotten the excess off, even if it is just 20 minutes or so, then let it go on the motor.

Mick, thanks for the explaination. So the key, especially when using a motor, is applying finish in thin coats to avoid the possibility of sags and bulges. If done in this manner, would drying by motor then be as good as hand turning?

Ralp,

I always get the best finish when I turn by hand for the first hour or so, at least. I usually turn the motor (3 rpm) on after an hour or so. Like Mick said, when the rod is turning, the finish is also continually flowing around it making it difficult to see if you have too much on or not. and not allowing you to properly wick off the excess.

One thing that I have found helps is to cut a playing card the length needed and LIGHTLY hold it up to the turning rod, leveling/smoothing the finish. IMO hand turning is still the best way to go.

Make sure that your rod is perfectly level before applying finish.


Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!