I am growing more and more dissatisfied with using brushes to apply finish to my wraps. I am ready to try spatulas. My hope is that some of the vendors coming to the show in Charlotte will be bringing some with them for sale. I would like to see some up close to help me decide on which ones to purchase.

Fran,

Any Craft store will have a wide assortment of art type spatulas vailable. You can usually get an assortment of several various sizes/shapes for under $5. Cheaper yet is a deck of plastic coated playing cards. Make a ton of spatulas for under a buck


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!!

Fran:

If you would like to try spatulas or kind of see how they feel to use, ,go to the Golden arches, Mc Donalds and buy a cup of coffee. The little white stir sticks will kind of give you the feel of a spatula.
Send Mark & Colleen at @#$%& a line they have a great priced set of 4 that I got and don't know why I didn't get them sooner. Much better finish .
Hope that this helps.
Tight lines
Bill

Fran
Several years ago I designed a stainless steel spatula for rodbuilders. It works much better than any gimmick type substitute such as playing cards. Joe Kassuba will have them for sale in the Trondak booth at the Charlotte show. You can try it out and see for yourself how superior it is to other methods. A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for.
Ralph

Instructions for making Ralph's spatula model were in a past issue of RodMaker.

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Fran,
Acid Rod carries them or used to carry some for about nine bucks.

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

I watched Joe Kassuba demo spatula use at the first Charlotte Show, purchased one and have used it exclusively ever since. Joe gives a really good demo of using the spatula at the Show. Buy one early on, as he seems to sell out of them. A great epoxy tool, IMO.

Joe has them for sell at his website, hisrodshop.com, as well as a tutorial Stan

Jeesh. No need to design anything, or use cheap plastic types. I agree with Mike. Spatulas are widely availale. The stainless spatulas are available in every shape, size, and form imagineable.

Do a google search for "dentist spatulas" and look at the first 1-2 hits. I found the Norustand Cement #2 and #3 spatulas to be most useful. Not only do I sometimes use them for finish, but they also make excellent burnishing tools. While you're at it cheche out the other tools that can be used as thread picks for weaving. I bought some of those too.

Lou

I bought my spatulas from @#$%& a few weeks ago. I have not used them yet and figured I would just have to experiment. Thanks for the tip to the link for the tutorial and more importantly thanks to Joe for the excellent tutorial!

Thanks, all. Lots of options for what I need. The show is so close, I will probably wait until I can see and touch them. Besides, spending money at the Rodbuilder's Show is so much more fun than ordering on line or by phone! See you there! Mike Barkley, email me!

You will find more than a few advantages to the one Ralph designed and that Joe sells.

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I didn't get to see Joe demonstrating this last year (too much to see and do); I'll make sure and watch him this time, though. It should be fun sitting in the booth with them both. I'm really looking forward to it.

Joe-do you personalize them by marbling the handles?? ;)

Putter
Williston, ND



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2006 09:12AM by Randy Parpart (Putter).

I use applicator sticks, the same size as the stick on a Q tip, I drop my finish on with it as the rod turns about 4 RPMs. The round shape is used to smooth and spread the finish as it turns and is the right size and shape to give me a nice smooth end to my wraps at the end of the threads. You simply hold the stick to the end of the wrap as it turns. Hope this is clear enough for all to understand.

I value my spatula handmade by Ralph. Looks great... works great... and its a great keepsake that brings back fond memories.

In the beginning I though you needed a brush to apply and literally 'brush' the epoxy onto your wraps. I never really understood how a spatula could/would work...until I tried one. Now I realize that I only need to worry about getting a good line at the ends of my wrap and a good flow under the guide foot. Other than that it's just a scoop & semi-smooth method with the spatula. You really never need to touch the actual wrap with any tool at all, but just let the spatula 'pull' the epoxy over the wrap. When covered let the whole thing sit, drip, and level itself. After a couple minutes of self-leveling start it turning and you're done.

Jay

Are there any videos that show how to use a spatulas?

Will

There's an excellent tutorial with pictures on Joe K.'s website
www.hisrodshop.com



Putter
Williston, ND

Cut up your old credit cards......custom fit to the widths you need!

Keith